Education is what they need to kick the drugs
Anne Longfield
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Teenagers' temptation to experiment with drugs is on the rise. According to the Department of Health, back in 1998, 29 per cent of 15-year-old boys and 1.5 per cent of 11-year-olds were found to have used drugs over the course of the year. Fast-forward to 2005 (the department's latest available figures) and those numbers swell to 34 per cent and six per cent respectively.
Drug use is now a feature of growing up. It represents an example of risky behaviour that is socially skewed. Research suggests that young people from the poorest households are much more likely to take drugs, with lower levels of prominence among young people living in more affluent areas and from better-off families.
Narconon Drug Education is a national charity that raises awareness of the pitfalls of substance abuse and encourages young people to reach their full potential. It employs lecturers who deliver presentations in primary and secondary schools across the UK to provide practical advice on substance abuse and lead discussions on the importance of achieving life-long goals. In the opening term of the last school year, Narconon's nine lecturers reached 5,191 schoolchildren with their presentations. The number of lecturers is scheduled to rise to 20 before the end of the school year. Feedback from the schools is positive too. Three-quarters of teachers who have participated in the programme say they would definitely recommend it to other schools and students testify that the presentations are directly relevant and applicable to their daily lives.
So why do teenagers turn to drugs? Research conducted over the course of a decade by a scheme supporting young people based in South Wales provides us with some idea of the reasons. Released in 2006 by Ogwr Dash (Drug and Alcohol Self Help), the study identified that these motivations include peer pressure, dealing with problems relating to self-image and the easing of social situations. The local support agency provides one-to-one counselling, outreach work and drop-in support across the area, and co-ordinates training of youth workers and research. Programmes reached over 1,000 youth workers last year, with 82 per cent of participants saying that their skills have eased requests for support from young people in settings who need advice on drug use.
Drugs information campaigns have the biggest impact when they reach young people in their mid-teens, before habits become entrenched as they grow into adults. Training, support and provision of drop-in opportunities is essential in supporting youth workers, teachers and other practitioners in what is a difficult and sensitive field.
Anne Longfield is chief executive of 4Children.Email anne.longfield@haymarket.com