l' Get the dope
Some kids know more about drugs than their parents. Andrew Burnet looks at ways to catch up.
f you're a parent. Tom Wood has a stark wanting for you: you need to know about drugs. thrd is now chair of the Action Team on Alcohol and Drugs in Edinburgh. after more than 30 years as a police officer. ‘Every young person. sooner or later. is going to be offered drugs.‘ he says. ‘lt might happen at primary school; it might happen in their home; it might happen when they‘re playing around the streets: it might happen as a teenager: it might happen in the pub or the place of work — but it‘s going to happen.‘ Wood is no doom-merchant. He's seen Scotland‘s drug problems come and go. and after all this time. he believes he knows the best approach. ‘The important thing is that we give our young people the information they need. The key is to give them respect. not to tell lies. Young people are very astute; the minute they know somebody‘s not telling them the truth. they switch off. They deserve not to be patronised.‘ Working with Edinburgh Council. the Scottish Executive. the NHS and the voluntary sector. Wood is a key player in the city‘s drug and alcohol strategy. One important element is the Executive's Know The Score campaign. which aims to tackle the spread of drug use by providing reliable infomtation and encouraging parean to discuss the issue with their children. It's a marked change from the ‘Just Say No‘ campaigns of yore.
104 THE LIST 25 May—8 Jun 2006
a“, x . i . I it: ~ I 3 v
ENGAGE
i
Jacquie McBeath and her father. David
‘The first question you get when you say to a child. "Just Say No" is "Why?" You‘ve got to have the answer to that.’ says Woods.
One parent who does have answers is David McBeath of Bathgate. It began with a revealing conversation with his daughter Jacquie. then eleven. ‘We were walking down the street and she goes. "That smells like hash." and I went “What?” In the discussion that followed. McBeath discovered Jacquie knew a lot more about drugs than he realised: though there were some inisunderstandings.
‘She said. “I heard that speed that
can help you lose weight: and if
you‘re feeling a bit down you can take this tablet called ecstasy.’ McBeath wasted no time contacting Know The Score and received an information pack. He was so impressed that he later agreed to appear with Jacquie in a Know The Score poster campaign. ‘I couldn‘t believe how in the dark I wasf he
admits. 'I thought I had a lot of
knowledge of whatever subject might come up with the kids. but I knew nothing.‘
KNOW THE SCORE HELPLINE 0800 587 5879; www.knowthescore.info Confidential adVice on drugs. Helpline adVisors are on hand to take yOur call. 24 hours a day. seven days a week. Calls from a landline are free and Will not show up on a phone bill.
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This page lists a selection of organisation which provide expert health, advice and support in Glasgow and Edinburgh. The List gratefully acknowledges the support of the Scottish Executive in funding this page.
i lcohol & Narcotics Glasgow & Strathclyde
Drug Problem Service \Vootlsiile llL‘ltlllt (t‘lillt'. llal‘t‘ Sll'c‘t‘l. (iiasg'tM.
ill-1| SH 0254
Dumbarton Area Council on Alcohol 32 |)uiu|\.irton Road. (‘lydcbaiik lllJl 032 08M 0| 33") 531 45o (‘ieiieral lliltil'lllitllttll and adv ice including oncrto- one counselling for young people,
\s w \s alcohol - locus-scollaiidoi'guk
East Addiction Service
VI Springfield Road. (ilasgow. lllJl 5M 0200.
East Dunbartonshire Addiction Service [hit 20. l-i'a/ei ||ousc Kirkmtilloch. lllJl 58H 3H3.
Glasgow City Council Addiction Partnership .\ city -w iile iaiige ot seryices. including support for young people iiiyoly ed in drug aitd alcohol use. \swwglasgowgovuk
Glasgow Drugs Crisis Centre
[23 West Sire-er lllJl 420 (Not), Help, (td\ ice. I‘L'ltali. dclo\ and needle L'\\'liill|:_'L‘. www.lui'niiigpoiiitscot|aiid.coiu
RCA Trust \lll‘l't‘ll llttllst‘. ligtt‘ls Sitcddtlll Street. l’aisley. 887 0880. Helpline 0845 230 0038. :\d\ ice. information and support on alcohol and related issues.
w w w .reiifrew councilonalcoliol .oi‘gtik
Edinburgh & Lothian
The Chrysalis Project 0 l-'oi'resi Road. 0| 3| 220 5453. .-\n offsliot of 'I'uriiiiig l’oint lsee below i. offering suppoit for drug users. Community Drug Problem Service 24 Spittal Street. lidiiiburgh. 0| 3| 537 3345 Crew 2000 32 ('ockburn Street. 0| 3| 220 3-104, .\|on Sat l 5pm; Thu 4 8pm. Information and friendly ads ice on drugs and sexual health. from trained workers.
w w w .crew2l X X ),co,tik
Edinburgh & Lothian Council on Alcohol (i ('Iiftoii 'I‘crrace. 0| 3| 337 b’ l SH. Information. advice and support.
\t w w .alcohoI-fticus-scotIaiid.oi'g.uk Turning Point 44 llanoy L'l‘ Street. 0| 3| 226 0330; 3 Smith‘s l’lace. 0| 3| 554 75%. Mon |-‘ri 0.30am 5.30pm. ()iie-to—oiie counselling for addicts and support for their families. w\yw.turningpitintsciitland.com West Lothian Drug and Alcohol Service 43 Adelaide Street. ('i‘;ii:_'s|ii||.
|.i\ ingston. 0| 506 430 225. ('ounselliiig. help in dealing with family issues and help in working towards employment opportunitieswwwwestlotliiaiigovuk West Lothian Youth Action Project c/o ('oiiiinunity House. 33 .i\||er l’lace. |i|ibtirn. Livingston. 0|50o 4(il 588. .-\d\icc and information about substance misuse. for young people. \\ w \y.\s|yap.org.uk
Naflonal
Cocaine Anonymous 020 7234 l l23. wwwcaukorguk
Drug Misuse Information Strategy Team 013! 5518532 wva.dnigmisuse.isdscotlandorg Families Anonymous Helpline 08-15 I200 ()(il).
Narcotics Anonymous Scotland 0707l 2-18 7l0.
www.nascotland.org.uk
NHS Health Scotland 0| 3| 536 5500. Helpline 0800 22-1 488.
w w w .healthsctitland.com
Parents Against Drugs Abuse Helpline: 08457 023 867.
Scotland Against Drugs Campaign (ll-ll 33l ol50.
w w w .sdeapoliceuk
Scottish Executive Substance Misuse Division 0| 3| 24-1 2208 Scottish Drugs Forum 0l4l 221 l I73 w w wsdsf.org.uk
Society for the Prevention of Solvent and Volatile Substance Abuse 01506 SH 498 w vs wre—solv.org
A dictionary of drug slang
I Amphetamines
Stimulant. Supplied as white or grey pills or powder. Slang names: speed . W’NIZZ
I Alkyl nitrates
Stimulant. Inhaled front a small bottle. Slang names: peppers; Liquid Gold or TNT (brand names) I Cannabis
Mild halluCinogen. Usually smoked. either as a resm crumbled into tobacco. or as dried leaves. Slang names: liasli, dope, blow, grass
I Cocaine
Stimulant. A white powder usually snorted through the nose. but sometimes injected. Slang names: coke. charlie, snow
I Crack
Stimulant. A purer form of cocaine that comes in chunks that are smoked or dissolved and IH]CCl8(l. Slang name: rocks
I Ecstasy
Stimulant and mild hallucniogen. A form of amphetamine (MDMA) that comes in small pills. Slang names: E, euros. eccres. elephants. diamonds. Mitsubishis.
I Gamma hydroxybutrate Depressant. A colourless. odourless liquid sold in small bottles or capsules. Slang names: GHB, GBH, gabba. liquid ecstasy I LSD
Hallucinogen. Small squares of printed paper. or tiny pills known as 'microdots'. Slang names: acrd, trips I Heroin
Depressant. Usually a brownish white powder; occasionally a hard. toffee-like block. Slang names: smack, scag. junk, H, Harry, gear I Ketamine
Hallucinogen. White powder, tablet or small bottle of liquid. Slang names: K, Special K, vitamin K, ket I Magic mushrooms Hallucinogen. Small mushrooms which are eaten whole or made into ‘tea'. Slang names: 'shrooms I Methadone
Depressant. Green, amber or blue liquid, or white tablet. Slang names: meth, linctus
I Methamphetamine Stimulant. Powerful amphetamine: usually a white powder. snoned. smoked or injected. Slang names: toe. zip, meth, gofast I Tranquillisers
Depressant. A capsule or tablet. Slang names: jellies, tranx; Valium, Librium or Mogadon (trade names)