Young People and Drugs:

1
Young People and Drugs

• a guide for school
• staff to support
• students

2
Purpose
To assist schools to

• implement appropriate prevention and intervention
  strategies to support young people with drug use
  problems
• identify when a young person may have a drug use
  problem
• link young people and families to services and
  resources
• access drug and alcohol information services.

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What is drug misuse?

• Drug misuse is any use of drugs that causes
  physical, psychological, economic, legal or
  social harm to the individual user or to others
  by the drug users behaviour.

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Problems associated with adolescent drug misuse

• Brain development in adolescence may be affected.
• Delayed maturation during adolescence may impede
  important developmental tasks.
• Drug use disorders are often associated with
  mental health disorders, suicide and a history of
  abuse.

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Prevalence of drug use among young people 12 to
17 years
Table 3 Australian Secondary Students Alcohol
and Drugs (ASSAD) Survey 2005 Students aged 1217
years
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IMPORTANT NOTE

• Most young people who try alcohol and illicit
  drugs do not become problem drug users.

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Reasons young people use drugs

• To experiment
• To have fun
• To heighten sensations
• To rebel
• To relax
• To relieve boredom
• To fit in with peers
• To cope with problems
• Because they are available

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Indicators of possible drug use problems

• Changes in appearance and wellbeing
• Mood swings or significant personality change
• Loss of initiative
• Decline in academic performance
• Increased need for money and secrecy
• Intoxication at school

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Identifying possible drug use problems
Cautionary notes

• Behavioural change may be due to causes other
  than drug use.
• Drug use is not necessarily drug misuse.
• Drug use may increase as a result of getting into
  trouble for initial drug use and being labelled a
  drug user.

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Confidentiality

• Issues of confidentiality can arise when
  teachers discuss possible drug use with students.

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Limits of confidentiality

• Teachers have a duty of care to protect young
  people against risks of harm.
• Teachers should advise the principal of concerns
  about the welfare and safety of young people.
• Confidentiality may be limited by the
  requirements to advise the principal of concerns.
• Students should be advised of the limits to
  confidentiality from the outset.

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Talking to young people about possible drug use

• Consider who is the best person to approach the
  student.
• Express concerns that can be supported by facts.
• Encourage the student to talk.
• Listen carefully and avoid moralising.
• Dont use scare tactics.
• Offer information or help.

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Strategies to support students

• Offer support and information
• Refer to the school counsellor for assessment and
  support
• Refer to outside agencies
• Provide school-based support as appropriate
• - Learning support team
• - Support teacher/learning
• - Support teacher/behaviour
• - Home school liaison officer.

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Useful contacts for schools

• Drug education consultants
• Student welfare consultants
• Area School-Link coordinators
• NSW area health drug and alcohol services
• Telephone help lines
• Websites
• DET resources

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What is the role of the school in prevention?

• Providing a safe and supportive school
  environment where a students social, emotional
  and learning needs are met is most important in
  preventing drug use problems.

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A framework for prevention of drug use problems
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Drug prevention Safe, supportive and engaging
environment

• Promote a sense of belonging at school
• Provide support at transition points
• Build positive social behaviours and problem
  solving skills
• Promote pastoral care relationships

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Drug prevention Quality learning and teaching

• Provide a curriculum that engages and meets the
  needs of students
• Ensure drug education is taught within the PDHPE
  curriculum K10 and Crossroads 1112
• Teach drug education in a planned, sequential and
  developmentally appropriate manner

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Drug prevention Home, school and community
partnerships

• Consult parents and local community
• Develop positive partnerships with local area
  health, police and other support services to
• - link students and their families to supports
• - ensure continuity of care for young people
• - strengthen response to drug issues.

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Referral to the school counsellor

• The student has been suspended
• Drug use is associated with high levels of risk
• The student appears to be drug dependent
• Drug use interferes with life at school and in
  the community
• Drug use is associated with other problems
  behavioural, family or mental health

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The Stages of Change model
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Involving parents and caregivers

• Be reassuring and dont over-dramatise
• Help the parents explore options
• Involve the student in decisions
• Give information and or suggest referral
• Allow the parents to express their concerns

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Supporting students whose parents use drugs

• Reframe perceptions of disloyalty
• Encourage discussion
• Advise young people to seek help from a trusted
  relative or family member
• Promote a positive outlook
• Report suspected abuse and neglect

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Helping students to be non-smokers

• Ensure students are aware of rules and
  consequences
• Do not automatically suspend for possession of
  tobacco
• Include tobacco education in PDHPE
• Provide information about QUIT programs or form a
  QUIT group
• Provide incentives to quit
• Display anti-smoking stickers and posters
• Use Smoke screen a smoking prevention resource
  (Stages 3 and 4)
• Participate in The Critics' Choice