Drugs

To nurture the skills of resilience is key to providing young people with the ability to cope with stress, adversity, failure and challenges. Resilience is evident when young people have a greater ability to “bounce back” when faced with difficulties and achieve positive outcomes.

Resilience is required to refuse an opportunity provided in a social group to try or take illicit substances.

Drug education helps children and young people develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to make safe, informed choices about substances and their health.

Modern drug education goes beyond simple “just say no” messages. It focuses on:

  • Building awareness of the risks associated with drugs and substances.
  • Supporting young people to delay first use of recreational drugs.
  • Promoting harm reduction and safer decision-making.
  • Recognising the important role medicines play in maintaining health.
  • Preventing harmful patterns of substance misuse later in life.

Drug education covers a wide range of substances, including medicines, alcohol, nicotine, solvents, and illegal drugs.

Through age-appropriate learning, pupils explore:

  • How substances can affect physical health, mental wellbeing, and behaviour.
  • The influence of peers, family, media, and society on decision-making.
  • How to identify trustworthy information and sources of support.
  • Personal responsibility, relationships, safety, and the law.

By developing these skills early, schools help young people make healthier choices that support their wellbeing, aspirations, and future life opportunities.

Local data shows that drug use among young people remains relatively low and has decreased in recent years, although exposure to drugs and substance-related harms continue to be important concerns.

  • In Cambridgeshire, 6% of Year 8 and Year 10 pupils reported having ever used an illegal drug in 2021, down from 9% in 2018.
  • 17% of pupils said they had been offered cannabis, compared with 20% in 2018.
  • More than 40 secondary schools took part in the 2022 Health-Related Behaviour Survey, helping to build a clear picture of local trends in drug, alcohol and nicotine use.

Key national findings highlight why high-quality drug education remains important:

  • Alcohol and drug use during adolescence are associated with poorer immediate and long-term health, wellbeing and educational outcomes.
  • Nationally, 38% of 15-year-olds report having tried drugs, and 22% report having been drunk in the previous week.
  • More than 10,000 secondary school pupils in England were excluded from school, either temporarily or permanently, for alcohol- and drug-related issues in 2018-19.
  • Around 26 in every 1,000 children in England live with a parent experiencing alcohol or opiate dependency. This equates to approximately 25 pupils in an average secondary school and 7 pupils in an average primary school.
  • Among 15-year-olds in England, 5% smoke regularly and 6% smoke occasionally.

These findings show that while most young people do not use illegal drugs, schools play a vital role in building knowledge, resilience, and decision-making skills that help pupils stay safe and make informed choices.

For more information on local data, contact the PSHE Service at [email protected].

(Data awaiting refresh from 2026 Schools Survey)

Learning about self-awareness, resilience, healthy relationships, mental wellbeing, and managing influences helps children and young people make safe, informed choices and reduce risk-taking behaviours.

Key elements of effective practice:

  • A planned, age-appropriate PSHE curriculum.
  • Consistent learning that builds on prior knowledge.
  • A school culture that promotes wellbeing and positive behaviours.
  • Development of resilience, confidence, and decision-making skills.
  • Teaching that explores influences, relationships, and mental health alongside substance use.

For Further information on good practice see Evidence Review  -Effective drug and alcohol education (downloadable from the PSHE Association)

    • Provide accurate information on drugs and alcohol through education and targeted information, such as via the FRANK service
    • Work with local voluntary organisations, health partners, the police and others to prevent drug or alcohol misuse services including Aspire
    • CASUS
  • Develop a drug policy that sets out the schools’ role in relation to all drug matters, is recommended, covering:
    • The content and organisation of drug education.
    • The management of drugs and medicines within school boundaries and on school trips.
    • Have a designated, senior member of staff with responsibility for the drug policy and all drug issues within the school.
    • Develop the policy in consultation with the whole school community including pupils, parents/carers, staff, governors and partner agencies.
    • Ensure that the policy is consistent with their safeguarding policy.
  • Establish and manage relationships with local children and young people’s services, health services and voluntary sector organisations to ensure support is available to children, young peoples and families affected by drug misuse.

  • The facts about legal and illegal harmful substances and associated risks, including smoking, alcohol use, and drug taking.

Source: Relationships Education RSE and Health Education (DfE) Relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education – GOV.UK

  • The facts about legal substances and illegal substances, including drug-taking, and the associated risks, including the link to serious mental health conditions.
  • The law relating to the supply and possession of illegal substances.
  • Awareness of the dangers of drugs that are prescribed but still present serious health risks.

Source: Relationships Education RSE and Health Education (DfE) Relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education – GOV.UK

Local Support

#POW

We’re a young people’s drug and alcohol service. We’re here to listen and support young people who are having trouble with alcohol and drugs. Who We Are We are a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for young people aged between 10 and 18. We won’t judge or tell you what to do, we

Read More About #POW

CASUS

Cambridgeshire Child and Adolescent Substance Use Service (CASUS)provides information, support and specialist treatment in Cambridgeshire around drug and alcohol use to young people under 18 years of age and their families. CASUS is a NHS team that specialises in working with young people who have developed problematic or harmful use of substances. We see young

Read More About CASUS

Keep Your Head

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care System (ICS) Partners have refreshed the Keep Your Head website. It continues to provide a central hub of high quality information on mental health and mental health services. It also offers tailored and age-appropriate information for children and young people, adults, professionals and schools on a wide range of

Read More About Keep Your Head

Life Education Cambridgeshire & Peterborough

Life Education is a primary prevention programme focusing on drug and health education. We explore with young people how amazing their bodies are and how the human body can be affected by drugs. We develop understanding around physical and mental health. Through the ‘life skills’ approach, children are enabled to practise how to make healthy

Read More About Life Education Cambridgeshire & Peterborough

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