CALL FOR DRUGS EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AGED FIVE

Government Backing For Report Despite Widespread Criticism

The Government yesterday backed a report which calls for children to
be given education about drugs from the age of five.

The report came under fire from conservative groups who claimed it was
unnecessary for such young children to be told about drugs.

The report from the Standing Conference on Drug Abuse (Scoda), published
yesterday, recommends:

* Drug education for children starting at age five to become an integral
part of a personal, social and health education curriculum;

* A sustained programme of education for parents about drugs; * An increase
in services for young people with drug problems.

Roger Howard, chief executive of Scoda, said: "When deaths from drug misuse
are increasing among young people, it is time to bite the bullet and invest
in approaches known to work. Government research has demonstrated that drug
education programmes with primary school children can reduce
experimentation with drugs."

The chairman of Scoda, Lord Newton, the former Conservative cabinet
minister, added: "Young people already know a lot about drugs from their
friends and the media. We must ensure that this incomplete and often
inaccurate information is not their only source of knowledge. Improving
drug education, far from glamorising drug misuse, is a sensible response to
a significant problem."

The report was criticised for suggesting that such young children should
receive education about drugs. A spokeswoman for Family and Youth Concern
said: "Five is far too young. It is robbing children of their childhood to
be telling them about drugs at that age. There are a lot of children who
wouldn't be aware of drugs at all at that age."

Adrian Rogers of the Conservative Family Institute, called for Scoda to be
abolished. "Introducing drug education to five-year-olds is a desperate
measure, which is at best well-intentioned and at worst is simply going to
open up appetites and desires as they get older. Drug education is
unsuccessful, it is a waste of school time, and for some children it will
encourage drug use. Scoda has singularly failed to come up with any
measures that do anything to reduce drug abuse in this country. It should
be abolished."

A spokesman for the Cabinet Office, which oversees the work of the national
drugs co-ordinator, Keith Hellawell, welcomed the report. "We support the
emphasis on early intervention, including drug edcation at primary school
and work with parents," a spokesman said.

Mr Howard responded to criticism by saying: "We can't put our heads in the
sand and pretend it's not there."

The plan also suggests a campaign to use the power of the media to
encourage realistic strategies, that the Police Foundation inquiry into
drug legislation should be supported, and that local employment services
work more closely with drug action teams to help recovering drug misusers
get back to work.

Drugs: a plan of action for the next century. Scoda, 32 Loman Street,
London SE1 OEE.