DRUGS 'IN EVERY UK SCHOOL'

Every school in Britain has a drugs problem, according to two leading
headteachers' unions.

John Dunford, general secretary of the Secondary Headteachers' Association,
said yesterday: "Any school that doesn't think it has a drugs problem
doesn't know its children."

Peter Walker, adviser on drugs to the National Association of Headteachers,
said: "You show me a head teacher that says they haven't got a drug problem
and I will show you a liar. I mean infant schools, primary schools and
secondary schools."

Mr Walker said the levels of drug taking inside schools was fairly low,
arguing that most young people experimented either at home or at the homes
of friends. And he said that many youngsters believed drug taking was
"selfish" and had begun to display remarkably mature attitudes about the issue.

However, he admitted there were young people in schools who developed drugs
problems or dealt drugs, advocating exclusion for the dealers so other
"innocent" children were not sucked into drug use.

In Mr Dunford's view, however, the problem was more widespread.

"There isn't a town in the country now where the children will be able to
tell you where you can obtain drugs or for how much in graphic detail - and
I am talking about nice kids," he said.

"I think schools do an awful lot of work on drugs education which makes a
considerable impact. The problem would be much worse without that."

Both said drugs education should start in primary schools, calling for more
help for teachers in getting the anti-drugs message across.

The Department for Education and Skills yesterday dismissed the
allegations. "What evidence is there that every school has got a drugs
problem?" a spokesman said. "Most schools don't have a drugs problem. There
are some that do and that is why we are taking steps to help teachers
educate people better and why we are cracking down on drug dealing in and
around schools."

But Mr Dunford also warned that there could also be future problems in
schools because of recent moves to liberalise the laws on cannabis.

"I think young people are aware that there is a more liberal attitude on
the part of the police to cannabis possession. But I think it's too early
to say if that change of attitude will have an impact," he said.

According to previously unpublished research by Life Education Centres, a
drug prevention charity whose patron is Prince Charles, more children now
believed cannabis was "safe".