The Press Council offers the following broad guidelines for newspapers’ consideration when reporting drug-related issues:

• Responsibly report public debate about drug use and addiction;
• The harmful effects of any particular drug should not be exaggerated or minimised;
• Avoid detailed accounts of consumption methods, even though many young people are generally familiar with them;
• Outlining the chemical composition of a drug may be justified in some reports, but avoid providing any details which could assist its manufacture;
• Do not quote the lethal dose of any particular drug;
• Guard against any reporting which might encourage readers’ experimentation with a drug, for example highlighting the ‘glamour’ of the dangers involved;
• Highlight elements of a story which convey the message that preventive measures against drug abuse do exist, and that people can be protected from the harmful consequences of their addictive behaviours;
• Bear in mind the arguments of those who point out that tobacco and alcohol use and addiction are another major aspect of the drug story.