§ 19. Mr. Deedesasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice he has circulated to local education authorities on education in schools about the dangers of drug addiction.
§ Mr. Denis HowellMy right hon. Friend drew attention last year, in Education Pamphlet No. 49 on Health in Education, to the need for instructing older children on the dangers of drug taking. We are now in the course of preparing more extensive advice.
§ Mr. DeedesIs it not clear that a great deal of harm is being done merely through blank ignorance? Is it not time to step up the campaign a little and, perhaps, to invite the police and others concerned to co-operate with the education authorities?
§ Mr. HowellWe are giving very serious consideration to what should be done. There are two sides to the question. While 1940 we want to give more extensive professional advice to teachers in the schools, we do not want unnecessarily to arouse a lot of curiosity which is not there at the moment among youngsters.