A Disturbing Picture of Increasing Epidemic Levels of Use of Dangerous Drugs has Been Revealed by the MixMag Survey Report, Published Today

LONDON, March 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Amongst clubbers, Mephedrone use in the last year has risen by 20 percent and for Ketamine it is nearer 50 percent.

The survey indicates a culture of young people using multiple drugs at a time fuelled by the emergence of new club drugs and 'legal highs'. Very little is known about the effects and harms of these types of drugs by the scientists and policy makers, let alone the users or their families.

The results of the MixMag survey come just a week after drugs awareness charities the Angelus and the Amy Winehouse Foundations launched a nationwide campaign to put drugs education onto the National Curriculum.

Following this launch, the Home Secretary set out her priorities on legal highs after the Prime Minister promised last week to "stamp out" their use.

Speaking about the MixMag findings, founder of the Angelus Foundation, Maryon Stewart, said: "This MixMag survey paints an even more alarming picture than we suspected.

"The heavy use of these drugs by clubbers has already seeped out in to the rest of young people's normal lives, where these unknown drugs are easily accessible.

She added: "The case for an education campaign is unanswerable."

Also speaking about the findings of the MixMag survey, Mitch Winehouse said, "Only 60 percent of schools are teaching children about the dangers of drugs and alcohol and this is often for one hour or less in a whole academic year. We are petitioning the Government to make it a compulsory subject, as it is not currently being treated as a priority. If young people are given the opportunity to make informed choices, then we believe that many lives can be saved."

Notes to editors:

The Angelus and Amy Winehouse Foundations' joint position is that the Government's response to the flood of new drugs is that simply to make them illegal is flawed if it is not supported by other interventions, as the legal status of a drug makes little or no difference to young people. The Home Secretary's statement this week to the Chair of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs admits ketamine use has at least doubled since it was made illegal.

For this reason, the Angelus and Amy Winehouse Foundations are jointly campaigning to get 100,000 signatures on a petition to put drugs education on the National Curriculum so that young people are armed with sufficient knowledge to make informed choices. http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/30280

If you wish to interview any of the above, please contact:

Ally Gill at the Angelus Foundation on
T: +44(0)8451771070
M: +44(0)7973 713139
E: allygill@angelusfoundation.com

Holly Sutton at Journalista
T: +44(0)20-7232-4671
M: +44(0)7966280542
E: holly@journalista.co.uk