Drugs guidance
The Department of Education is firmly committed to tackling the increasing problem of the availability and use of illegal drugs.Schools have a key role to play in ensuring that young people understand the risks involved and have the confidence, knowledge and skills to avoid them. Other parts of the education sector:
- the Youth Service;
- further education colleges;
- the universities; and
- training colleges
have a major contribution to make in discouraging drug misuse, encouraging positive attitudes and self-esteem, and promoting healthy lifestyles. The education sector alone cannot, of course, solve the problem of drug misuse in society, but the implementation of an effective programme of drug education in all schools and colleges is an essential step in tackling it.
The Government appointed a Drug and Alcohol Strategy Co-ordinator to oversee the joint implementation of the Northern Ireland Drug Strategy and the Strategy for Reducing Alcohol Related Harm.
An Education and Prevention Working Group was set up in 2001 as part of the Joint Implementation Model. They commissioned the Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) to carry out a review of the ‘Misuse of Drugs’ guidance issued to schools by the Department of Education in 1996.
The Council's revised guidance was prepared in consultation with primary and post-primary teachers, the Education and Library Boards and the former Health Promotion Agency (now the Public Health Agency - PHA), all of whom were represented on the Advisory Working Group.
DE Circular No. 2004/9 - Drugs: Guidance for Schools PDF 66.1 KB
Guidance for schools on the nature and extent of drugs misuse in Northern Ireland and their role in addressing the problem.
CCEA Guidance - Drugs: Guidance for Schools in Northern Ireland
Contents PDF 303 KB
Section 1: Drugs Policy and Education PDF 2.05 MB
Section 2: Guidance on managing suspected drugs related incidents PDF 1.09 MB
Appendices 1 - 3 PDF 1.81 MB
Appendix 4 PDF 3.46 MB
Appendix 5 PDF 2.85 MB
Appendices 6 - 11 PDF 0.99 MB
Appendices 12 - 14 PDF 3.12 MB
The former Education Minister wrote to all grant-aided schools on 2 June 2010 reminding them about their responsibilities in relation to the prevention of drugs misuse (through drugs education programmes) and the protection of young people (through each school's drugs education policy). You can view the former Minister's letter by using the following link:
