Dr David Kemp
Minister for Education, Training and Youth Affairs
Dear Parent,
Our children are precious and we want them to have a safe place in which to learn and grow.
We expect schools to be safe and healthy – and, of course, most of the time they are.
But drug-taking among young people can make school a less safe and healthy place for all students, whether they use drugs or not.
My reason for sending you this pamphlet is to let you know what is being done in schools across Australia to prevent drug abuse by young people and to help those who do get into trouble.
All the Governments of Australia – the Federal Government, and all the State and Territory Governments – are working together on a National School Drug Education Strategy, for which my parliamentary Secretary, the Hon Trish Worth MP, has responsibility.
One of the most important parts of that strategy is to encourage parents to become partners with teachers and family doctors in helping young people avoid drug-taking altogether, or treating those who are taking drugs.
The school is important, but it isn’t just up to the school. It’s up to us all.
The bottom line is: illicit drugs have no place in our schools.
This pamphlet tells you what is being done and where you can go for more information. I hope you find it useful.
When we talk about drugs in schools, we mean:
- Alcohol
- Tobacco
- Cannabis (marijuana)
- Heroin
- Cocaine
- Ecstasy
- Other heavily addictive drugs
- Medicines prescribed for someone else
- Harmful amounts of medicines easily bought at the chemist or supermarket.
You will see that not all of these drugs are illegal. Alcohol and tobacco are legal for people over 18. Medicines are legal. The other drugs are, of course, illegal.
So we need to think broadly about what drug-taking by school students really means. It doesn’t always simply mean “unlawful”.
The term for the use or abuse of all these products and substances by school students is “unsanctioned” or ”not allowed”.
There are three big myths about this.
Myth 1: Everybody’s taking something.
Fact: Lots of students do drink or smoke, and a lot experiment with cannabis. But only about 5 per cent ever try the illegal “hard” drugs like heroin.
Myth 2: Once you use an illegal drug, you’re hooked for ever.
Fact: Young people who use illegal drugs can be helped to give them up, and the earlier they get help, the likelier it is that they will give up.
Myth 3: It’s too hard and complicated for parents.
Fact: It is often hard and complicated, but if parents work with the school and their doctor, they can really help.
The big-picture view is that a large proportion of students experiment by using at least one of the drugs on that “unsanctioned” list for a short time. Only a small proportion become regular users or abusers.
The picture is the same for Government, Catholic and Independent schools.
The best information about this comes from a survey of students aged 12 to 17 across Australia in 1996. It showed:
- Alcohol is by far the most commonly used drug. Eighty per cent of Year 10 students had used alcohol at least once in the previous 12 months.
- Tobacco was the second most commonly used (40 per cent).
- Cannabis was third (35 per cent).
- The rest – heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, LSD – were each less than 5 per cent.
The survey also suggested there is a lot of experimentation but comparatively little regular use.
However, any level of drug abuse is something we should be concerned about, especially where young people are involved. Experimenting is dangerous.
At the same time, we need to keep in mind the fact that the problem can be managed if we all – parents, school communities and family doctors – work together
It is not too hard. The problem is not out of control. But we need to work at reducing the level of drug abuse among young people.
Our aim should be to have no young people abusing drugs.
We all know that teenage years are difficult. Young people are coping with a lot of change within themselves, as well as with the pressures of school, a competitive job market and their own social circle.
In many families too there are tensions brought about by economic hardship, relationship breakdowns or enforced change of one kind or another. These affect young people very deeply.
We need to be aware of all this, and alert for signs that our young people may not be coping.
Common signs that a young person might be at risk of drug abuse include:
- Mood swings
- Trouble at school
- Concerns about them among their friends
- Unexplained need for money
- Change of friends.
Of course it is important not to jump to conclusions if your child shows one or two of these signs. But it is important also to keep an open mind, so if you are approached by the school you are prepared to listen to what they have to say.
Schools have a responsibility to all students – including any who may be at risk from drug use. They are encouraged to help students at risk, not push them away.
To help, schools and parents need to work in partnership.
Under the National School Drug Education Strategy, a lot is being done.
The Federal Government has put over $27million into the fight against drugs in schools.
The money is being spent on:
- helping teachers learn more about how to handle the issue;
- providing information to parents;
- financing community-school partnership projects to promote healthy lifestyles among young people;
- developing better ways for school communities to fight against drug use in schools;
- creating new educational material, and raising awareness among the community about the need to be involved in the fight; and
- providing material for schools to hold their own local “summit” to bring the community together on this issue.
All Australian governments have agreed that there should be a nationally consistent approach to dealing with the drugs issue in schools. There is a document called the National Framework for Protocols for Managing the Possession, Use and/or Distribution of Illicit and other Unsanctioned Drugs in Schools . If you hear about a “National Framework”, this is what it is. Every school will get a copy.
The Framework is designed to provide a common starting point for handling the issue. However, school communities are not all the same, and every school is able to tailor its approach to drugs in ways which suit its community best.
Ask your school if it plans to have a local “summit”. There is special money for the summits.
In March 2000 there was a national satellite broadcast of a discussion between teachers, school principals, doctors and drug experts on the whole question of drugs in schools. Every school is receiving an edited video of the broadcast.
(Breakout)
Advice to parents from Dr Robert Ali, Chair of the National Expert Advisory Committee on Illicit Drugs:
“The main thing is early recognition.
“Don’t give up if things don’t work the first time.
“Think prevention.
“Think about a strategic response if you do see a problem.
“Feel positive you can have an influence.”
The Director
Drug Education Section
DETYA
GPO Box 9880
Canberra ACT 2601
The full text of the National Framework for protocols for managing the Possession, Use and/or Distribution of Illicit and other unsanctioned Drugs in Schools and the National School Drug Education Strategy is available at http://www.dest.gov.au/.