EIGHT YEAR-OLDS NEED EDUCATED ABOUT DRUGS-SADIE O'REILLY

A Derry woman who founded one of the city's leading drugs charities
says that children as young as eight need to be educated about the
dangers of drugs.

Sadie O'Reilly who runs HURT, based in Clarendon Street, was speaking
after Gordon Brown's Advisory Council on Drugs Misuse put forward
proposals to allow cannabis to remain a category C substance, with
the British Prime Minister himself of the view that it should be
reclassified to category B status.

Negative and lasting impact

Ms. O'Reilly, who lost her own son to a heroin overdose, says a
speedy resolution over the classification of cannabis is essential.

She said: "Working on a daily basis with those facing drugs
addiction, many people find addiction to cannabis extremely difficult
to overcome.

"There is a misnomer that dope is okay with the class c
ranking.

"HURT hold a very different view aE" the manner in which cannabis is
misused and indeed abused by many people has a hugely negative and
lasting impact on the individual and family members.

"This news again is sending out a mixed message.

"Gordon Brown's own advisory pan

el wish to keep the drug, a well documented gateway drug at category
C status, and the Prime Minister of a different view. This is merely
feeding into and creating even greater uncertainty.

"The issue of classification is something which tends to dominate the
headlines.

Means nothing to teenagers

"The issue of whether cannabis is a class B or indeed class C drug
means nothing to teenagers or any individual misusing this drug.

"Our clients are testament to the harmful effects of prolonged use of
cannabis.

"Therefore, the emphasis must be focused towards education,
particularly at a primary level.

"I have long been of the view that even greater drugs awareness for
children as young as eight years old is required.

Our own organisation is only too happy to facilitate such learning
and this news I am bound to say will have little or no lasting impact
on cannabis use."