OLDHAM UNITES TO FIGHT ADDICTIVE DRUGS
BEAT THE BENZOS NEWS RELEASE
April 13, 2004
A unique conference experience is to take place on April 23, 2004 (St George's Day) at The Menzies Avant Hotel, Windsor Road, Oldham. The event is being organised by Oldham Tranx and Beat The Benzos.
Oldham currently has 5,200 legally prescribed long term benzodiazepine drug addicts. These drugs poison and destroy more lives than heroin and crack cocaine (Source: The Home Office).
In an effort to tackle the enormous human and social issues involved an invited audience of MPs, Oldham PCT, Professors, Doctors, Pharmacists, CPNs, Oldham AD Services, Counsellors, Social Services, Mental Health Resource Teams, Drug Workers, Advocates, Addicts/Ex-Addicts of benzodiazepine drugs, Campaigners and the Oldham Police Drug Addiction Unit will attend the conference.
They will be brought together in pursuit of a common cause - to bring their skills to defeat an addiction which blights the lives of those affected and their families and to bring empathy, compassion and good practice guidelines to a previously unresolved issue, not only in Oldham but hopefully on a national basis.
Mr Phil Woolas, MP said: "The story of benzodiazepines is of awesome proportions and has been described as a national scandal. The impact is so large that it is too big for governments, regulatory authorities and the pharmaceutical industry to address head on so the scandal has been swept under the carpet".
The united people of Oldham are prepared to tackle this scandal and are determined to succeed.
Barry Haslam
See: Conference Agenda
Beat The Benzos Campaign
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