asked the Minister for Health if he is prepared to include in the programme of instruction on the dangers of drug taking proposed for schools in the coming year the basic medical facts on the effects of alcohol abuse in view of the fact that alcohol is more readily available to young people in supermarkets, bars and clubs than other addictive drugs are.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Written Answers. - Alcohol and Drug Abuse.
413.
The integrated programme on health education which has been devised by the Health Education Bureau for use in secondary schools comprises nine subject areas. One of these is Substance Abuse. The "substances" in question cover a wide range of drugs including alcohol. The educational material on the alcohol component will include basic medical facts on the effects of alcohol abuse. The whole programme which will be gradually introduced into the schools is designed to be used by teachers in the context of a social and personal development programme for pupils.
In addition to the integrated health education programme, the Health Education Bureau has designed a separate Alcohol Education Programme for second level schools. This will provide young people with educational experiences and exercises to enable them to develop healthy mature attitudes towards the use of alcohol. Again, in this programme children will receive factual information, as part of the overall programme, on the immediate, short-term and long-term effects of alcohol and abuse of alcohol on the organs of the human body.
I might mention that the bureau has recently revised its Fact Sheets on Alcohol, a series of 16 information leaflets. These may be used in conjunction with the Alcohol Education Programme or separately. They are available to teachers from the Health Education Bureau.