For far too long school students have been denied access to the truth about drugs, which has undermined their trust in health information in general and put them at greater risk of harm. This new initiative sets out to rectify this failure by presenting teaching materials that are evidence-based, balanced and proportionate. In this way, we hope to minimise the harms from the use of all drugs, whether legal or illegal.
This project is a collaborative effort between Drug Science and The Exchange. The Exchange is a web series, exploring subjects that matter to young people in a direct, engaging and informative way. Each of the topics is linked to the national PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic education) curriculum, and geared towards 13-16-year-olds. Given that a curriculum for life has been a top priority in recent years, and that PSHE education has never been more vital the ambition is that this web series will inspire change and equip teenagers with the tools they need to thrive in these uncertain times.
The traditional ‘just say no’ to drugs message hasn’t worked and we are keen to see teenagers across the UK equipped with the facts so that they can make safe decisions.
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How Drugs Work
The first thing that students will learn, is what is a 'drug' and how do you identify the most prevalent drugs in the UK from one another? In addition to this, they will study the effects of these substances on the human body and brain, looking closely at Ketamine, Cannabis and MDMA.
The final part of this lesson is all about risk, and the harms associated with taking drugs.
Harm Reduction
Secondly, after students have learnt about the risks associated with drug use, it's time to find out how to mitigate those risks.
Lesson two is all about 'harm reduction'. Harm reduction refers to policies, programmes and practices that aim to minimise negative health, social and legal impacts associated with drug use, drug policies and drug laws.
Addiction & Recovery
Finally, students will be able to hear a first-hand account of recovery from addiction. This set focuses on the neurological and societal reasons that people become addicted to drugs.
Max shares his story whilst we shed light on some of the science behind addiction. This includes various models and theories of addiction from scientists and philosophers alike.