Primary pupils are urged to act
drunk and ‘take’ ecstasy |
| | By Liz Lightfoot | | | | Alex who does a chicken dance. |
| | Education Editor | | | | It tells how a young guest takes a |
| | | | | | glass of wine to toast the bride and |
| | AS PART of a new drug awareness | | | | starts to feel funny after a few sips. |
| | campaign pupils as young as seven | | 35 | | “You can’t stop yourself from giggling. |
| | are being encouraged to act out ‘being | | | | The music gets in your head and you |
| | drunk at a wedding’ while 10-year-olds | | | | dance around and around,” it says. |
| 5 | | pretend to take ecstasy. | | | | Children aged 10 and 11 role-play |
| | The roleplay is designed to teach | | | | taking drugs and the disastrous effects |
| | children the dangers of alcohol and | | 40 | | they can have. |
| | illegal substances before they are old | | | | One script features a boy who |
| | enough to be offered them. | | | | takes LSD and runs out in front of a |
| 10 | | Not all teachers and parents | | | | car. In another role play they act out |
| | approve of the advice given in a series | | | | the death of a drug user. “I think |
| | of booklets for schools saying it could | | 45 | | Gary’s ODeb1). He’s not moved for a |
| | worry and frighten young children. But | | | | week and he’s starting to smell,” says |
| | David Uffindall, a drugs education | | | | the script. |
| 15 | | adviser for North Yorkshire, said that it | | | | The texts use current jargon such |
| | was [id:56981] to teach children about the | | | | as ‘fix’, ‘cutting’ drugs with other |
| | dangers at primary school so they | | 50 | | substances and ‘hyping up’. Chris |
| | were not left vulnerable to offers from | | | | Scanlan, the creator of the booklets, |
| | older pupils when they reached the | | | | said: “I know not every teacher will |
| 20 | | secondary stage. Teaching an antidrug | | | | want to use all the information but it is |
| | message would give them the | | | | there if they want it. Children as young |
| | confidence to say ‘no’, he said. | | 55 | | as 11 are known to deal drugs. They |
| | Children from seven to nine are | | | | are certainly not unaware of what goes |
| | taught to understand the difference | | | | on.” |
| 25 | | between medical drugs and illegal | | | | At Daubeney primary in Hackney, |
| | drugs. In the booklet Drugs Centre | | | | East London, Pat, who teaches 10- |
| | Stage, they learn about the effects of | | 60 | | and 11-year-olds, said that drama and |
| | alcohol through a story called ‘Cousin | | | | role play were more effective than a |
| | Susan’s Wedding’, which includes a | | | | sit-down lesson on the subject. |
| 30 | | character at the reception called Uncle | | |
