Drugs Awareness Week highlights need for information and treatment

CORK Drugs Awareness Week kicks off today with particular emphasis on young people, families and treatment.

The initiative runs until next Tuesday and follows on from the city’s first such drug awareness week last year. The main aim of the week is to raise awareness and provide information to communities, families and professionals.

The focus today is on families with a seminar on “Addiction — Signposts to Recovery for Family and Friends”.

Those expected to attend include concerned people living close to addicts and families and friends affected by addiction.

The keynote speaker will be Toni Duncan, who is family addiction counsellor at Tabor Lodge residential treatment centre.

She will discuss the effect drug and alcohol use have, not just on the user, but the whole family.

Other speakers include members of the Churchfield Family Support Group and Parents Aware Ballincollig.

The talk will run from 7.15pm to 9.30pm at Jury’s Hotel, Western Road.

The focus turns to treatment on Thursday. Pat O’Connell, an outreach worker with the Cork Local Drugs Task Force, will talk about his work with young people at risk of using drugs and alcohol, and their families. He works at the Gurranabraher Youth Development Centre.

He will be joined by Geraldine Ring, director of services at Matt Talbot Adolescent Services. This conference will take place between 9.30am and 2pm at the Clarion Hotel.

Two information days will take place next Monday and Tuesday for young people at Rochestown Park Hotel.