What do we tell the kids?

New Psychoactive DrugsAnd Drug Education

Prepared by: Ren MasettiBA Hons,PGCE, Cert Substance Misuse

Suffolk DAAT Training Co-ordinator and Consultant Trainer

Illegal market Legal market

Naughty but maybe legalAnd effective

Popular Ideas

• Scare them and they’ll stop

J.Cohen 2000

Old Gold!

“After lessons warning of the dangers there was MORE drug use than among the controls. Only non-drug focussed discussion of “personal” problems reduced drug use relative to doing nothing.”

De Haes and Schuurman, 1975

Popular Ideas

• Bring in the police and an ex-addict-that’ll do it!

J.Cohen 2000

Ex-user

• “They banged up heroin, I do a bit of Spice – what have we got in common?”

• “Wow – look at them standing up there!! Cool!”

• Therapeutic for the speaker – not necessarily the kids

• Extreme – often unbalanced view

• User seen as “expert” on drug use

Popular Ideas

• We can stop them by educating them

J.Cohen 2000

Aim of Drug Education

• “Provide opportunities…to develop their knowledge, skills and attitudes and understanding about drugs and appreciate the benefits of a healthy lifestyle…”

Drugs: Guidance for schools(DES2004)

What it can’t do

• Stop young people taking drugs!

Drugs: Guidance for schools(DES2004)

InformedChoice

What can we do?

• Feelings• Information• Risks and dangers• Decision making• Consequences• Punishment• Rewards• Etc. etc. etc.

SAY NO!!!!!!!!

What if they say yes?!!

Survival techniques• Remember general health and harm reduction advice• Allergy test• Be aware of variables in admin route• Stick with effective products • But be aware that active ingredient might change• Protect against dependency• Effects may be delayed or surprisingly fast• Never follow dosage on packet• “Bottom of the bag” syndrome• Always use less• Leave as long as you can before re-dosing• Expect a long and forceful effect• Friends are all you have – NEVER use alone

Special thanks to:

• Robin Pivett – Suffolk Constabulary

• John Ramsey – St Georges University

Sources

• ACMD 2009 Annual Report• ACMD 2009 Consideration of the major cannabinoid agonists• Campbell, D, 2009. Online sales of legal alternatives to class A drugs raise safety fears. Guardian.co.uk (internet)

12th March. Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/mar/12/online-legal-drugs-stimulants (Accessed 8th April 2009).• Davies and Ramsey, 2008. Analytical Profiles• EMCDDA, 2009. Report on the risk assessment of BZP• Erowid, 2009. Plants and drugs (online). Available at http://www.erowid.org (Accessed 8th April 2009 and 12th October 2009)• FRANK (online) (Accessed 12th October 2009)• Herbal Highs, 2009. Available at http://www.hebalhighs.co.uk (Accessed 8th April 2009)• Methedrone. com (online). Available at www.methedrone.com. (Accessed 8th April 2009)• St.Georges 2009, Drug related deaths in the UK – a briefing• Demos and UK Drug Policy Report 2011• Brandt, S. D.; Sumnall, H. R.; Measham, F.; Cole, J. (2010). "The confusing case of NRG-1". BMJ 341: c3564• Brandt, S. D, et al. Drug Testing and Analysis (2010). The Naphyrone Story: “The Alpha or Beta-naphthyl isomer.”• Nutt, DJ, et al. The Lancet (2010). “ Drug Harms in the UK”: a Multicriteria Decision Analysis”.