Source: The Scotsman, Edinburgh, UK http://www.scotsman.com
Contact: Letters_ts@scotsman.com

Businessmen urged to help keep youngsters off drugs
FRANK URQUHART

BUSINESSMEN in Aberdeen, dubbed the heroin capital of Scotland, were
yesterday urged to join the battle to stem the rising tide of drug abuse
among teenagers.

Bosses of the city's major companies are being asked to pledge financial
support for an innovative scheme which will take teenagers from deprived
housing schemes off the streets and give them the chance to "have their
dreams fulfilled".

Give Kids a Chance has been developed by Health Promotions, the Grampian
Health Board agency, and is aimed at offering youngsters a chance to
take part in a wide range of activities, from archery to abseiling in
the hope of steering them away from drugs. A pilot project involving
more than 100 teenagers in the Torry, Kincorth and Seaton areas of the
city has been a success, and yesterday the agency launched a fund
raising drive to extend it. Every 1 raised will matched by 2 from the
Scotland Against Drugs Challenge Fund.

Louie McAllan, the managing director of Health Promotions, said it was
time that anti drug resources were used to reward young people who said
no to drugs, instead of treating the victims of a growing drugs culture.

She said: "Until now a lot of the money being made available from the
drug funds have been spent on the odd weekend away or the odd activity
for young people giving them only a glimpse of the alternatives they
could pursue. But what we are saying to the Challenge Fund and others is
that you need something which can be sustained. We are trying to respond
to their dreams."

She said it was the first time that such a scheme had been tried in
Scotland, because the costs were so high.

Drug taking among young people throughout the north east is increasing
at an alarming rate. A recent survey indicated one in four people aged
16 or 17 regularly took drugs.

Ms McAllan said: "We don't use these activities to ram home any anti
drug messages. But we believe that by expanding their horizons we can
show them that there's more to life than drugs ..."and that they can get
a buzz out of life without resorting to drugs."

Sir Ian Wood, one of the city's business leaders, said: "Anyone who has
contact with young people knows only too well the peer pressures that
they face every day to try drugs."