Charity to campaign on drugs deaths

Drugs charity DrugScope has launched a public awareness campaign
to tackle drug related deaths in the UK.

Britain has the highest number of drug-related deaths in Europe.
Of the 7,266 deaths from illegal drug overdoses across the EU in
1999, 2,857 were in the UK.

The first part of the campaign, ‘Break the Cycle’, aims to
reduce the number of people who begin injecting by raising
awareness among existing users about how their behaviour influences
others.

The second part, ‘OD’, will help services working with drug
users to raise awareness about the risks of injecting and
overdose.

Information will be provided through seminars and information
packs. The department of health is funding the England-wide
project.

Pauline Holcroft, the mother of Rachel Whitear who died at the
age of 21 after overdosing on heroin, has pledged her support for
the initiative.