Preventing abuse: You're 15, you're out with friends and you're offered cannabis. You're tempted but nervous. So you text the word 'cannabis' to 50100 and get an immediate reply which reads "Causes feelings of relaxation but also demotivates, anxiety and confusion. Long-term use linked to memory loss, paranoia and cancer," followed by website address and phone number.
This new free text service, the first of its kind in Ireland, sends accurate concise information on the dangers of 30 different drugs to mobile phones within seconds and is available on a 24-hour basis countrywide. An immediate success, it had 28,000 hits in its first seven days of operation.
50100 Virtual Outreach has been developed by Crosscare, the social care agency of the Dublin Diocese, with the information worded by teens who worked on the project. It recognises that every day at school, every night of the week in clubs and bars another teenager is offered drugs for the first time.
Conor Hickey, Crosscare director, hopes this free mobile support system in every young pocket may help to prevent some from going down a risky, possibly deadly, path. "Drug abuse has ruined so many lives, but when you're 13 or 14, it can be all new to you. This service, giving clear concise information in an instant, could save lives," he said.
Tapping in ecstasy, for example, gives the immediate reply: "Euphoric highs, hi/energy, can lead to dehydration, worse when used with alcohol, anxiety, insomnia and risky or delusional behaviour."
The service will give parents access to information on substances their children may be offered or could be using. The texts also recognise the hundreds of variations, code words and street words used around common yet deadly drugs.
A 2002 Irish drug use prevalence survey showed that one in five people in Ireland have used illegal drugs, with two in three first doing so at school.
According to the 2005 Slan national health study, almost four in 10 teens and young adults aged 14-24 had used cannabis while a further 3 per cent had experimented with cocaine. Research has shown that of all adolescents who experiment with drugs, a small minority continue on to more long-term abuse.
To access the service, text the name of the drug to 50100. You will receive an instant summary reply of its effects. For more details, visit www.dap.ie or tel: 01-8360911.