An Annex from the White Paper listing the main illegal drugs is reproduced as Annex 1. Young people are influenced by their parents, youth culture, the media, their peers, and others - but education can play a key role in ensuring that young people know the risks of drug taking and have the knowledge and skills to resist.
Drug misuse is an educational issue.
Relatively few children of compulsory school age are actively involved in experimenting with illegal drugs. Each school therefore has a responsibility to consider its response to drug misuse, working in partnership with health and social services, the police and other agencies. This Circular reflects recognised good practice in schools and offers guidance on the principles which should inform the development of school drug education programmes and assist schools in dealing effectively and consistently with drug-related incidents. Each school will want to consider its own response to drug prevention in the light of these common principles. The Secretary of State is not seeking through this guidance to impose additional curricular demands or pastoral responsibilities on schools.