Some programmes may actually be making the problem worse

The government may have poured £70m into drink and drugs education over the past nine years, but a new report suggests that far from succeeding in deterring kids from trying alcohol and tobacco, some schemes may actually be making the problem worse.

The Advisory Council on the Misuse Of Drugs [AMCD] has just published a report that condemns many school schemes, saying that success was either 'slight or non-existent' and that in some cases they had been 'counter-productive'.

Dr Laurence Gruer, chairman of the ACMD, had some radical ideas to tackle the problem of underage drinking, including reducing the alcohol limit for young drivers. But this suggestion was immediately thrown out by the government. However certain suggestions, such as increasing the age for smoking from 16 to 18 and cutting down on alcohol advertising may be taken up.

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