FOUR secondary schools in East Lancashire have been selected to take part in the first ever UK pilot project to develop drugs education.

The blueprint research run by the Home Office aims to study the best way of enabling young people to make informed decisions about drug use.

And Lancashire has been chosen as one of only three local education authorities to pilot the scheme, which could be rolled out nationwide.

The aim is to find out what really works in terms of drug education to reduce the number of people dabbling with illegal substances. It will be aimed at 11 to 13 year olds. And the Blueprint Research Programme will train teachers and provide funding for a new skills based approach with specially designed lessons and group discussion over two years.

Thirty schools will be involved in the scheme, 13 in Lancashire, with 24 piloting the scheme and six acting as a control test.

John Battersby, Lancashire County Council's teacher advisor for drugs, alcohol and tobacco education, said today: "We have been chosen for this pilot not because of a specific problem with drugs in this area but for the demographic diversity between urban and rural areas as well as our positive reputation."

Latest figures reveal that 50 per cent of 16 year olds will have dabbled with drugs, most of whom trying out cannabis. Just under three per cent will have tried 'hard' drugs like cocaine and heroin.

One of four schools in East Lancashire leading the way is Alder Grange High School in Calder Range, Rawtenstall, which already participates in the council-run Healthy Schools Scheme.

Headteacher Ian Hollands said: "This is the perfect way to stay at the cutting edge of research and we have acted as a test bed for many projects.

"At Alder Grange, a recent Ofsted report highlighted our eagerness to look after the all round well being of students, not just their academic achievement and this will be an extension of that."

Walton High in Nelson, Fisher-More High, Colne, and St Augustine's RC High, Billington, are also involved in the scheme.

Bob Ainsworth, Home Office minister, said: "Research in the USA has shown that a comprehensive drug education programme can reduce drug taking by young people however we have no similar evidence from studies in the UK."

Drugs Prevention Advisory Service north west regional manager, Mike Ryan, said the combination of skill based education and parental involvement and media campaigns have all been effective in the past.