The drive to educate youngsters about the highly addictive nature of crack will also be linked to educating parents about the dangers of the drug and its connection to gun crime and gang culture.

“Crack cocaine use is steadily increasing in use throughout the UK,” according to Tackling Crack, a Home Office plan for dealing with the drug published yesterday. It said that in 40 areas, including Bristol and 20 districts of London, crack was the drug of choice for users rather than one of a number used.

The report gave warning that crack-dealing linked to the use of guns was now seen by some young people as an “attractive career option”.

It emphasised the addictive nature of the drug which can be concealed from acquaintances. “A primary crack user may have acute periods of almost constant craving where normal constraints on their behaviour are relaxed but at other times show little obvious signs of dependency, sometimes going several weeks between purchases. At the height of a binge they may be buying crack almost 24 hours a day for several days,” the Home Office plan says.

It is these terrifying consequences of using crack that ministers believe must be made clear to young people. The report said that the Government needed to educate “all young people” about the risks of crack misuse and to offer youngsters in communities with problems an alternative to the crack culture.

A Home Office spokeswoman said last night: “The risks from crack cocaine need to be taught to children at primary school and secondary school.”

She added: “It will be for schools to decide what is best but teaching about crack cocaine will be part of a school’s overall drug education policy.”

Local education authorities, particularly where there are Afro-Caribbean communities disproportionately affected by crack markets, will be expected to review their educational programmes. Education officials and schools will be expected to draw up programmes aimed at highlighting the danger and damage caused by crack.

The message will include teaching secondary school children specifically about the links of crack to gun crime and sex crimes, including prostitution. It is will inform young people that treatment for crack is available and works.

Up to 45,000 people aged between 16 and 24 use crack, according to the British Crime Survey. The 2001-02 survey found a significant increase in the use of crack among 16 to 59-year-olds compared with a similar study in 1998.

Crack dealers are more likely to use violence than people trading in other drugs and are most likely to use guns and other weapons. “They will use excessive violence to control their patch, compete with other sellers and intimidate witnesses and users, especially those owing money,” the Home Office report said.

It added that crack dealers were also involved in other crimes, including procuring for prostitution. The drug was used to subdue women to make them more compliant.

A spokeswoman for the charity DrugScope said: “All young people should be provided with the information they need about drugs and particularly about crack in the light of the rise in crack cocaine use.”

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Please help: maimed children of war want their lives back
• Unlocking the cruellest prison
• Prince Charles named in £81m court battle