Update On Drugs

Is education the way to deal with drugs?

This is the latest in a series of articles on Drug Use in Wolverhampton, in this article Phil Bateman suggests that there is much more too do to dissuade young people from taking drugs.

He say''s " We do have a problem in Wolverhampton, many local people complain about the way that they are seeing or even smelling the use of dope. Whilst it is still secretive it is much more openly traded and used than ever before.

Police are doing all they can to improve the situation and they are working in partnership with Local Authorities and Health Authorities. But the way to limit drug use has to be through education.

We know that the drug action team in Wolverhampton has had a 114% increase in referrals, Dr Phillips the Public Health Director has said that "Wolverhampton is no worse than anywhere else."

But the challenge is making it much better than elsewhere. At the moment here in Wednesfield North there is allegation that drugs are being used by youths in a number of locations on Ashmore Park. There is of course the fear that drug use leads to increased crime.

Wednesfield police have been informed and I am confident that they will take action. This is a whole community affair, we all have a role to play . Parents, schools, youth clubs, the local and health authorities all have a place in trying to break the circle that leads to drug use becoming a culture.
As Dr Phillips quoted me in a recent letter "our services are reacting quickly, we are helping people to manage their problem (and thus reduce crime and improve safety). That doesn''t mean to say that we can''t improve."