It was expected to decide whether a well structured, well resourced, evidence-based drug education programme could contribute to reducing youth substance use, yet the £6m Blueprint study ended up a scientific shambles. Analysis by Mike Ashton.
The great store set in the Blueprint study’s potential to “trigger a fundamental assessment of the place of drug education” in UK drug policy has led to equally great disappointment that it was unable to fulfil this promise. This final report argued that methodological limitations meant no conclusions on Blueprint’s preventive impacts could be drawn from the study. Though undoubtedly true, the study can still be examined for signs that the programme might have had an impact; details below.