This document provides a series of papers on principles of effective drug education in schools. It discusses creating a whole-school approach, using age-appropriate and evidence-based lessons, the responsibilities of teachers and visitors, implementing prevention strategies school-wide, the importance of life skills training programs, engaging parents, and addressing new drugs like "legal highs". The goal is to give schools and educators guidance on best practices for drug education and prevention.

1. A series of papers produced by the
Drug Education Forum, for
schools and others involved
in drug education or
informal drug
prevention.
March 2012

2. The principles of good drug education
• Environment: within a whole-school approach
• Planning: relevant and age-appropriate, manageable,
informed by the evidence base, supported by
evidence
• Practice: interactive, includes a normative
component
• Content: using up-to-date information, exploring
attitudes, developing skills and strengthening
protective factors
• Evaluation: informed by needs assessment,
monitoring and evaluation

3. Principles for supporting school
drug education
• Visitors’ responsibilities include: using up-to-date
resources and evidence-based approaches, following
appropriate guidance
• Schools’ responsibilities include: negotiating content
and informing visitors about school policies and
practice as well as class needs
• Teachers’ responsibilities include: overseeing the
session, reflecting on learning and following it up
where necessary

4. Beyond the lesson plan
Drug prevention and early intervention
• Prevention: What schools can do outside ‘drug
education’ to reduce young people’s drug use
• Early intervention: ensuring young people get the
support they need
• What doesn’t work: random drug testing, sniffer
dogs

5. The ‘school effect’
• Research suggests ‘better’ schools (lower truancy
and better exam results than expected) have lower
drug use
• School attachment – protective factors
– relationship with teachers
– stable peer group
– physical and social environment
– belief that education is important and relevant
• Routes to drug use from poor school ethos
– disengaging, adopting anti-school identities
– establishing a ‘tough’ reputation for self protection
– self-medication to deal with problems

6. What schools can do
• Classroom management, for example the Good
Behaviour Game
• Pupil participation, e.g. in setting rules
• Improving the school environment
– physical – is it pleasant, are there unmonitored
spaces?
– social, for example the prevalence of bullying

7. Early intervention
• Schools are responsible for identifying pupils at risk
of drug misuse, and providing where appropriate:
– general information and education
– targeted prevention
– a more detailed assessment of young people’s needs
• Other pupils need support because someone
else in their family is misusing drugs. Schools
should have a comprehensive policy on meeting the
needs of young carers

8. Random drug testing – a magic bullet?
• Commonly used in the US
• The evidence that it works is not strong (the
largest study found no effect)
• Negative impact on relationship with school
• Possible negative consequences – switching to
alcohol
• No positive test = no problem...?
• Positive test, followed by punishment (deterrent)
and/or treatment = problem solved...? Or made
worse?

9. Engaging parents in drug education
in schools and in the community
Protective factors against misuse of drugs include:
• young people spending time with their family
• parents knowing where they are when they are
out (in particular young people disclosing this to
their parents)
• clear rules which include limiting direct access
to alcohol
• close family relationships
• good family communication (including parents
listening to their children)

10. Ways of reaching parents
• One-off events or workshops
• Courses for parents or families
• Events with children in school
• Community-based events
• Homework
• Leaflets
• Web or phone-based support

11. What if no one turns up?
• What do they want? Ask them
• Is a ‘drugs’ event off-putting?
• What are the practical barriers, e.g. childcare?
• Who’s asking? – the personal connection
• School events will be in the context of the
wider parent-school relationship...

12. Parents and schools
• Are schools getting the basics right in
communicating with parents?
• Are parents partners with an active voice?
• How can problems be solved and parents
supported – does the school have a link worker?
• It is generally much easier for primary schools to
build up a good relationship with parents, but it is
important for secondary schools as well.

13. Learning from life skills programmes
in drug education
• Good PSHE teaching is all about life skills, and
many programmes focus on them.
• In this paper we focus on LST and Unplugged –
the two programmes with the strongest
evidence base in RCTs.

14. There are many reasons young people
may take drugs
Curiosity To gain Boredom
confidence
‘Everybody
To look To fit in with does it’
tough a group Thrill-seeking
Enjoyment
To relax To assert
To bond To deal with independence
with friends anxiety or
stress

15. Life skills help address many of these
Thinking skills Social skills Coping and self-
management
Decision-making Making and Thinking about
keeping positive longer-term goals
Problem-solving
friendships
Managing
Thinking critically
Negotiation emotions such as
about social
anxiety and anger
influences and Assertiveness
social norms

16. Life skills teaching as a process
• Using wider life skills with a specific focus on
drugs
• Interactive learning
• Practice outside the classroom
• Reflection and review
• Learning as a long-term process, rather than one-off
sessions
• Teachers trained and supported

17. ‘Legal highs’
Novel psychoactive substances
This paper aims:
• To give teachers confidence in covering this topic
as part of general drug education
• To cover issues specific to ‘legal highs’ –
debunking myths
• To promote principles of good drug education

18. Teacher’s role
• Needs assessment: should legal highs be covered
in detail?
• Discussing the issues: does legal always mean
safe?
• Following principles of good drug education
including life skills and social norms
• Getting pupils to find out for themselves – from
the right sources!
• Credibility is not the same as being an expert on
the detail

19. Myth: these drugs are legal
• They are not legally sold for human consumption
• They may contain illegal drugs
Myth: they are safe
• The health risks are similar to those of similar
illegal drugs…
• …with added uncertainty
Myth: their use is common
• Social norms

20. • The principles of good drug All papers available from
education www.drugeducationforum.com
• Principles for supporting school
or contact
drug education
andrew.brown@mentoruk.org
• Beyond the lesson plan: Drug
prevention and early intervention
• Engaging parents in drug education
• Learning from life skills programmes
in drug education
• Legal highs