Connexions warns young people about the dangers of crack cocaine
Connexions Manchester, Eclypse and Manchester Youth Service have worked in partnership to develop an arts-based project to raise awareness amongst young people of the dangers of crack cocaine. This was in response to an alarming increase in the use of the drug amongst young people in the city.
Connexions Manchester ran a competition with other local agencies, including Manchester Drug and Alcohol Action Team. Young people designed T-shirts, posters and leaflets about the dangers of crack cocaine. The arts-based competition named Blazin Crack targeted young people aged 13 top 19 years old, living in the Wythenshawe area.
Mark Tomlinson, Substance Misuse Co-ordinator at Manchester Connexions, said “Something needed to be done about the amount of crack that was coming into the city. It was the youth service and outreach workers in particular who were aware how much crack was coming into their areas and reported meetings with young people who told them they’d been approached by dealers. We are hoping the project may now be replicated throughout Manchester”.
Paul Goggins MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Home Office, congratulated winners of the competition and handed out prizes to the young people at the awards ceremony on Friday 3rd June at the Wythenshawe Forum.
