Bids to address trend of self-destruction within NW communities

A steering group operating as ‘United Communities Against Drugs’ will meet in the Tower Hotel on Friday (October 3) to consider how to address what it regards as the developing trend of self-destruction now prevalent in many Londonderry communities.
By The Newsroom
Published 30th Sep 2014, 12:34 BST
Derek Hussey, Chair of the Strabane PCSP, left, at the launch of the 'We dont take Drugs, Drugs take us.'Derek Hussey, Chair of the Strabane PCSP, left, at the launch of the 'We dont take Drugs, Drugs take us.'
Derek Hussey, Chair of the Strabane PCSP, left, at the launch of the 'We dont take Drugs, Drugs take us.'

“This conference is timed to coincide with the Letterkenny Legal High Awareness Week and is being co-ordinated by interests from Derry, Omagh, Strabane, Letterkenny and Belfast.

“It will take place between 11am and 2.30pm and will be addressed by speakers whose personal experience more than qualify them for the task,” the groups states.

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Meanwhile, the Strabane Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) in partnership with the Divert Project has launched a new media campaign entitled ‘We don’t take Drugs, Drugs take us,’ which will run throughout the Autumn.

Councillor Derek Hussey, Chairman of Strabane PCSP said: “unfortunately it appears that many young people are experimenting in the use of legal highs, however the consequences can be tragic.

“The message from this campaign is clear - We don’t take drugs, drugs take us.”

He added: “This campaign features one young person who had his whole life to live, yet sadly he like many other young people, probably never thought that he would die from his first experience of taking drugs.

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“Strabane PCSP is committed to creating awareness around the dangers of using legal highs and will continue to work in partnership with other agencies to try and prevent any further deaths in this area.”

During Legal High Awareness week the campaign will be launched throughout the West of Northern Ireland and in Donegal. There will be an information evening, led by Legal High Awareness, in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Letterkenny on Thursday (October 2) from 6pm to 10pm. There will also be a conference in the Tower Hotel in Derry on Friday (October 3) from 11am to 2.30pm, led by Legal High Awareness and the Time to Choose project, supported by local drug and alcohol organisations.

Divert, a project within Dove House Community Trust, have worked relentlessly over the last 15 years to provide education, prevention and early intervention for young people around drug and alcohol related issues. Divert will continue to work in partnership with local organisations to ensure that young people receive the best education and advice to help support them from harm.

Divert are working in partnership with a range of partners on this initiative including the Public Health Agency, Legal High Awareness, Breakthru, Derry Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP), Fermanagh PCSP, Limavady PCSP, Omagh PCSP, and Strabane PCSP.

For further information on legal/illegal highs and other harmful drugs contact Divert on Tel: 028 7126 9327 or Breakthru on 028 8775 3228

Related topics:BidsDerryStrabane