Jamie smokes out the stoners

Jamie Oliver has come up with a novel way of dealing with cannabis users in the workplace by setting up a treatment course for trainees at his Fifteen restaurant.

A new initiative was launched in conjunction with a campaign by leading UK drugs charity `DrugScope`.

Tony Elvin, training and development manager of the restaurant`s charity wing, said: "At Fifteen, cannabis has caused poor attendance, lateness, lack of motivation, difficulty in retaining information and insecurity.

"We are helping trainees to access treatment, to allow them to stay on the course and fulfil their potential."

Fifteen sought help from drug advisers after trainees who had tried to give up cannabis fell back into their old habits as a way of coping with the challenging training.

As is inevitable in a percentage of cases there is always the chance that a trainee could relapse, but Tony Elvin added: "Trainees who relapse will not be sacked."