Drugs education can make a difference, say the research

Teenagers who receive effective drugs education in schools are less likely to take illegal substances, research suggests.

Pupils who could remember nothing about drug awareness lessons had a much higher rate of drug abuse than those who found the lessons useful.

Only 23% of pupils who rated their drug awareness lessons as "very useful" or "quite useful" had taken illegal substances.

But 60% of teenagers who regarded their drugs education as "not at all useful" said they had taken drugs.

The figures, analysed by the Schools Health Education Unit in Exeter, were taken from responses from 13,809 Year 10 pupils (14 and 15 year olds) in England in 2002.

More time needed

Dr David Regis, who headed the research, said it was encouraging to see the positive impact of drugs awareness sessions in schools.

How can we reach more youngsters with the lessons we're trying to get across Dr David Regis

But Dr Regis said teachers needed more time to devote to this area of their work.

"Teachers always tell us the problem is time - they have so much else to do.

"It's difficult to find time on the timetable and then the time to get the necessary resources together and get themselves up to speed on the latest issues.

"And all this in a climate where the government wants everything else done right - it's like spinning plates.

"But the consequences of getting this wrong are dreadful," he warned.

Fading memories

While the research suggests effective awareness programmes in schools works, the statistics also show that 32% of those questioned could not recollect any lessons about drug education.

Dr Regis said this statistic was sobering.

"That would disappoint me if I was a teacher and that was my school," he said.

"It's quite sobering if pupils can't remember anything about drugs education.

"But is that really true? Or are they just saying that to express their dissatisfaction with schooling and with personal and social education?

"The question now is: How can we reach more youngsters with the lessons we're trying to get across?"