Understanding Drug Issues: A Photocopiable Resource Workbook

This fully updated edition of a successful resource succeeds in engaging and involving young people where many other methods of drugs education - including attempts to shock, inform, or promote decision-making - have failed to make a lasting impact. This is largely because they don't utilize young people's own views, intelligence and insight. The range of 30 original exercises in this resource is designed to expand and challenge participants' understanding of the issues surrounding illegal drug use, with activities that will enable them to make active and informed personal judgements about drugs. Understanding Drug Issues features informative and balanced material on all the key issues involved, including: * the facts and fiction about drugs * peer pressure * the social consequences of drug use * buying drugs * the dangers involved in using * the pros and cons of drug use * legal implications * the effects of drugs on health. The activities are ideal for use in groups and feature all the latest developments surrounding the use and abuse of drugs, as well as useful contact details for those wanting further help. The material is photocopiable and designed to be used flexibly - for example as worksheets or overhead projections. Understanding Drug Issues is an essential resource that will be valued by teachers, youth workers, probation officers, those working with offenders, and any professionals working with young people. This workbook can be used on its own, or ideally in combination with its companion volume Understanding Drugs: A Handbook for Parents, Teachers and Other Professionals, a complete reference on drugs issues (second edition forthcoming, September 2005).

Table of Contents:
Introduction. Exercise 1: What If? Exercise 2: What a Bargain! Exercise 3: Safety Ladder. Exercise 4: Slang. Exercise 5: Check it Out. Exercise 6: Fact or Fiction. Exercise 7: Can You Help Me Please? Exercise 8: What About Us? Exercise 9: Drug Diamond Nine. Exercise 10: Benefits and Drawbacks. Exercise 11: Scenarios. Exercise 12: In My View. Exercise 13: Law and Penalties. Exercise 14: Jigsaw Drugs. Exercise 15: Health Awareness. Exercise 16: Just Another Ordinary Day. Exercise 17: Six Things to Consider. Exercise 18: An Unnecessary Death. Appendix: A List of Helping Agencies.

About the Author :
David Emmett retired from a 30-year career as a police officer in 1996. In 1999 he gained a first-class honours degree in Psychology, followed in 2003 by a PhD in Cognitive Psychology. He has almost 25 years' experience in the field of substance abuse, working directly with drug and alcohol abusers. He has given advice to schools and colleges as well as being involved in training for teachers, health workers, police officers and other professionals. Graeme Nice has worked in the fields of counselling, drug/alcohol misuse and blood-borne diseases for nearly 20 years. He is currently Deputy Team Coordinator of a NHS substance misuse team in Hampshire, where he holds a caseload of drug clients. He has qualifications in counselling, health education and teaching.

Review :
What Emmett and Nice set out to do is educate young people about the risks associated with taking drugs and drinking alcohol, and encourage them to get involved in the decision making process to make their own minds up. This workbook is full of the exercises to "challenge and inform" young people, as well as quizzes to test their knowledge and understanding. There are guidance notes for teachers in every section, which will help them to focus young people and answer any questions. A very useful resource. This book is highly recommended to all professionals and lay-persons, who need to have a good all-round knowledge of street drugs. The clear and user-friendly style in which it has been written makes this publication very approachable as well as interesting. In addition to numerous charts and diagrams, this book also contains very useful photographs that all promote a clearer understanding of the relevant subject matter. It will also be particularly useful to the police service as a whole, as well as specialised squads. This resource, which includes instructions and photocopiable worksheets for using with groups of young people (though some of the material could also be used with individuals) aims to stimulate discussion on the issues surrounding drug use... Rather than preaching at young people, overloading them with facts or seeking to shock them with horror stories, all the exercises are designed to encourage young people to think about the issues, to increase their awareness and to encourage them to take individual responsibility over decisions regarding drug use. The book includes exercises on dealing with potential consequences of drug use, for example, the accidental death of a young person... This is a valuable resource for those working with young people'. I am impressed by the quality of the exercises, which are designed to be photocopied. It will now be my first port of call as a resource in educating young people on the issues surrounding the use and effect of drugs. Over all a useful book for the armoury. For the 2nd Edition: 'As a resource book this is certainly of use to all people trying to deliver substance abuse training. There are some very useful exercises contained in this book.' Praise for the first edition: 'Scores above many others is in its layout, particularly from the trainer's point of view ...this publication appears challenging without patronising its audience ...an accurate, innovative and practical resource which trainers can either use systematically or selectively depending upon their audience.' Of use to teachers, youth workers, probation officers and indeed any professional having responsibility for groups of young people …it has been of great interest to me as a parent and will be used in my advice to schools and community groups.