Schools across north Hampshire are considering whether to use a graphic video about the death of 21-year-old heroin addict Rachel Whitear to deter pupils from taking drugs. Gazette reporter CHARIS MASTRIS talks to staff and pupils about the impact of drugs education.

YOUNGSTERS have the dangers of drugs drummed into their heads almost from the moment they first walk through the doors of their secondary schools.

Armies of professionals - police officers, members of the Drugs Action Team, the Community Drugs Service and teachers primed on the latest drugs trends - work hard to catch impressionable pre-teens before they are offered their first joint.

From Year 7 onwards, pupils are taught in personal, social and health education (PSHE) classes, PE lessons and assemblies how illegal drugs can cause addiction and destroy their bodies.

Many of their parents also attend seminars to teach them how to recognise drugs and signs of substance misuse in their children.

Community safety officer Paul Watson goes into all Basingstoke's secondary schools to teach drugs education. "What I say depends on the group I am speaking to, what age they are and what they can handle," he said. "I play it by ear - when I talk to the youngsters, I get an understanding of where they're at. "I talk mainly about the health issues, about the harm they can come to with any substance misuse."

Headteachers in the town say they are happy with the level of education their pupils are receiving, and are cautious about shocking their kids with scenes such as those in the Rachel's Story video, which shows tragic 21-year-old student Rachel Whitear's bloated and bloodied body beside the heroin syringe that killed her.

Year 9 and 10 pupils from Brighton Hill Community School, on the other hand, say graphic images might be more effective than talks about the dangers of drugs.

"No-one's really mentioned the photos of Rachel that were in the paper, but we sometimes talk about Daniella Westbrook (a former EastEnders star whose nose was disfigured from snorting cocaine)," said a Year 10 girl, who asked not to be identified.

"Some of my friends saw a programme about her last week, and they don't want to look like that."

A Year 9 girl added: "The PSHE gives us information and tells us what can happen if we take drugs, but I think a way to really put it across would be to have an example of something like the Rachel video. I think you really get to know what does happen and I think it would put it across even clearer than just telling us about it."

The community drugs service has face-to-face contact with around 3,000 people every year who are using drugs, all from the Basingstoke area. The NHS-run service provides assessment, advice and support treatment - including prescription, counselling, needle exchange and referral to other agencies or to detox or rehab centres - for anybody using drugs. It also provides education and training for anybody affected by others' drug use, and representatives from the service go into schools to teach pupils and teachers about the effects of substance abuse. Graeme Nice, who has been working for the service for 15 years, said: "If you think your child is using something, look out for major mood swings, money going missing with nothing to show for it, your child getting involved in crime, or the other symptoms mentioned below." Mr Nice gave The Gazette this list of some of the most commonly-used illegal substances and their effects on users.

Cannabis: "This is a depressant, so it calms the user down. The biggest demotivator we know, it can also lead to short-term memory loss, so it can adversely affect work or studies. It can induce hunger, causing people to get the munchies. Some forms of cannabis can be 30 times stronger than in the 1960s and '70s, and it is physically addictive."

Heroin: "A highly addictive drug which is smoked or injected. Using too much of this depressant can cause overdose, which slows down everything in the users' body, including their heart rate and breathing, to a dangerous or deadly level. Users build up a tremendous tolerance to the drug and it is very expensive, so it can lead to crime if someone gets a serious habit. It is very difficult for addicts to keep off this drug."

Cocaine: "This stimulant causes feelings of euphoria, confidence and strength, but these only last around 20 minutes and so it can be very psychologically addictive, especially to people with low self-esteem. It can also induce aggression. 'Crack' cocaine is a smokable, crystalised form of the drug, while powder cocaine brings additional problems associated with injecting, including HIV and hepatitis. Too much of a stimulant, or taking cocaine with another stimulant like speed, can speed up the metabolism and cause overheating, leading to death."

Amphetamine/ "Speed": "A very cheap stimulant, but not very pure. It is often mixed with rubbish - we have found rat poison and scouring powder mixed in. It is taken orally, snorted or injected. It gives feelings of confidence, and problems associated with it include depression, insomnia and possible psychosis."

Ecstasy: "This is found mostly in tablet form, usually engraved with a motif like Versace or Nike. A stimulant halucinogenic, it increases awareness. Colours become more vivid and sound is enhanced. It can break down inhibitions, and can lead to unsafe sex. We have also seen people with anxiety, panic attacks and phobic problems. It has been known to kill people the first time they take it, including a young person in Basingstoke several years ago. This can be due to an allergic reaction or if someone mixes it with medication or alcohol."

LSD: "A hallucinogenic drug that causes trips - these can be good, bad, or indifferent, and may last 24 hours. There is no antidote, all you can do is reassure someone who has taken one. There can also be 'flash-back' trips weeks, months or even years afterwards, with no prior warning that they are going to happen. LSD can cause psychiatric problems because it works on the brain. It does not seem to be readily available any more, but there are pockets of people who still use it." Magic mushrooms: "Very similar to LSD, but someone would have to take between 30 and 60 before they have any effect. The main problem comes from people picking the wrong mushrooms by mistake."

Ketamine: "This is a paedeatric anaesthetic and animal tranquiliser, which comes in powder form. It causes out-of-body experiences or catalepsy, when people are unable to move, sometimes for up to 12 hours. Some people like this, but others can be extremely tormented. It is not a very popular drug, but there are pockets of people who take it."

Anyone who is concerned about a friend or family member using drugs, or who is using themselves, can call the Community Drugs Service on 469006 or go to its offices in Fairfields Road, Basingstoke.