Playground pushers: reaction

Harry Shapiro, of charity Drugscope, said: "It's a bit like New York in the 80s when crack came onto the market and dealers found themselves with a willing and able young workforce.

"To a large extent these kids will be gofers and runners - and it's difficult for the police to be able to do anything about it.

"I don't think this is to the same degree as New York, but it is obviously happening."

A report out earlier this week from Drugscope revealed the cost of drugs in many parts of the UK had plummeted.

Tiggey May, a senior researcher at King's College and co-author of a report published last year into the UK's drugs trade, said: "From our research we found that there are various routes into selling drugs for children.

"In one of the markets we studied, children were desperate to get involved but the dealers were having none of it, yet in another area they played an integral part.

"Most had got involved via friends or family members - or had put themselves up.

"There is also the element that for some children there is a kudos for being involved.

"Social forces are part of it too, in one area we looked at there were jobs for youngsters but they were on the other side of the city - and did not pay as much."

The King's College study for the Joseph Roundtree Foundation found child dealers earned from £450 to £4000 a week.

The youngest child dealer the research unearthed was 12.

A police drugs liaison officer, who did not want his force's area named, said drug dealers were targeting children.

He said: "I know of some bus routes as being used to specifically supply kids.

"There are areas near schools where dealers are set up, and in shopping precincts too.

"The vast majority of this is cannabis - it used to be that the children would smoke a cigarette behind the bike sheds, now it can be a joint."

Peter Walker, the first head teacher to introduce random drugs testing in a UK school at The Abbey in Kent, said the situation could be tackled by rolling the practice out nationally.

He said: "I think my school had fewer drug problems than most.

"By doing the tests it gives pupils a chance to avoid the peer group pressure related to taking drugs, as it gives them a reason to say no.

"The problem is a lot of head teachers would be worried about implementing this scheme as it would give their school a bad name - whereas if it was a national scheme that would not be an issue."

Mr Walker retired from his post at the school this year, and now works as a schools' drugs advisor to the Department for Education and Skills (DfES).

A spokeswoman for the Department for Education and Skills said the Abbey School drug testing method was to be piloted in other secondary schools in Kent.

A spokesman for the Home Office said: "Reducing young people's drug use, particularly the most vulnerable, is central to the Government's updated drug strategy and a key element of the Every Child Matters programme.

"We are working across government to ensure a comprehensive range of support is available for all young people.

"Some groups of young people are more at risk of developing drug problems - looked-after children, young offenders, children of drug misusing parents, truants and excludees.

"All local areas are targeting young offenders as a key vulnerable group to ensure that problems are picked up at an early stage.

"Systems are in place in youth offending teams to identify and assess young offenders using drugs and offer appropriate support.

"This response covers all offences including use and supply of drugs by 10 to 17 year olds."

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