Early school leavers targeted in heroin fight

EARLY school leavers who are experimenting with drugs should be targeted to prevent them progressing on to heroin.

A key piece of research into teenage addicts in treatment said half left school before first trying heroin.

The study of 86 heroin addicts (average age of 17) found that the average age at which they left school was 14.4, while the average age of first taking heroin was 14.8.