AGENDA
Cautious welcome for legal changes on temazepam abuse
The widespread View that the abuse 0i N ' 1 ‘ P a V " simply on the basis of cost.‘ she says. prescription sedative temazepam is ‘ reaching crisis proportions has finally prompted political action. with new
1 here.‘ she says. ‘t'riminalisation ‘iCiiiCS “h ihc Nils hi9 HP CilCh illlti i doesn't work. that is for sure. Ecstasy is ihC “Chic” C(llithiChi i5 ihl’. 5'0 iihl' ihC t schedule A but that doesn't stop kids sake of tuppence we are putting lives at taking it}
measures aimed 8i TCdUCihg aVaiiabiihy risk. Criminalisation must target the i The police believe they will now be Ofihe drug announced by scomsh PUShCi'5~ Shc i‘CIiCVCS- iii ShOUidh‘i hC ‘ able to tackle pushcrs. according to secretary MiChaCI Forsyih hm Week- x V used to pick tip addicts in possession of Cumming Kumcih McLeod of Temacham is largely rcSponSiblc for . I A; 1' iiCW iiihiCiS~ WC hCCd “10W ' Strathclyde‘s huge drug bust intiative ihe ihCieimihg dcaih [0” caused by drug I } ‘ ' 7 programmes for drug addicts - it .’ operation ring” ~h M” cuminty help 'COCkiaiiS'. PariiCUiariY ih ihe we“ 0f ’ achieves nothing to ptit them in jail.‘ ' police officers in the street.‘ he says. SCOiiand Where addiCig me" down the r 4» { i Turning Point drug crisis centre in ‘We have been hamstrung in the past
. Glasgow is also well accustomed to the i and it has [)Ccn {mm-hung but we PfObiClllS 0i iClllilZCPillll iltitilCllOll- ‘By g wouldn‘t want to target addicts — they far the majority of the people we admit
jelly-like contents of the capsules to r " r r inject into the bloodstream where it can ‘ re-solidify and cause gangrene. leading ‘ d h A
; are as much victims as anybody.‘
to ampumiion or even death“ . are (icpc'idChi 0" ii" Sh)“ Pi'hCiiCC 'l'hc addicts themselves tend to Ponce Say efforts ‘0 Commi abuse temazepam: "oomng onto me Skeet "om manager KC" Billhi ‘h hilS CilU-‘Cd 11 it“ confirm the view that if thev didn't take have been hampered because "legal sources of harm to very many people. temazepam thev would find an POSSCSSiOh Oiicmachflm is legal. but reservations. The List canvassed some particularly the gel formulation. The aim-name. ‘Mo auntie swunuws 30.40 in November the drug will be opinions: majority of the temazepam is already [emu/chum u (the. she‘s mad for them.‘ reclassified, making possession an Paisley North MP Irene Adams has coming from illicit networks. so 5mg- 35_\-cm-_(,hj Jam. 1 med {0 walk offence without a valid prescription. seen the worst of the Temazepam rescheduling it will have no impact on my“ hey im- mkmg (hugs. The” I started Control on import and export licences epidemic in her own constituency. that.‘ m, jellies when I was Mme” I lake is also being tightened. while health Though pleased at any attempt to tackle The problem is less extreme in the heroin and ,hctimhmu "mo I don‘t boards will be forced to monitor the problem. Adams doesn‘t believe the east of Scotland. according to Dr Judy think it [the I-chusgmuuhm] win nmkc tentazepam supply more strictly. measures go far enough and wants the Greenwood of the Community Drug much (him-Can h‘ h docs make it The changes have been broadly drug banned completely in its jelly Problem Service in Edinburgh. harder to get jellies. people will just welcomed by drugs workers and form. ‘lnjecting is the worst problem. but hike something clgcf (Stephen campaigners. but there are still ‘My concern is it hasn‘t been banned thankfully temazepam is rarely injected Nglygnflth) Students facing greater degree of hardship Students are facing an increasingly report Poverty by Degrees gives Scottish secretary Michael Forsyth. ._ ,2 g .A bleak financial future, according to 8 details of student hardship, including ‘he has said that he is wining to ' " report published by Citizen’s Advice one penniless undergraduate who had talk,’ says nus scotiahd president 5 " Scotland. in recent years Citizens to be pointed in the direction of the Douglas Trainer. ‘One of the issues Advice Bureaux (CAB) have noticed a nearest soup kitchen. that we will be looking to press on him I I . A marked increase in student clients The report suggests there is growing from a Scottish angle is that a four- . ‘ seeking debt counselling. The evidence that more students are year degree in Scotland means four Identity cards: going hand in hand with phasing-in of student loans to replace dropping out because they can’t years of hardship rather than three.’
camera surveillance? grants, along with the withdrawal of afford to continue their studies, while The care-free days of higher housing benefit and income support, school leavers may be put off taking education vanished years ago but NUS
ID 3'9 blamed '0' "'8 increase in student up college places because they are is determined, if realistic, about its
debi- Accordinil to "times compiled by worried about getting into debt. To chances of at least making student " " the Committee of Vice Chancellors combat this alarming trend in higher lite dignified. ‘There’s a lot going on
0 and Principals, students Starting in education. NUS Scotland is planning a but we know that we’re fighting a war higher education this year can expect year of action, which will include a in which we have traditionally lost 3
st to owe the Student Loan Company an demonstration in Glasgow in lot or names; says trainer, (Jonathan estimated average of £7142 when they November, a national day of action in new)
. . . graduate in 1999. late October and a Ult-wide :;::::':sga:xng: :fnglggizze The combination of these factors is demonstration in either London or period on the Gove’mmemis proposal forcing students into ever more Manchester. llUS Scotland is also Citizens Advice Scotland can be
m a namnal "loamy can] scheme is impoverished circumstances. The CAB planning a letter writing campaign to contacted on 0137 667 0156. nearly over. The idea crosses party
lines. Those in favour say the cards
Homeless turn camera on themselves
immigration and under-age drinking. “OWN”, CiVii iihel'iies campaigners ‘lt’s really helped my self-confidence.’
3'9 "a" and ihele is concern ihai this says Edinburgh homeless man Alex
is a symptom 0i Widei attempts in Anderson about the Cowgate Day
state COI'IU'OI. The Scottish Council it" Centre's photography projcc[_ So
Civil liberties believes the issue will confident has he become, in fact, that
iaiiicaliy shall” the ieiaiiOhShip Anderson was selected to present an
between the lllllillillllal and the State- edition of television current affairs
‘ihe Public $h0iiiii 35k ihemseiVeS ii programme Scottish Reporters on
they want our way of life to change so homelessness in Edinburgh during the
much as to make it obligatory to Festival.
always carry identification and to be Now the group's work is the subject of
able to produce it at any time,’ says an exhibition On the Move which is
SCSI. director Carole Ewart. intended to highlight the issue from the
Opponents also argue that the perspective of the homeless themselves. scheme makes little practical sense; With funding from a variety of sources. proving the identity of criminals is including £2000 from Lothian Region “'9', all issue ii" the POiiCO- “‘9 to pay community photography tutor ;__ . ._ - “9903i Piohiom is 99m“! enough Sandra George. the Cowgate group has evidence to secure a conviction, for been teaming the basics of taking . “ten cat“ are ph0[ographs. (Mimi “Mimi ‘Some of us are now hoping to enter ‘ ‘ ' ‘ “ ‘ Bulimia” 9” "'9 “ma should be our photographs for competitions to see images 0’ home'essness: photography on the Sim" sent to: Identify Cards Green Paper if they make the grade“ says Anderson when it appealed for donations. is now On the More: Images omene/essness "II", Home W108, 50 0088" M093 The Cowgate project. which was looking for funding to continue the is at The Nether/mit-frmn Mun 2—Sat 68m, tendon SW"! 947'. inundated with photography equipment project. (Eddie Gibb) 28 Oct. Cal/013] 556 9579for details.
4 The List 22 Sept-5 Oct 1995