The Scotsman
Thursday, 03 December 1998

PR FIRM DITCHES SCOTLAND AGAINST DRUGS

THE new head of Scotland Against Drugs was at the centre of controversy
yesterday after one of Scotland premier public relations companies said it
would no longer act for the agency.

The Glasgow-based Media House, which has a string of major UK clients,
refused to explain why it had resigned.

However, industry sources said the management could not work with Alistair
Ramsay, the new executive director of SAD, who, they claimed, was
"hypocritical" to take charge of an agency whose strategies he has so
fiercely criticised in the past.

Others suggested Mr Ramsay did not see "eye to eye" with Jack Irvine, the
managing director of Media House, who had charged SAD a "pittance" compared
to other clients. Mr Irvine was not available for comment.

David McAulay, who recently resigned as executive director of SAD, and is
now a director of Media House also refused to comment in any capacity
yesterday.

Inquiries were referred to a company spokesman who said: "The company has
resigned from representing Scotland Against Drugs and we have informed the
chairman and temporary executive director. We are not prepared to discuss
our reasons."

It was the second time in 24 hours that controversy has surrounded Mr
Ramsay, who anti-drug campaigners claim is not the man for the job. He
supports a "fashionable" harm reduction rather than zero reduction policy.

His stated strategy of reinforcing the anti-drugs message by targeting
children who do not abuse drugs was likened yesterday to "attempting to end
prostitution by addressing the Union of Catholic Mothers."

David Bryce, of Glasgow's Calton Athletic's drugs group, said Mr Ramsay,
who for ten years was health advisor to Glasgow Council's education
department, was out of touch.

He said: "Year by year, while he has been advising the council the problem
of drugs in schools has grown worse."

Mr Bryce dismissed Mr Ramsay, as a "bureaucrat."

Drug campaigners and PR sources claimed yesterday that Mr Ramsay was an
outspoken critic of SAD's UKP1 million campaign to launch a drug awareness
programme in primary schools. A source said: "He was the only person
hostile to the biggest ever campaign of its kind, which was applauded by
everyone."

Mr Ramsay, who does not take up the post until 1 January, was surprised
yesterday by the PR firm's decision. He said: "To be honest, you take my
breath away. I really don't know what to say about this.

"I also feel the criticism levelled against me has been unfair. I have not
been critical of SAD's previous work, which I have always said I regarded
as phase one.

"There have been major successes, such as putting drugs firmly on the
agenda. They provided advice for young people at risk, and designed the
primary school project which had great merit.

"I did feel it needed small adaptations to better use scarce resources. I
did appreciate there were going to be difficulties in the new job. Today's
event is not one I anticipated."

Staff at SAD were upset by the PR company's decision to pull out. One
source said: "They [Media House] did a lot more than they needed to. But
they cannot work with Mr Ramsay and believe the vision of a national
campaign has been lost."