Children of five 'should be taught the danger of drugs'.

Byline: JAMES SLACK

CHILDREN as young as five should be given drug education to counter a 'dramatic drop' in the age at which they are first exposed to substance abuse, experts said yesterday.

Drug treatment centres are, for the first time, encountering children of primary school age needing help.

Youngsters aged five are also so aware of drugs that they are drawing pictures of syringes and other drug paraphernalia.

A report by the charity The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce - commonly known as the RSA - said a dramatic reduction in the age children receive drugs education was needed by way of response.

At present, most youngsters are in secondary school before teachers spell out the dangers of Ecstasy, cannabis, heroin and cocaine.

The report was produced by the RSA Commission on Illegal Drugs, which was set up in January 2005.

Steve Rossell, an RSA panel member who runs drug treatment centres across the country, said children of primary age were now entering the system.

He added: 'I am seeing the average age of first use of drugs dramatically dropping, year on year.

Young people of school age need to have the facts put before them at a far earlier age.' Commission chairman Professor Anthony King said: 'Kids are being exposed to these things early and they need to know about them early.'

Community worker Fatima Roberts, another panel member, described a project in London where children as young as five were asked to draw images on certain issues.

She said: 'We had lots of very young children drawing drugs, drugs paraphernalia and drug dealers with chains and spliffs and fast cars.' The RSA lampooned the Government's own attempts to educate youngsters, using the FRANK campaign. It attempts to engage with youngsters by using ' street ' language.

The RSA, led by Tony Blair's expolicy chief Matthew Taylor, said: 'Trying too hard to be "tuned in" can be disastrous.' It also insisted any 'just say no' strategy was doomed to failure.

Existing drug education is often 'inconsistent, irrelevant, disorganised' and 'delivered by people without adequate training', the panel found, adding that around 20,000 young people go on to become problem adult drug users each year.

In the 335-page report, which aims to influence a Government review of drug strategy next year, the panel describes drug laws as 'not fit for purpose'. A more effective policy would focus on harm reduction rather than cutting crime, with less focus on targeting casual users. Instead, gangs pushing drugs would be targeted.

The RSA claimed current laws are 'driven by a moral panic', and made a series of controversial proposals. These included the introduction of so-called ' shooting galleries' - rooms where users can inject drugs - for addicts.

Heroin would also be prescribed to addicts on the NHS to cut crime. And drug addicts should be protected from discrimination if they are managing their condition, the panel argues.

This would prevent them being evicted and protect them from the sack by their bosses. The panel also called for an end to the 'perverse' system which means criminals are given priority for drug treatment programmes.

The RSA's team includes Scotland Yard assistant commissioner John Yates. The Met Police backed the commission's 'holistic approach' to the drugs problem.

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ECSTASY 'SAFER THAN DRINK'

ECSTASY and cannabis should be rated less dangerous than alcohol and tobacco, says the RSA report.

It also proposes that the system of placing drugs in A, B and C categories should be scrapped. Instead, an Index of Harm would be created based on the damage which drugs cause the user and society. For the first time, drink and cigarettes would be included.

Heroin would be at the top end of the harm scale, along with cocaine, barbiturates and street methadone.

Next, in fifth place, would come alcohol - ahead of ketamine and amphetamines. Tobacco is ranked ninth - placing it, along with alcohol, ahead of cannabis - rated 11th - and solvents, LSD, the date-rape drug GHB and Ecstasy.

The RSA panel indicated those caught with drugs towards the bottom of the harm index - such as Ecstasy - should receive little or no punishment. The report says: 'The use of illegal drugs is by no means always harmful any more than alcohol is always harmful.' Home Office sources said John Reid had no interest in scrapping the current classification system.