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News (Media Awareness Project) - New Zealand: Drug Education In Schools Panned
Title:New Zealand: Drug Education In Schools Panned
Published On:2009-05-22
Source:New Zealand Herald (New Zealand)
Fetched On:2009-05-22 15:23:25
DRUG EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS PANNED

Today is the final of a six-part series on the damage methamphetamine
is doing to New Zealand and what we can do to fix it.

Traditional drug education in schools has little or no effect on
young people's tendency to take drugs such as P, researchers have warned.

A Massey University review says bringing in experts to teach about
the dangers of drugs and alcohol does not lead to a long-term change
in student behaviour - mainly because teenagers have other stronger
influences in their lives.

The research was dismissed by one of the country's longest-running
providers, the Life Education Trust, as irrelevant academic criticism.

But the newly formed Stellar Trust, which aims to promote education
about methamphetamine, says it is aware of the findings and is
planning a more community-based approach.

The review by Massey's Auckland-based Centre for Social and Health
Outcomes Research and Evaluation applied the findings of overseas
research to similar programmes in New Zealand schools.

Centre director Professor Sally Casswell said many of the local
programmes were very well taught and had some effect on changing
short-term attitudes to drugs and alcohol.

"The problem comes from the fact that people are engaging in this
teaching with the expectation that it will prevent kids from using
the drugs they are being taught about.

"And that's where the evidence is really clear that this doesn't make
a difference. Some time later on when they're in a social situation
with their friends and drugs are available, it doesn't really compete."

Professor Casswell said it was far more important to restrict the
availability of drugs and for parents to give strong guidelines to
their children.

Schools could concentrate on helping children with serious behaviour
problems who were most at risk of using drugs.

But if she was on a school board, she would not support bringing in
drug and alcohol educators to talk to classes.

"It's just a complete waste of money. Why would you do it?"

She added that some research suggested that talking to students about
illegal drugs could increase their curiosity to try them.

Life Education Trust founder Trevor Grice said he had no interest in
Professor Casswell's comments.

"They've never come near us. All they do is criticise."

He said the trust, which worked in primary schools, taught children
about how to look after their bodies, with no direct references to
drugs or alcohol until Year 8, the year before they started secondary
school. Research showed 90 per cent of schools valued the trust's
visits as part of their health and physical education programmes.

Stellar Trust deputy chairman Alister Lawrence said the trust was
aware of research in this area.

It planned to take a broader educational approach across a number of
fronts, which included schools but also parents, employers and whole
communities. The trust planned to have a network of community
coalitions in every town and city that would help provide resources
to each group.
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