This article questions the structure and purpose of some trends in UK drug education, critically examining concepts of 'informed choice' and 'harm- reduction' when used as the overall principles that determine the shape of prevention programmes. The author seeks to recommend a broader understanding of drug-related harm, particularly in relation to deprivation, and to define the potential role of drug prevention within broader social policy in relation to drugs. The consequences of this role for the conduct of health promotion in relation to drugs are considered, examinging the implications for the moral and attitudinal framework that underscores practice and how this affects practitioners.
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