The National Youth Health Programme is a partnership between the National Youth Council of Ireland, the Health Promotion Unit of the Department of Health and Children and the Youth Affairs section of the Department of Education and Science. With the publication of the National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008, emphasis has been placed on out-of-school programmes to provide and organise drug education policies. With this in mind the National Youth Health Programme developed this support pack, taking in the developing trends in relation to drugs, both regionally and nationally. The pack includes information in prevalence of drug use among Irish youths, the principles and ethics governing youth work and prevention practices for youth workers. The support pack also includes guidance for intervention in drug-related situations, as well as contact details and statutory and legislative information on drugs.