York's fight against drugs got a triple boost yesterday from Home Office minister George Howarth.

Students and staff who worked on a new drugs policy for York's Sixth Form College were praised by the minister, who also backed the Evening Press's latest drugs campaign.

And Mr Howarth also paid tribute to a new scheme by York police aimed at tackling drug barons.

He said the college's drugs policy which rejected a "zero tolerance" approach was in line with the Government's approach to tackling the drugs problem and the co-operation between staff and students was unique.

The guidelines stress any drug related incidents should be treated individually, with serious offenders thrown out, rather than having a blanket policy of exclusion.

Drug-related incidents are treated as disciplinary matters and any drugs found are reported to the police but, at the same time, the policy encourages students with drug problems to seek confidential advice and help from staff.

And, in a new move, students themselves have set up a counselling service to help others.

The policy is similar to the attitude of schools minister Estelle Morris, who stirred controversy last week when she said not all students should be automatically excluded if found with drugs on them at school.

Mr Howarth said: "What the policy at the college recognises is that there are different scales of importance of different incidents and they're dealing with that accordingly.

"That is what the police and other authorities do in the same circumstances." He also praised the emphasis on drug prevention work, on eliminating any drugs on the premises and on offering help to people with drugs problems.

"This is very consistent with what we're doing as a Government," he said.

Members of the college's Students Association Executive Committee chatted to Mr Howarth and to MP Hugh Bayley during his visit.

Lucy Burns, welfare officer, said: "To me it's a brilliant policy because instead of seeing drug using as a nuisance or a crime it sees it as a problem and something to be dealt with."

Fellow student Marie Akers, secretary, said the new peer support service set up by students was also aimed at people with drugs problems.

"It's a listening service staffed by volunteer students who have gone through basic counselling training courses. They are there every single lunch time for anyone who feels they have a problem."

The other students involved were Thomas Harris, Michael Page, Emily Tomlinson and Richard Hayton.

While at the college, Mr Howarth also praised a York police scheme to use money seized from drugs dealers to give first time drugs offenders help in changing their behaviour.

He said: "One of the areas the Home Secretary and I are very keen on is depriving the drug barons of their ill-gotten gains."

The scheme was revealed exclusively in the Evening Press and Mr Howarth commended our two-day investigation into drugs issues.

"Any campaigns by the local media to try to help with this problem are welcome."

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