QUOTE
The government's much hyped drugs awareness campaign, "Talk to Frank", is, frankly, nonsense.
According to drug experts, the website which aims to give teenages, parents and carers information and advice is littered with errors - some of which could put users at risk.
For example, on GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate), which was developed as an anaesthetic, it says: "A teaspoon or capful is a normal dose...a small capful has a euphoric effect that makes users feel happy, sensual and uninhibited". Except GHB can be dissolved in very little water, so with some mixes a teaspoon could be an overdose.
On 2CBs and 2C-T-7, often sold as ecstacy but with a more hallucinogenic effect, it sais: "Sold as white powder or tiny 5mg pills. Most people take several at a tiome and effects can last from 4 to 8 hours." Except as drug workers warn, the strengths of the pill can be very different and taking multiple pills of unknown quantity is extremely risky. Nowhere does the site give advice about options to test what is in a pill.
On its one-arm bandit "game" about mixing drugs, it suggests under the combination of mixing cocaine with alcohol, "some people set themselves the rule of only one alcoholic drink per line".
Often the information is simply meaningless. On mixing cocaine and LSD it states: "No point at all." A more informative replay might point out that stimulating the central nervous system with cocaine might not be a clever thing to do when taking a hallucinogen.
The list of mistakes and misleading advice supplied to the Eye, and confirmed by other experts, is lengthy. Shame the government didn't give the £3m to those drug workers and agencies who know what they are doing.
According to drug experts, the website which aims to give teenages, parents and carers information and advice is littered with errors - some of which could put users at risk.
For example, on GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate), which was developed as an anaesthetic, it says: "A teaspoon or capful is a normal dose...a small capful has a euphoric effect that makes users feel happy, sensual and uninhibited". Except GHB can be dissolved in very little water, so with some mixes a teaspoon could be an overdose.
On 2CBs and 2C-T-7, often sold as ecstacy but with a more hallucinogenic effect, it sais: "Sold as white powder or tiny 5mg pills. Most people take several at a tiome and effects can last from 4 to 8 hours." Except as drug workers warn, the strengths of the pill can be very different and taking multiple pills of unknown quantity is extremely risky. Nowhere does the site give advice about options to test what is in a pill.
On its one-arm bandit "game" about mixing drugs, it suggests under the combination of mixing cocaine with alcohol, "some people set themselves the rule of only one alcoholic drink per line".
Often the information is simply meaningless. On mixing cocaine and LSD it states: "No point at all." A more informative replay might point out that stimulating the central nervous system with cocaine might not be a clever thing to do when taking a hallucinogen.
The list of mistakes and misleading advice supplied to the Eye, and confirmed by other experts, is lengthy. Shame the government didn't give the £3m to those drug workers and agencies who know what they are doing.
Thoughts?
Seriously, though, it looks educational and worth a visit.