Schoolchildren get Mephedrone lessons
30 March 2010, 13:47 | Updated: 31 March 2010, 07:53
Schoolchildren in Oxfordshire are going to be taught about the dangers of taking Mephedrone.
The government's announced they're going to ban the drug, which is currently legal, after it was linked to 25 deaths in England and Scotland.
Recent high profile media coverage of the drug Mephedrone, which is not to be confused with the heroin subsititute Methadone, has left many parents asking questions about the drug. Oxfordshire's Drug and Alcohol Action Team say they're now helping make sure all parents in the county have access to the facts.
Every secondary school in Oxfordshire has been sent advice to help children in years 7, 8, 9 and 10 make the right decisions about drugs and alcohol.
Health bosses hope the publication called ‘Parents and carers guide to young people, drugs and alcohol’ will help mums and dads create a dialogue with their children about drugs.
- Mephedrone is a type of stimulant and is sold as a 'legal high'. It's also used as a plant fertiliser.
- People who take the drug can suffer from nosebleeds, over stimulation of the heart, sickness and depression.
Jo Melling from Oxfordshire's Drug and Alcohol Action Team said: "No one knows the long term effects of this drug and it was not designed for human consumption. People who take it are playing Russian roulette with their lives. It’s vital that parents and children have all the facts at their finger tips so that they can make informed decisions."