FIFTH OF SCHOOL EXPULSIONS ARE DRUG-RELATED

UP TO 4,000 school expulsions a year are because of drug-related
incidents, the first national survey of primary and secondary schools
across England has disclosed. Alcohol, tobacco and cannabis accounted
for most of them.

A report based on the research will be publicised today at the
Secondary Heads Conference in Brighton. Entitled The Right Responses,
it aims to persuade teachers to use expulsion as a last resort and
details other ways of responding to drug abuse.

The survey was carried out for the Standing Conference on Drug Abuse,
Britain's main drugs charity. Roger Howard, its chief executive said:
"We are concerned that many schools are using expulsion as a first
resort . . . there are other ways of dealing with drug abuse in schools."

He added: "There is growing evidence that pupils who are not in school
are much more likely to come into contact with illegal drugs. It is in
the interests of society as a whole to keep young people within the
education system."

Up to 20,000 pupils each year are excluded from school either
permanently or temporarily because of drug abuse. From September all
head teachers will be expected to adhere to new government guidelines
which state that a pupil should not be expelled for a first offence.

The research, by Manchester Metropolitan University, showed that the
drugs policies of schools varied greatly. Some expelled pupils for
supplying drugs to other pupils while some used the same punishment
for first-time offences involving cannabis possession.

Suggestions in the report include holding counselling services at
lunchtime and special drug education days.

[SIDEBAR]

*An advertising campaign for Later, a new men's magazine, that appears
to glamorise drug-taking, was criticised by the Health Education
Authority yesterday. The posters feature tick boxes alongside drugs
references. One has the headline "Grass" with the tick-box
alternatives of "mow it" or "smoke it".