The National Drug and Alcohol Education Conference 2023

On the 21st June The AET and DSM Foundation held the 4th National Alcohol and Drug Education conference, kindly hosted by Newcastle University.

Helena Conibear, CEO of the Alcohol Education Trust and conference moderator explained why a conference on alcohol and drug education was needed, The 4th we have held as The Alcohol Education Trust and the second in partnership with the DSM Foundation.

• 1 in 5 pupils (18%) have ever and 18.6% young adults aged16 to 24 years reported last year drug use (end June 2022) – 5% of those class A
• 13% of 11 year olds have had a whole alcoholic drink rising to 65% of 15 year olds.
• According to ASH vaping prevalence has increased by 50% in one year from one in 13 to one in 9 teenagers with 4 in 5 say they have seen vapes promoted and advertised.
• Of the130,500 adults in treatment, 51% are there for opiates, then alcohol (28% ).Cannabis saw a (5% increase to 27,304) ketamine problems (saw a 27% rise in one year).
• Of the 11,326 under 18’s in treatment, 88% are there predominantly for cannabis and its derivatives, followed by alcohol (45%) – 63% were young males. So there is a change from treatment predominantly for Cannabis and its derivatives for under 18’s ( 88% of those requiring treatment) to opiates in adulthood.

There is a strong link between substance misuse and poor mental health – 63%, of adults starting treatment said they had a mental health treatment need. Similarly, low well being was much more likely amongst pupils who recently smoked, drank and/or have taken drugs as low levels of life satisfaction were at 57% compared to 18% for those who have not smoked, drunk or tried drugs.

As regards alcohol and drug use and vulnerable young people we all know the higher risk of child exploitation and being groomed into county lines. We should also know that children who have endured adverse childhood experience are 11 x more likely to use cannabis and 4 x more likely to binge drink, excluded children are 5 x more likely to have used alcohol or drugs in the last month and early school leavers are 4 x more likely to use cannabis regularly. In terms of under 18 entering treatment services the biggest predictor by far is early onset of use, followed by a mental health treatment need.

Equally importantly however, according to the most recent smoking, drinking and drug use survey, only half of pupils said they received lessons on alcohol (56%), smoking (56%) or drugs (60%) in last year.

Lessons peaked in year 9, and only half of those pupils thought their school gave them enough information about smoking (52%), drinking alcohol (51%) or drug use (48%). Meaning half of children are not sufficiently prepared for the challenges and choices they will face around alcohol and drugs

So although we believe there has been much improvement in RSHE provision and content around alcohol and other substances over the last decade, there is still much to be done – and we hope the conference – and our further work with you going forward as specialist drug and alcohol education charities will help continue to improve outcomes for young people.

It was very pertinent that the conference was held in the North East, which has the worst alcohol and drug statistics across England. According to PH, 47% of adults drink above the “low risk” guidelines, the NE has the highest rate of alcohol deaths, deaths from liver disease and alcohol related NHS hospital admissions in England.