GOVERNMENT URGED PROMOTE DRUGS AWARENESS

Government departments must make a greater effort to co ordinate drug
awareness programmes for Irish parents and prevent negative effects on
future generations, a leading parents'' activist has warned.

Rose Tully, president of the National Parents Council -- Post Primary, said
the Departments of Education, Health and Justice need to work together to
increase parents'' knowledge of the jargon and signs of drugs use.

She also said that every part of the country has been effected by the drugs
scourge.

``There is no part of Ireland, urban or rural, that we can say will not be
affected by drugs and if we are to be honest, young people can get drugs
anywhere if they want them. ``We now have a situation where every day you
pick up the paper there is something in it about drugs,'' said Ms Tully.

She said it is very frightening for parents to realise that young people
are using heroin to come down from the effects of ecstasy, or that cannabis
is now much stronger than it was five years ago.

``Parents need to be alerted to the fact it can happen to their child.
There are some things we can't solve on our own and if it is discovered
that someone has a problem, they should reach out for professional help
immediately,'' said Ms Tully.

``None of us want to lose children because of the effects of drugs. They
don't know the long term effects and we need to do research into them as
parents, particularly into what effect will they have on future
generations.

``Parents need to familiarise themselves with the jargon because if they
show they have heard about things, it gives the young person confidence to
be open minded and willing to discuss any problems,'' Ms Tully said.

She said the best way to co ordinate awareness programmes is through
various initiatives set out nationally, but administered at local level.
Such programmes, she said, could include the use of local radio stations
and newspapers, school newsletters, health board leaflets and information
programmes for voluntary organisations working with young people.

``We also need to look at what age young people are told about drugs.
Sometimes parents are afraid they will encourage children to experiment,
but they need to be given accurate information.

``There has to be an education process and the Departments of Education,
Health and Justice need to continue working together.''

The Department of Education said a drug abuse prevention programme for post
primary schools, developed by the Departments of Education and Health, was
introduced in early 1995.

Its aim is to encourage young people to say no to the misuse of substances,
and more than 1,600 post primary teachers have attended related training
courses.

A similar course for primary schools has been introduced to around 150
schools last year.