A solvents awareness campaign will be running in North Shrewsbury Secondary schools, starting on 26th April.
Every year in the U.K, up to 70 people die from solvent abuse- 30% of deaths are first time users. Solvent abuse can kill instantly. The campaign aims to publicise the dangers of sniffing solvents and other household products.
Leaflets from Re-Solv and the Community Substance Misuse team will be distributed to parents and young people.
There will be a roadshow visiting each school. Young people's drug workers will be on hand to give out further information, run interactive quizzes and hand out prizes.
The campaign is supported and funded by the 'Keep it Real' drugs awareness project from Shrewsbury and Atcham Community Safety partnership, Choices Drugs Awareness Project and Connexions Substance Misuse Advisers.
For more information on the campaign contact Haroon Riaz, Drug Awareness Officer on (01743) 281171, or Roy Terrill, Young people's Substance Misuse Manager on (01743) 284458.
For information about solvent abuse contact Re-Solv's free-phone helpline on 0808 800 2345 or visit their website http://www.re-solv.org/young_people.htm
On 6 April 2004 Shropshire County Council Trading Standards Service conducted a campaign to assess the willingness of retailers to sell solvent glue and butane gas lighter refills to children under the age of 18 years. In total 10 shops in Shrewsbury were visited of which 3 sold products to a 15 year old volunteer. Two butane gas lighter refills were purchased, each with a packet of crisps that could have been emptied to provide an accessory for substance abuse. The solvent based glue was purchased with a pack of small kitchen bin bags, for the same reason.
David Edwards, an Operations Manager with the Trading Standards Service said
"These results are very disappointing. Products such as Butane Gas and Solvents can be, and are, easily abused, with potentially lethal consequences for the user. It is imperative that all retailers are vigilant in order that such dangerous products are not sold to children under the age of 18 years. We strongly recommend that shops set up their own systems whereby assistants ask for identification from any person who they believe to be under 21 years of age. If no identification can be provided then the message is simple - don't sell. Only by doing this will the shopkeeper be sure that they do not illegally sell products to children."
Investigations into the three sales continue, and further test purchases are likely to take place in the County.
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