Pubdate: Fri, 22 May 2009
Source: New Zealand Herald (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2009 New Zealand Herald
Contact: http://info.nzherald.co.nz/letters/
Website: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/300
Author: Andrew Laxon
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?135 (Drug Education)

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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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom