Curious about what the four different ways of taking heroin are? Fancy finding out which of granny's sleeping pills will give you a buzz?

All this information and more - including detailed instructions on using herbal ecstasy - has been put together on a web site aimed at children.

The www.sussedaboutdrugs.net site has been developed by health promotion teams in Brighton and Hove and East Sussex.

Experts believe the information will enable youngsters to make informed choices about drug taking.

Brighton was named the drugs death capital of the UK last year in a report published by the European Centre for Addiction Studies.

It showed the city had a drugs death rate of 28 per 100,000 of the population over the age of 16 - about one drug-related death a week.

The site clearly states the risks involved but critics have warned the detailed information amounts to a users-guide, with some of the descriptions making potentially lethal substances sound attractive.

The site also explains how to make it safer when taking drugs.

For example, it says: "There is no way of knowing the exact strength of street drugs. Take a small amount to start with and wait for the effects."

Readers are advised to eat a good meal with plenty of carbohydrates a few hours before they go out.

Health bosses say the site is an honest and practical way to get the message across about the potential dangers of drugs.

It also gives information on where people can get help and has useful links.

The site has separate areas where parents can find up-to-date and detailed information about the laws and the effects of drugs, how to talk to their children about drugs or alcohol and what to do if they think their child is experimenting.

Grainne Nolan, substance misuse health promotion adviser for Brighton and Hove City Primary Care Trust, said the site would not encourage people to take drugs or refer to it for tips.

She said: "It is vital people are equipped with the facts and understand the truth about drugs and alcohol.

"This applies to everyone - whether it is about teaching young people about the harmful effects of drugs and alcohol or explaining to parents why young people are interested in the first place.

"Young people will appreciate the site's honesty and clarity while parents will be able to view all the laws, source further information and find out what to do in an emergency.

"A growing number of people are experimenting with drugs and if young people are going to take drugs, they need to know the facts."

Anti-drugs campaigners are concerned at the message the site puts across.

Geoffrey Theobald, a Brighton and Hove City councillor, said: "The message should be 'Don't take drugs' not 'These are the drugs available and this is what happens when you take them'.

"It should be hammered home from an early age and I believe it should be part of the school curriculum that drugs should never be taken. They muck up your life."

A spokeswoman for Brighton-based drugs charity Addaction said: "It's especially important for young people to access the correct information so they are fully informed."

The site has been backed by youth group Coalition 4 Youth.

Teenagers say the old-fashioned finger- waving approach of warning people about drugs is patronising and does not work.

They say the site makes it clear drugs are illegal and dangerous without being over the top.