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Latest TIPSA
News ..........
If you are running any events and want us to
highlight them here, contact
us .
The
Saturday Drop-Ins are back!
Following
last year's successful experiment (click
for photos), TIPSA has again been asked under the Hidden Harm
Initiative to provide another series of drop-ins.
From
the 22nd January, the TIPSA office in Gortalowry House will be the
venue for the first five drop ins, where, as ever, DJ equipment, a
Wii, DVD player etc will be available for anyone to call in
anytime between
10am and 1pm. The opportunity will also be there to pick up
information or have a chat with experienced professionals, and it is
hoped again that a number of other organisations will have a presence
at the events as well.
Cookstown
dates are- 22nd Jan, 29th Jan, 5th Feb, 12th Feb, 19th Feb (10am- 1pm
each day)
Then,
from the 22nd February, the drop-ins shift to Magherafelt, where we
will be using the NEELB's impressive new Youth Centre to offer the
same opportunities. These are no pressure events, with the emphasis
simply on providing anyone who wants to with the chance to call in,
maybe pick up a new skill or simply just hang out for a bit.
Magherafelt
dates are 26th Feb, 5th Mar, 12th Mar, 19th Mar, 26th Mar (again
10am-1pm)
Most
people
last year continued to return week after week
so they must have been getting something out of the drop-ins- if you
want to find out more phone us or send us an
e-mail or keep an eye out for the leaflets that will be
distributed throughout Mid-Ulster.
By
the way, a special hello to those of you who have landed on this page
after clicking on our Facebook advert! Fell free to check out the rest
of the site especially the home page. Why not
"Like"
our fan page while you are at it?
Click on the image to see the dates and locations of the drop-ins
Postponed
Level
3 Train the Trainer Course Rearranged
TIPSA and CRUN have moved
the start of the 12 week Level 3 Train the Trainer course due to begin
in the new year until the 28th January. While this course does require
a great deal of commitment and time it is a very worthwhile
qualification to obtain so we would encourage anyone who is interested
to contact us or CRUN
for more details. The course will be held in Gortalowry House,
Cookstown and will take place on a Friday from 9:30am-4:30pm.
Information
Night
in Draperstown
Following
a postponement, the two information events designed, researched and
delivered by the young people of the Cornstore Youth Club in
Draperstown were finally run on the 14th Dec. The first of these
events was targeted at young people and there was a healthy turnout
from a very attentive audience. An hour later the adults gathered to
take part in the second event of the evening, and judging by comments
afterwards, they were very impressed by the hard work that the
President's Award group had put in.
The
BBC were there to capture the proceeedings and also carry out
interviews with many of the participants, and this should hopefully
appear on the Newsline programme early in the week beginning the 20th
Dec, as well as going onto the website and the radio. TIPSA and the
Cornstore would like to thank district journalist Louise Cullen for
coming along.
There
will be one final evaluation session taking place where the young
people will share their learning and opinions next Tuesday night, and
there have been suggestions that they may get more opportunities to
deliver their presentations to their peers. This is a good indication
of the hard work and commitment exhibited by the group, and TIPSA is
very glad to have been a part of it
POSTPONED
UNTIL JAN 2011 -TIPSA and Holy
Trinity Information Night for Parents and Carers
The
information event that was being run in conjunction with Holy Trinity
College and Primary School, due to take place on the 15th December has
been postponed until after Christmas. Due to weather issues a number
of preparations could not take place so it was decided that the wisest
move would be to hold it after Christmas. The new date will be
announced as soon as possible- apologies for any disappointment or inconvenience.
Thank
U to the CU!
TIPSA
has received a very welcome donation from Chapter 2 of the Credit
Union. This was the result of a fundraising raffle that took place
during a quiz hosted by TIPSA for the Credit Union branches who make
up that chapter. The money was presented by Deirdre Mayo, and was
gratefully received by the project, who have already planned how the
money will be used to support alcohol and other drugs education and
prevention work in the local community.
Deirdre Mayo (Ardboe Credit Union) presents Eugene
and Martin with a donation
Quiz
a resounding success for TIPSA
and Niamh
Louise Foundation
The
quiz organised by TIPSA and Niamh
Louise Foundation in Ardboe Hall was held on the 16th of
September. This was a great night’s entertainment and both
organisations were delighted by the great turnout at the event.
TIPSA and the Niamh Louise Foundation would like to thank Ardboe
Hall for their hospitality and for hosting the event. Only one point
separated 3 teams at the end of the night and the winners were only
decided after two playoff rounds. Although this was a joint fund
raising event TIPSA donated their share of the funds raised to the
Niamh Louise Foundation. A word of thanks also to all those who took
part in the event and especially to the teams from Women’s Aid who
attended the event. TIPSA and the Niamh Louise Foundation intend to
run more joint events in the future. A special word of thanks for
Cathy from the Niamh Louise Foundation for all her work promoting
this event. Thanks again to all those who
contributed towards making this such a successful event.
 A local
Ardboe Team
Eugene was the questionmaster
Above- The winning team with Cathy Hanna (Niamh
Louise Foundation)
Below- Women's Aid supported the event by entering
two teams
 
Urgent
Warning in Relation to "Ivory Wave"
The Chief Medical Officer for
Northern Ireland has issued emergency warnings in response to
suspected allergic reactions to a synthetic stimulant substance known
as "Ivory Wave". There has been a large number of
admissions to casualty in parts of Scotland and England, where this
substance is believed to be involved.
"Ivory Wave" was a label
that first emerged a couple of years ago, and it was then believed to be
MDPV (which is now a Class B substance.) It is unclear at the moment
if this "Ivory Wave" is that substance or whether it is
something else being put out under the name.
TIPSA advises all users to stay
clear of any of the so called "Legal Highs" since it is not
yet clear what is in them. Many of the substances already made illegal
are simply being sold under a different label, leaving the user at
risk of prosecution. More importantly , a wide range of
side effects are being reported by users, and since doctors cannot be sure
of what the substances taken are, treatment can be difficult.
If you or someone you know uses a
substance and starts to experience any kind of unexpected side effects
DO NOT HESITATE in calling for an ambulance.. Encourage the victim to stay
calm and DO NOT LEAVE THEM ON THEIR OWN. Be aware of the recovery
position and how to put someone in it.
And remember TIPSA does not like
the term "Legal High" since it is misleading and many of the
substances are not actually legal, merely re-labelled- ignorance is no
excuse.
The official notification from the
CMO is available
here.
NRG-1 Now a Class B Substance
Following recommendations from the
Advisory
Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD). Naphyrone
- often advertised as 'NRG1' - and its related compounds have been
made Class B drugs effective from the 23rd July 2010.
The
legislation included a generic definition to
prevent drug manufacturers tweaking the chemical structure in an
attempt to get around the law.
Naphyrone and related compounds commonly known
as NRG-1 are often sold labelled as '100 per cent legal’ or as
'plant food'. The ACMD published a report on 7 July 2010, that
showed naphyrone has considerable potential for misuse and
accidental overdose. The likely harms include adverse effects on the
heart and blood vessels, hyperthermia, dependence and psychiatric
effects.
The ACMD report also highlighted research that
found that in many cases substances sold as NRG1 actually contained
mephedrone, as TIPSA has already highlighted. Anyone found in
possession of a substance they believed to be a so-called
"legal high" that actually turns out to be a controlled
substance runs the risk of prosecution.
One simple fact needs to be re-emphasised-
purchasers are reliant on those selling them substances to be honest
in regards the contents. This has already proven not to be the case
on a number of occasions.
It is also important to recognise that
just because something is currently legal (or more likely, makes use
of a loophole to get around current legislation) does not make it
safe.
Social Costs
of Alcohol Misuse in Northern Ireland
The Department of Health, Social
Services and Public Safety has recently released a report that puts a
financial price on the impact of alcohol misuse in Northern Ireland.
It makes some stark reading, particularly in these times of economic
uncertainty. A full version of the report can be downloaded from
here.
Some of the more noteworthy stats
include the fact that alcohol misuse costs the NI health care system
£122.2 million a year, public safety (ie policing, fire service etc)
is quoted as costing £223.6 million, criminal justice costs
approximately £83.8 million and the impact on employers and wider
society is gauged at around £201.7 million.
The fact that this deals solely
with alcohol misuse and its impact on these services, most largely
funded by tax payers money shows why TIPSA's message of the need to
address the drinking culture in the country is so important. The sad
fact is that the health and social impact of alcohol misuse is often
easy to ignore by those not directly affected by it, but when it is
spelt out to individuals how it impacts on their wallets or purses,
they may pay more attention.
NRG-1 may
not be legal
Following suspicions raised
by authorities in Scotland, an analysis of a batch of NRG-1 suggests
that it may contain MDPV, which was made a Class B drug along with
mephedrone and its cathinone analogues. While manufacturers have
claimed that NRG-1 is Naphthylpyrovalerone, the analysis suggests that
they are misleading those who are buying it and this could have
potential consequences. To quote from the conclusion to the report (click
here for the full version)
"
It is possible that unscrupulous individuals are using existing brand
names to market other
substances.
‘Piggybacking’ on the brand awareness of an existing product is
effective marketing in the short term,
but
has serious implications for those distributing and purchasing such
substances.
The
total misrepresentation of “NRG-1” as a ‘legal high’ is an
extremely concerning development, and could
leave
distributors and their clients facing serious legal repercussions when
it becomes clear they are actually
handling
controlled substances. What is even more worrying is that there are
likely multiple batches in
distribution
under the name of “NRG-1” and these may be entirely different
substances, with varying safety
profiles
and differing effects. These data demonstrate both a lack of morals on
the part of the chemical
manufacturers,
and a lack of quality control by their wholesalers."
Therefore there is the chance that
anyone in possession of NRG-1 may, however unwittingly, be in
possession of a Class B substance. While the report points out that it
can only state for sure that the actual batch they tested would have
been illegal, the strong possibility is that this is not just an
isolated case. It is known that the UK government's action to ban not
just mephedrone but a wider range of substances caught many suppliers
by surprise as they did not predict that MDPV would be included, which
may mean many still have stocks of MDPV that they will want to get rid
off, and could be labelling it NRG-1.
Bear in mind that anyone in
possession of these substances will not be able to tell just by
looking what exactly they have, and also remember that in the eyes of
the law, ignorance is no defence- if a sample someone has in their
possession comes back as MDPV or other banned substance, the claim
that they thought it was legal may not help.
"Legal"
Highs Training for Practitioners
TIPSA are working in partnership
with Causeway Rural and Urban Network (CRUN) to provide 4 1/2
day workshops throughout the legacy Northern Board area in relation to
amphetamine type substances/ synthetic stimulants (also known
inaccurately as "Legal Highs"). These will take place in
Garvagh, Ballymena, Cookstown and Antrim and are targeted at
professionals and practitioners such as social workers etc who may
come into contact with young people using these substances.
The workshops will tackle the myths
and keep people up to date with a fast changing environment, and help
allay the fears many may have, especially in the wake of some media
outlets going for hyperbole and exaggeration instead of accuracy and
facts.
To book one of the limited
places e-mail Geraldine at
CRUN or phone 028 7034 4934.
For information on workshop content
contact us here at the TIPSA
office or phone 028 8676 3388.
For more details check
out the flyer.
Cornstore
Presentation
15 young people from the Cornstore
Youth Club, Draperstown, have recently completed a 10 session
education and prevention programme with TIPSA. To mark this
achievement and to mark their commitment and participation, TIPSA
organised a presentation event held in Sizzler's, Magherafelt. Eugene
and Marty really enjoyed working with this group and look forward to
continuing our long established relationship with the club. Thanks to
Michelle for the support and continual promotion of our services.
If you or your youth group want to
take part in a similar programme contact
us.
Cornstore Group Presentation
Mephedrone
Legal Status
Further to the Home Office
press release and following the completion of the
parliamentary process , mephedrone and other cathinone derivatives
will become illegal throughout the UK as Class B drugs under
the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 with effect from 00.01 on Friday
16 April 2010.
A Class B drug carries a penalty of up to five years in prison or an
unlimited fine for possession and up to 14 years in prison for
supplying the drug.
All the cathinone compounds will be brought under control of the
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 in Class B, Schedule I by way of a generic
definition - in addition, importation of these was banned on 29
march 2010
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) and the Home
Office (HO) are considering how to be able to move quicker on these
substance in the future, this may involve introducing a new
classification that would ban such substance while evidence is being
gathered. The ACMD intend to provide the HO with further advice on
the possible control of 'legal highs' concerning recommendations and
advice that is broader than the scope of individual or classes of
compounds.
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drug's report
"Consideration of the cathinones" is available at: http://drugs.homeoffice.gov.uk/publication-search/acmd/ACMD-cathinones-report.html
<http://drugs.homeoffice.gov.uk/publication-search/acmd/ACMD-cathinones-report.html>
.
The cathinones derivatives controlled as Class B drugs which have
been added to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 via a generic definition
cover a wide range of cathinone derivatives including:
* 4-Methylmethcathinone (mephedrone)
* 4-Methoxymethcathinone (bk-PMMA/ methedrone)
* 3-Fluoromethcathinone
* 2-Methylamino-1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)propan-1-one
(bk-MDMA/methylone)
* 2-Methylamino-1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)butan-1-one (bk-MBDB/butylone)
Niamh
Louise Foundation Poster
Competition
We
received the following info from the Niamh Louise foundation:
To mark
World Suicide Awareness Day on 10th September and World
Mental Health Day on 10th October the Niamh Louise
Foundation has officially launched a poster competition in
association with Comic Relief and Children In Need.
The
competition seeks to find a creative, innovative design that promotes positive mental health and the prevention of suicide.
The
competition is open to anyone aged between 14-18 years of age.
The
winning entry will have their design printed on two prominent
advertising billboards in the area for the period of one month to
mark World Suicide Awareness Day on
10th
September 2010
and World Mental Health Day on
10th October 2010
.
The
winner will also receive a £100.00 voucher for Easons. The winners
design will be used for future promotional materials. A
runner up will also receive a £50 voucher for Easons and their
poster will also be used for Niamh Louise Foundation promotional
materials.
This
project is fully funded through Comic Relief.
So, if
you have any creative ideas on how to promote positive mental health
and the prevention of suicide through art we want to hear from you!
For more information, contact details and
terms and conditions click
here.
TIPSA on
Facebook and Twitter
TIPSA is dedicated to ensure that
as many means of communication exist between the project and everyone
else in the community- hence this website. To add to this we now have
a fan page on Facebook.
so if you are a member you can join our page and contribute to the
goings on there.
If you want to be kept abreast of
what is going on in the TIPSA office you can also follow us on Twitter
. This will be a good way of being one of the first to find out any
news or info that you may be interested in. Feel free to add us to
your "followed" list.
We look forward to hearing from
you, particularly with any suggestions as to how we can do things
better or even for content you would like to see us post online.
TIPSA March Newsletter now available
The latest TIPSA newsletter has been posted
out to all those on our mailing list- if you don't receive a copy or want to
either add, amend or remove your details please let us know by clicking
here.
The newsletter is also available in PDF
format here.
We will be producing a new issue before the
summer break- if you have anything you would like to see included in it let us
know.
TIPSA
November/ December Newsletter now available
The latest newsletter covering the
most recent developments in the project and some future plans is
available to download here. Copies
will be posted out within the next fortnight.
Introducing the Strengthening
Families Programme
This is a programme which TIPSA will pilot in
the coming months subject to sufficient interest from potential
participants.
The SFP10-14 makes extensive use of
video material portraying pro-social behaviours, and the programme
is suitable for families from any background. The SFP10-14 has seven
two hour sessions for parents and young people, who attend separate
skill-building groups for the first hour and spend the second hour
together in supervised family activities.
If you are a parent with children or
an organisation who would like to find out more about the
Strengthening Families Programme contact TIPSA for further details,
either by email at the address on this site or by telephone on; 028
8676 3388
Do you use
Hotmail to contact TIPSA?
TIPSA has been having issues
recently sending and receiving e-mails to/from our info@cookstownhelp.com
from anyone using a hotmail.com or hotmail.co.uk address. If you are
on our mailing list and have not received anything recently this could
be the problem. We are trying to get this sorted but if you feel that
you have been missing out on anything phone us or use tipsa@hotmail.co.uk
until the issue is resolved.
A Group of young people from Riverside Castledawson at
a recent TIPSA session.
To watch a video with a very special message from all the staff at TIPSA click here to view.
Moneymore
Young Farmers Club and TIPSA information session
TIPSA were invited by Moneymore Young Farmers Club
to deliver an information session on alcohol and other drugs. From
left to right are James Glover (Club Leader), Marty (TIPSA), Julie
Hunter (Secretary) and Hannah Johnston (Asst Secretary).
TIPSA
would like to hear from you!
If your community, sports, church, or youth group would like to find
out more about TIPSA and the range of services offered by TIPSA
contact us now. TIPSA are keen to hear from anyone with an interest in
the issue of education on Alcohol and other Drugs.
Visit this page again to find out
more about up and coming events being organized by TIPSA
Contact Eugene or Marty at the TIPSA Office
TIPSA is here for Everyone!
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