BE CAREFUL OF LEAFLETS ON DRUGS

17:00 - 07 March 2003

Anyone who has recently been given a leaflet entitled 10 Things Your Friends May Not Know About Drugs be cautious regarding its contents. I am concerned that not only is this leaflet unproductively hysterical in tone, but contains inaccuracies which might be dangerous.

Narconon, the authors of this work, are not connected to either Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous, both of whom provide legitimate interventions for substance misusers. Narconon is, I believe, linked to the Church of Scientology, and I would suggest that its right to distribute their leaflets should be balanced by a responsibility to ensure that the information is accurate.

If anyone has concerns about drugs, they should ring their community drug and alcohol team, or the National Drugs Helpline on 0800 776000.

Internet users will find www.drugscope.org a helpful web site.

Jo Marks
Ferndale Point
Ferndale
Tunbridge Wells