Did you know that Volatile Substance Abuse (commonly known as "sniffing") kills more than twice as many 10 to 19 year olds each year than all forms of meningitis combined?
Or that VSA kills more young people than heroin, ecstasy and cocaine put together?
Or that 5 young lives are wasted EVERY month as a direct result of VSA, or sniffing.
Solvent and Volatile Substance Abuse has been with us for hundreds of years, and it is still VERY MUCH a problem!
SOLVE IT is a national charity that confronts these issues, and in an effort to raise awareness of the dangers of VSA, and the devastating (sometimes fatal) consequences caused by it.
And SOLVE IT is delighted to announce it third annual "CONFRONTING FORGOTTEN SUBSTANCES" conference, taking place this year at The Thistle Hotel, Marble Arch, London , on Friday, November 18, 2005.
The first two conferences - in Northamptonshire in 2003, and in Bradford last year - were not only sell-outs, but hugely successful, and attracted delegates from all over Britain , representing the Department of Health, Education, The Prison Service, Social Services and politicians amongst others.
And such has been the impact the conference has made, the Government has given its backing this year, with Bill Rammell MP, the Minister of State at the Department for Education and Skills with responsibility for lifelong learning, further and higher education, providing the keynote speech.
SOLVE IT's Chief Executive is Barbara Skinner, MBE, who is delighted to report that this year's conference is yet again a sell out.
She said: "This is such an important issue and we need to make young people, their parents, carers, teachers, health professionals and politicians amongst many others, fully aware of the dangers of abusing volatile substances.
"I lost my teenage son to VSA 17 years ago, and my mission is to reduce the number of families that have to pick up the consequences like mine did.
"That's why SOLVE IT doesn't just highlight the dangers of solvent abuse, but gets out in the community to educate young people, to educate their parents and teachers, to educate the health profession," she said. "So many lives are wasted by just one mistake, and of those who don't die, so many lives are wasted by a descent into harder drugs and crime."
"I am delighted that the Government are taking notice of the problems, and I am looking forward to welcoming Bill Rammell to our conference. I hope he finds it enlightening, and I hope he will be inspired to go back to the Houses of Parliament and help us deal with the problems of solvent abuse. The loss of five lives a month is five lives too many |
