THE REAL FACE OF DRUGS EDUCATION INITIATIVE
The Children’s Society estimated there are 46,000 young people involved in County Lines, with some as young as 7 years old. This is the first steppingstone for being groomed into gangs, which is very hard to escape.
With this in mind, we have created two versions of our card, called THE REAL FACE OF DRUGS.
The first kind contains only facial images of 8 females and 8 males. Each face has before and after images, with some only a couple of years apart, and show the devastating effect drugs can have on your facial features, with some being unrecognisable. This card is mainly being used in primary schools.
The second design is aimed at audiences in secondary schools, colleges and universities. Although this older age group card has similarity to the first card, with before and after images of some drug users, on the reverse we have added a design, called DISPELLING THE MYTHS.
This side of the card is designed to advise young people not to bow to peer pressure or friends when they tell you what you will experience when taking drugs. It shows the untruths about drug taking but highlights what could happen and the dangerous consequences that are always random.
DO YOU KNOW?
Recent government figures show there were 5,448 deaths due to drug misuse involving illegal drugs in England and Wales, the highest ever recorded, and 1,133 deaths in Scotland, an increase of 11%. The latest figures from Northern Ireland recorded 154 deaths.
Scotland’s mortalities increases year on year maintains the highest rate in Europe.
The Scottish Government spent millions on costs and fees for the heroine substitute, methadone programme, for an estimated 24,721 methadone patients, yet methadone contributed to many drug related deaths in Scotland.
It is estimated that over 3 million people have taken illicit drugs in England, Wales and Scotland has an estimated 57,500 problem drug users.
In Scotland figures show there were 5,468 emergency ambulance calls for drug issues putting extreme pressures on valuable NHS staff and resources.
According to Audit Scotland, it is estimated that 168,200 hospital bed days, used by all people with drug problems, the total cost was over £88.8 million.
Parents, please note, according to recent government figures, the likelihood of pupils having ever taken drugs increases with age, from 11 year olds to 15 year olds. An estimated 580,000 secondary school aged pupils took at least one drug last year. Excluding nitrous oxide and new psychoactive substances. Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug, with secondary school pupils saying they took the drug in the last year, and 14% of 16 to 19 year olds.
• Pupils perceived it to be easy to get illegal drugs.
• Over half of 15 year olds thought it would be easy to get illegal drugs, compared with 11 year olds.
The following are all based on pupils who had taken drugs on more than one occasion:
• On the first occasion they tried drugs, children said they had got the drugs from a friend, with most of these being from a friend of the same age.
• They also said they got drugs from a dealer, but this was where a class A drug was taken.
• Pupils said they were outdoors (in a street, park or other outdoor area) when they last obtained drugs, by far the most common type of location. Some said they obtained drugs whilst at school.
HOW WE HELP YOU
St Andrew Print are scratch and sniff specialist printers who team up with leading consultants who have expertise in dangerous drugs, health & wellbeing and community safety.
We can produce our drug awareness cards to a customised design and bespoke size to meet client’s corporate guidelines.
Our graphic design team will work closely with your marketing people to produce a design that is in keeping with your corporate image and to the highest quality printing standards.
To assist charities and non-profit organisations, we can offer a free print design service.