New initiative to tackle drugs on our streets | Latest Newry News, Newry Sport and Newry Business for Newry City

New initiative to tackle drugs on our streets

An initiative known as RAPID (Remove All Prescription and Illegal Drugs), which is helping to remove illegal and prescription drugs from our streets by providing drug disposal bins, is to be rolled out across Northern Ireland after a successful pilot.

drugs11This new initiative is just the latest in a wide range of coordinated action across agencies to reduce harm from the misuse of alcohol and drugs.

There are currently 14 bins in existence, sited mainly in the Belfast, South Eastern and Northern Health and Social Care Trust (HSCT) areas. To date over 65,000 tablets (over 90% of which have been prescription drugs) have been removed from our streets through this project.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) will be working closely with local Drug and Alcohol Coordination Teams (DACTs) and Policing and Community Safety Partnerships (PCSPs) to identify and then work with communities and businesses within their catchment areas who may benefit from taking part in the initiative and having a RAPID drug disposal bin installed.

Speaking to Newry Times, Kelly Gilliland, Senior Health Improvement Officer at the PHA, said, “Alcohol and drug misuse is a common issue and causes suffering and ill health to individuals, families and communities in Northern Ireland.

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Annie newry times box ad“The RAPID initiative was initially piloted in 2010, and due to its success, as a joint health and community safety initiative, all of the partners are keen that it is further developed and expanded over coming years to install further bins across Northern Ireland, enabling more people and communities to learn more about the risks and dangers of drug misuse and to dispose of unwanted drugs easily and discreetly,” she added.

For more information on existing RAPID bins and/or how to contact your local Drug and Alcohol Coordination Team (DACT) and/or Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) to express an interest visit www.drugsandalcoholni.info/RAPID

Short URL: https://newrytimes.com/?p=57028

Posted by on Aug 1 2016. Filed under Community. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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