Tradition, community pressures and personal biases can contribute to a drug education program that may be more indoctrination than education. There are some basic ethical issues that need to be clarified with regard to drug education curriculum development.
Ethical justifications for and against the inclusion of all relevant information in drug education programs are discussed. The author concludes that personal autonomy and human dignity should be the preeminent values adhered to when drug education curricula are planned and presented.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
RussellR. D., Health Education, 6th Edition, NEA, Washington, D.C., p. 29, 1975.
2.
CastileA. S. and JerrickS. J., School Health in America: A Summary Report of a Survey of State School Health Programs, Journal of School Health, 46: 4, pp. 216–221, April, 1976.
3.
BlumR. H., Drugs and High School Students, BlumR. H. (eds.), Students and Drugs, Chapter 19, Jossey-Bass, Inc., San Francisco, 1970.
4.
MathewsW. M., A Critique of Traditional Drug Education Programs, Journal of Drug Education, 5: 1, pp. 58–59, 1975.
5.
BethelB. J. and BellwardG. D., Drug Education—A Problem in Moral Philosophy, Journal of Drug Education, 3: 4, p. 421, Winter, 1973.
6.
BlumR. H., Epilogue: Students and Drugs, BlumR. H. (eds.), Students and Drugs, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, p. 370, 1970.
7.
National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse, Drug Use in America: Problem in Perspective, Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D.C., pp. 30–36, 1973.
8.
American School Health Association, Teaching About Drugs—A Curriculum Guide, K—12, ASHA, Kent, Ohio, p. xiii, 1971.
9.
WilkerD., Coercive Measures in Health Promotion: Can They Be Justified?, Health Education Monographs, 6: 2, p. 224, Summer, 1978.
10.
MinklerM., Ethical Issues in Community Organization, Health Education Monographs, 6: 2, p. 207, Summer, 1978.
11.
GreenL. W., Determining the Impact and Effectiveness of Health Education as it Relates to Federal Policy, Health Education Monographs, 6 (suppl.), p. 29, 1978.
12.
LeachJ. H. and ForsS. W., Health Teachers and Controversial Issues, Australian Journal for Health, Physical Education and Recreation, 16–19 September, 1977.
13.
KleinschmidtH. E. and ZimandS., Public Health Education: Its Tools and Procedures, Macmillan Company, New York, p. 40, 1953.
14.
HoymanH. S., Health Ethics and Relevant Issues, Journal of School Health, 42: 9, p. 523, November, 1972.
