The revised Principles for school drug education are guiding principles for effective school drug education in Australia. They have a strong evidence base and provide an overarching framework to inform policy and practice in school drug education. The Principles:
- set out the key elements for delivery of effective drug education in schools:
- Inform policy and practice in school drug education and function as a ready reference across a diverse range of possible audiences and contexts.
- provide a practical, easy to use document for schools, policy makers, drug education practitioners and the broader community on key principles for effective drug education in schools.
Principles for school drug education - Publication 
(323.9 KB)
The Principles for school drug education provide a framework of core concepts and values to support effective drug education practice within schools.
Principles for school drug education - Brochure (68.7 KB)
This brochure provides a short and clear overview and summary of the 12 Principles.
Principles for school drug education - Poster (1.8 MB)
The poster is a stand-alone resource which can be used to promote awareness of the Principles in the staffroom. The poster should act as a reference point for teachers seeking further information about the latest drug education resources.
Principles for school drug education - Multimedia Movie
The Multimedia movie is a resource to promote awareness of the principles for school drug education to teachers and school staff.
Windows Media Player - Principles for school drug education (5.25 MB, 16 minutes)
QuickTime Movie - Principles for school drug education (4.25 MB, 16 minutes)
Transcript - Principles for school drug education
If you require a high resolution version, for example for group professional development, please contact Drug Education and Student Wellbeing Section on (02) 6240 9493.
Note: If you are having trouble viewing the videos you may need to download the appropriate media player.
To download Windows Media Player visit the Microsoft Download Centre 
website.
To download the Apple QuickTime Player visit the Quicktime website.
There are 12 Principles providing a framework for school drug education. They provide a broad conceptual tool for informing the planning, implementation and review of school drug education programs, policies and practices.
The revised Principles are:
- Interrelated:
The Principles overlap and inform each other and are best understood and applied in an holistic and integrated way.
- Broad and generic:
They embrace fundamental and general guidelines for effective school drug education and need to be understood and applied within the context of the school community and its specific needs and priorities.
- Focused on school-based interactions and interventions:
They are intended to assist school communities address factors within their sphere of influence.
- Embedded within a broader health promoting approach:
They are consistent with broader principles for promoting physical and mental health and wellbeing within school communities.
- Informed by, and support, evidence-based practice:
They have been developed using current research and evaluation of effective curriculum practice. The principles support use of evidence-based practice as central to effective drug education.
- Comprehensive and Evidence Based Practice:
- focusing on the overall approach and outcomes for effective school drug education and links to the National Drug Strategy goal of harm minimisation.
- Positive School Climate and Relationships:
- focusing on schools providing supportive and nurturing environments and relationships as part of effective school drug education.
- Targeted to Needs and Context:
- focusing on schools identifying and responding to local community needs and priorities for school drug education policies and practices.
- Effective Pedagogy:
- focusing on schools planning and delivering drug education programs and activities within a curriculum framework and ensuring use of appropriate learning and teaching strategies.
The 1994 edition of Principles for Drug Education in Schools (Ballard, Gillespie and Irwin) has provided a strong foundation for school drug education within Australia. Principles for school drug education (2004) have been prepared in response to emerging needs and outcomes of research in drug education and curriculum practice.