CHARITY DEFENDS HEROIN ADVERT

Barnardo's, the children's charity, yesterday defended the use of an
advertisement which shows a baby boy apparently preparing to inject heroin.

It said the image was designed to be challenging, and attacked the
advertising industry watchdog, the Committee of Advertising Practice, for
attempting to "censor" the campaign. The committee has written to
newspapers, asking them not to accept the advertisement.

Andrew Newbel, the charity's director of marketing and communications, said
it had carefully considered the use of the graphic image, which is part of
a series of adverts. "The basic premise of the entire campaign is centred
on Barnardo's work with children and young people to prevent them
experiencing the negative situations shown in the advertising.

"The campaign is designed to make sure people stop and reconsider their
views, not only about Barnardo's work, but also about the range of issues
highlighted in the campaign."

Other adverts in the series have attracted complaints, but all have been
rejected by the Advertising Standards Authority. The latest image portrays
a heroin addict as a young child. The picture has been digitally altered to
show the baby grasping a tourniquet in his teeth and holding a syringe.

The advert appears in the Weekend section of today's Guardian. Alan
Rusbridger, the editor of the Guardian, said: "It is shocking, but it is
the sort of image that Guardian readers are sophisticated enough to deal
with, and understand its message."