asked the Minister for Health if he has seen a report recommending education of the public on the grave dangers of drug taking; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Drug Abuse.
5.
I presume that the question relates to press reports of 11th June, 1970 which I have seen. As I indicated in reply to a question by Deputy Bruton on the 28th April, 1970, the general question of education in relation to the abuse of drugs is under active consideration by the working party on drug abuse, and I hope to receive their recommendations in the near future.
It would be premature for me to make a statement on the matter, until I have received and considered these recommendations.
Will the Minister not agree that he indicated on a previous occasion that he was not in favour of doctors giving these lectures? Has the Minister changed his mind?
No. I think the Deputy may have misunderstood me or, perhaps, I was not speaking strictly accurately. What I said was that neither I nor the working party on drug abuse have made up our minds as to the character of education: whether it should be confined to schools where drug addicts were known to exist. We have had evidence from abroad that one can, unfortunately, excite an interest in drugs among school children. The committee on drug abuse will be-meeting some time before the end of this month to consider again this very difficult problem and I hope to be able to make a decision after that.
Would the Minister consider the education of the parents of the younger age group because they are seeking information?
That might be an answer to the problem.