RESPONSIBLE DRUG USE NOT FOR YOUNG STUDENTS

Study Finds Older Teens Better At Limiting Risks

HALIFAX - Encouraging teens who use drugs to avoid unnecessary risks
is appropriate for older students, but goes over the heads of younger
teens, says a Halifax-based researcher.

In fact, younger teens might interpret information about responsible
drug use as permission to use drugs, according to a newly released study.

The four-year study of "harm reduction" drug education by Dalhousie
University professor Christiane Poulin was published last week in the
International Journal of Drug Policy.

"In the past, the idea has been generally to try to get kids to not
use drugs," Poulin said Tuesday.

"In this case, we were concerned that the proportion of teenagers
using was high enough that maybe we should be using another method."

She said the concept of "harm reduction," which has had little
attention from researchers, is based on the belief that if you can't
prevent drug abuse, you should at least be able to prevent it from
causing problems. "But there is still a great lack of evidence about
whether or not it's safe, whether or not harm reduction will cause
harm," said Poulin.

Poulin's study, only the second in the world to focus on harm
reduction, began in 1998. It involved students, parents, teachers,
school board officials and addiction services and Health Department
staff at five of the province's junior and senior high schools.

The groups met several times to talk about drug use and they
developed their own drug education activities.

The study found older students thought they could save themselves
from harm by setting limits on their use and not driving while intoxicated.

"With junior high school students, their only solution was always
'Don't use,' " Poulin said. Younger teens may even misconstrue harm
reduction education as permission to use drugs.

She said at this point, it would be best to teach teens aged 11 to 15
just to stay away from drugs.