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Pupils throughout Highland schools needing advice on drugs issues will soon find support at hand from their teachers who are receiving drugs-related awareness training.

Teachers and support staff in Highland secondary schools are being given increased skills to enable them to deliver the best drugs education to their pupils.

This year, thirty staff from schools throughout the Highlands are being trained by a team funded by Scotland Against Drugs and the Education Culture and Sport Service to improve their knowledge and understanding of local drug issues, including signs and symptoms of drug use among young people.

Trainers from Northern Constabulary and Highland Drug and Alcohol Action Team will bring a local perspective to the information given to teachers.

Cllr Ian Ross, Chair of the Highland Drug and Alcohol Action Team, visiting the latest two-day course in Inverness, said �Teachers have a vital role in educating our youngsters about the dangers of getting involved in substance misuse. We are delighted to be working with Scotland Against Drugs in making sure that our teaching staff have the opportunity to increase their own knowledge about what is undoubtedly a complex, but important topic.�

Alistair Ramsay MBE, Director of Scotland Against Drugs, said, �The Primary School Initiative which we funded between 1998 and 2001 trained thousands of primary teachers across Scotland and now we are training secondary teachers. The response from The Highland Council Education Department and its teachers to the training has been first class. While schools cannot do it all, I am delighted that Highland teachers are becoming fully-prepared to respond appropriately to minimise the impact of drugs on local communities.�

Teachers in primary schools have also received similar training over the past three years. Further training courses will be offered to schools in the next twelve months. This provision will complement new teaching materials which have been purchased for all schools.

Photograph - Teachers from Caithness attending the drugs awareness training were: (front seated left to right) Anne Macbeath, Wick High, John Glen Thurso High, and Elizabeth Wilson Wick High. Supporting and delivering the training were: (back left to right) Highland Councillor Ian Ross, Chair of the Highland Drug and Alcohol Action Team; Dominique Carlisle-Kitz, Drug and Alcohol Consultancy Training; and Alistair Ramsay, Director of Scotland Against Drugs.