Drug use and misuse by young people is a problem and concern in the Australian and Australian Capital Territory (ACT) communities. There are concerns regarding illicit and licit drugs but licit drug use has been identified as the major area of concern. Young people in the ACT reflect the drug use/misuse patterns and trends of other states. Commonly used drugs by young people are alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and analgesics. Strategies to address the problem of drug use/misuse by young people include intervention and community drug education programs. Peer drug education (as an example of community drug education), trains young people as peer educators to implement drug education programs with younger age groups. A case study analysis based on qualitative, naturalistic and new paradigm research is the research method used in this thesis. An eclectic model of drug education including key components from a variety of drug education models provides a comprehensive overview of peer drug education. The literature review showed the complexity of influences on drug use/misuse. These influences relate to individual, peer, parental and family, community and societal factors. Peer drug education is generally recognised as an effective drug education strategy. Peer drug education programs (Triple T: Teenagers Teaching Teenagers) were conducted in the ACT from 1988-1990. Reports documenting these programs (including evaluation data) and a literative review are the main data analysed for the case study. The case study analysis of five ACT peer drug education programs and one interstate program showed the key planning issues for effective peer drug education were: collaborative decision making as a central concept; detailed planning and liaison with target groups; established structures within schools and communities to support the trained peer educators; team work and small group work as intrinsic and extrinsic factors within the program; clarification of responsibilities and roles of all personnel involved in the program; and facilitators/leaders with attributes and qualities that encourage peer drug educators as social change agents. Analysis of data from the case study reports showed young people can be effective peer drug educators. Residential programs are preferred over non-residential programs. Peer drug education programs are effective in both school and community agencies. The literature review and analysis of reports also indicated that peer drug education needs to focus on establishing positive norms in groups of young people. Collaborative decision making and positive role modelling assist in the establishment of these norms. Peer drug education links to the wider changes occurring in education and health settings. Peer drug education is about collaborative decision making, social justice, development of key competencies and social change. This thesis confirmed the complexity and dynamic nature of peer drug education and there were many questions raised for further research from the literature review and analysis of program reports.

This study was an investigation of teaching strategies and student outcomes of the drug education program in five pilot schools in Oklahoma as these programs relate to the "ideal" program recommended by drug education experts. This study had a twofold purpose. The first was to determine the differences of the perceptions of students, teachers and administrator toward the drug education program in their own school. The second was to compare this perceived "actual" program with the "ideal" program as described by selected drug education experts. The study centers on five exploratory questions. With the completion of the five exploratory questions, it was concluded that the factors that are descriptive of the "ideal" and "actual" drug education programs can be identified from opinions of persons who have an interest in or responsibility for effective information concerning the drug scene.

The problem of this study is to determine the extent to which the Texas Education Agency and selected school districts have implemented the legislative provisions of House Bill 467, enacted by the Sixty-First Texas Legislature. No hypothesis is advanced. The purpose of the study is twofold: first, it describes the sequential development of the crime prevention and drug education program by the Texas Education Agency as mandated through House Bill 467; and second, it determines the current status of the crime prevention and drug education program in selected school districts through the use of a semi-structured personal interview with the individual assigned primary responsibility for coordination of the program in each of the nineteen school districts included in the study. It is the further purpose of this study to determine principal and teacher perceptions toward twenty-two factors related to drug abuse among students. This was accomplished through the use of a perception survey mailed to a random sample of 1,184 teachers and all 149 principals within the nineteen school districts participating in the study. This procedure resulted in the return of usable surveys by 804 teachers and 119 principals.

Introdução O objeto deste trabalho são as práticas da atenção primária à saúde na área de drogas. Apesar de diversas mudanças dos últimos anos e a introdução de práticas de redução de danos, persistem práticas baseadas em senso comum e relacionadas à abordagem da guerra às drogas, com trabalhadores apresentando dificuldades de abordar o tema, além de medos e preconceitos. Constata-se assim a necessidade de desenvolvimento de crítica e de implementação de práticas científicas, tanto informadas por evidências quanto pautadas em referenciais que valorizem o potencial humano nas relações sociais. Considerações teóricas O estudo baseia-se no materialismo histórico e dialético, que explica o consumo contemporâneo de drogas pela mercadorização da droga, e que propõe a educação emancipatória como mecanismo para alcançar a crítica social. Objetivos O objetivo geral é recomendar diretrizes e estratégias para a construção de práticas emancipatórias na área de drogas, a serem implementadas na atenção primária em saúde, fundamentadas em evidências científicas. Procedimentos metodológicos Pesquisa qualitativa, que utilizou a metodologia da pesquisa-ação, na vertente emancipatória. As oficinas emancipatórias foram desenvolvidas na Supervisão Técnica de Saúde Vila Prudente/Sapopemba da cidade de São Paulo. O processo contou com a participação de 17 trabalhadores da atenção primária à saúde, dentre os quais enfermeiros, psicólogos, terapeutas ocupacionais, dentista e assistente sociais. Cerca de metade deles atua como gestor de unidades básicas de saúde organizadas ou não pela Estratégia Saúde da Família. Resultados Treze oficinas foram realizadas, abordando os seguintes temas: origem dos problemas sociais existentes no território de atuação; questões sociais que envolvem o consumo de droga; limitações e contradições das diretrizes, políticas públicas e práticas em saúde na área de drogas; finalidade do trabalho da Estratégia Saúde da Família e das unidades de saúde tradicionais; instrumentalização dos trabalhadores para implementação de evidências, a partir da crítica da saúde coletiva. Elaborou-se a proposição de quatro projetos de implementação intersetoriais baseados em evidências científicas e nas discussões críticas de práticas da saúde pública higienistas e patologizantes. Discussão Os projetos possibilitaram identificar as necessidades em saúde que estão na base do consumo problemático de drogas como: ausência de sociabilidade, e de espaços de lazer e cultura nos territórios; limitações e contradições das diretrizes governamentais, políticas públicas e práticas em saúde; ausência de rede de suporte social no território, entre outras. Os projetos primaram por garantir a criação de espaços crítico-políticos para o fortalecimento dos envolvidos nas ações. Conclusão As oficinas emancipatórias possibilitaram aos trabalhadores se localizarem no processo de produção em saúde e se apropriarem das contradições dos processos de trabalho que se desenvolvem nos serviços em que atuam. Consequentemente, mostraram-se fortalecidos para engajar-se na elaboração de planos de trabalho de identificação de necessidades em saúde do território, bem como para construir e implementar ferramentas para responder a essas necessidades. Foi fundamental nesse processo compreender que o problema das drogas é parte da questão social e que a atuação do setor saúde envolve ferramentas que vão além das práticas clínicas e das proposições preventivistas da saúde pública, em torno de mudanças de comportamento e autonomia individual. / Introduction The object/subject matter of this work is the practices of primary health care in the area of drugs. Despite a number of changes in recent years and the introduction of harm reduction practices, common-sense practices related to the drug war approach persist, with workers experiencing difficulties in addressing the issue, as well as fears and prejudices. Thus, it is necessary to develop a critique and implementation of scientific practices, both informed by evidence and based on references that value human potential in social relations. Theoretical considerations The study is based on historical and dialectical materialism, which explains the contemporary consumption of drugs by the commodification of drugs, and which proposes emancipatory education as a mechanism to achieve social criticism. Objectives The general objective is to recommend guidelines and strategies for the construction of emancipatory practices in the area of drugs, to be implemented in primary health care, based on scientific evidence. Methodological procedures It is a qualitative research, which used the methodology of action research, in the emancipatory approach. The emancipatory workshops were developed at the Vila Prudente / Sapopemba Technical Health Supervision of the city of São Paulo. The process involved the participation of 17 primary health care workers, including nurses, psychologists, occupational therapists, dentists and social workers. About half of them work as a manager of basic health units organized or not by the Family Health Strategy. Results Thirteen workshops were held, addressing the following themes: origin of social problems in the area of action; social issues involving drug use; limitations and contradictions of drug policies, public policies and health practices; purpose of the work of the Family Health Strategy and the traditional health units; instrumentalization of workers to implement evidence, based on collective health criticism. Four intersectoral implementation projects based on scientific evidence and critical discussions of the hygienic and pathological public health practices were developed. Discussion The process made it possible to identify the health needs that are the basis of problematic drug use, such as: lack of sociability, leisure and culture spaces in the territories; limitations and contradictions of governmental guidelines, public policies and health practices; absence of a social support network in the territory, among others. The projects focused on ensuring the creation of critical-political spaces for the strengthening of those involved in the actions. Conclusion The emancipatory workshops enabled the workers to locate themselves in the process of production in health and to understand the contradictions of the work processes that are developed in the health services in which they work. Therefore, they were strengthened to engage in the elaboration of work plans to identify health needs of the territory, as well as to build and implement tools to respond to those needs. It was fundamental in this process to understand that the drug problem is part of the social issue and that the health sectors performance involves tools that go beyond clinical practices and preventivist public health propositions around behavioral changes and individual autonomy.

The use of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) or Ecstasy is a phenomenon that has established itself in the widespread Rave culture. Ecstasy use causes not only physical, social and psychological problems in the development of the adolescent but may also influence his concentration and learning abilities. To prevent these problems educators should be well informed regarding current drug use trends and also be capable of assisting adolescents. Research regarding the nature of Ecstasy use and the characteristics of its users is lacking nationally. The increase in use amongst school going adolescents and young adults and the fact that there are side effects and unknown long term effects has made it imperative that educators learn as much as possible about this drug. The purpose of this research is therefore to furnish the educator with accurate information that will enable him to obtain a reference point from which assistance can be offered to the young Ecstasy user. / Psychology of Education / M.Ed.(Guidance and Counselling)

The use of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) or Ecstasy is a phenomenon that has established itself in the widespread Rave culture. Ecstasy use causes not only physical, social and psychological problems in the development of the adolescent but may also influence his concentration and learning abilities. To prevent these problems educators should be well informed regarding current drug use trends and also be capable of assisting adolescents. Research regarding the nature of Ecstasy use and the characteristics of its users is lacking nationally. The increase in use amongst school going adolescents and young adults and the fact that there are side effects and unknown long term effects has made it imperative that educators learn as much as possible about this drug. The purpose of this research is therefore to furnish the educator with accurate information that will enable him to obtain a reference point from which assistance can be offered to the young Ecstasy user. / Psychology of Education / M.Ed.(Guidance and Counselling)