TEEN pop idol Brian Harvey of East 17 caused uproar when he said it was all right to experiment with the drug Ecstasy.

And Oasis star Noel Gallagher wondered what all the fuss was about.

But at the back end of last year, a pupil at St Michael's High School, Chorley, was expelled for passing cannabis to another pupil.

The town's high school heads have since met to discuss and reaffirm their stance on illegal substances.

In a joint statement to the Citizen, here are some of their comments: "Chorley schools long ago recognised the potentially serious situation for young people in the community which is posed by the availability of illegal substances.

"Occasionally we do find young people breaking our rules in this regard and under a common agreement exclusion of the offender results.

"Possession of an illegal substance in school brings temporary exclusion and a final warning, while selling or passing on to another pupil will bring immediate permanent exclusion.

"Our concern has been translated into positive, educational aims and actions in the curriculum in the area of personal and social education, allied to health education programmes."

Chorley schools have drawn up a Drugs Education and Awareness Charter which includes a school drugs policy and consulting with staff, governors, parents and young people on drug-related issues, including alcohol and tobacco.

The heads continue: "Governors and staff acknowledge that they cannot control all the forces at work outside schools in our society and that burdens also fall on other agencies such as the Youth and Community Service, Social Services and the police.

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