Stop the Tragedies

Young anti-drug campaigner vows to get out 1 million drug education booklets to save lives

In response to the latest life extinguished due to drugs - the death last weekend of 20 year old Annabel Catt - anti-drug campaigner, 25 year old, Carly Crutchfield has vowed to help stop this from happening again by getting 1 million drug education into the hands of youth around Australia. Statistics have shown clearly that factual education about drugs lowers drug use. Drug use doesn't result in knowledge about drugs and there is an alarming lack of knowledge about the full physical and mental effects of drugs. She is calling on the community to support her in this cause.

"I was born in Sydney, raised partly in the country, Queensland. I can see things from all angles. My brother was friends with Annabel and recently graduated dance school with her. She was a beautiful girl and it is such a tragic waste of a life. For some time I have been involved with drug education and letting kids and young adults know the truth about "party" drugs. I go to dance festivals and music events such as Big Day Out, Good Vibrations and Field Day and hand out drug-info booklets such as "The Truth About Ecstasy", Ms Crutchfield stated. "Recently I was at a rave and I saw many 16-17 year olds on drugs. They didn’t try to hide it. They really didn’t think it was harmful to them. But they don't know the facts and are not making informed choices. They make choices based on what the drug dealer or their uninformed friend tells them and of course the dealer is going to say it is safe! My personal mission is to educate everyone on the truth about drugs. What the chemicals do and what actually happens to the body and mind. It makes a huge difference to what a person is willing to stick into their body, for a few hours of partying."

Ms Crutchfield, has teamed up with the Drug Free Ambassadors Australia, who last year launched a series of 10 informational booklets as part of their TRUTH ABOUT DRUGS campaign, which detail the most commonly used street and prescription drugs - marijuana, ecstasy, methamphetamines, painkillers, kiddie cocaine (Ritalin) and more. Little known facts are explained and laid out in a simple, easy to read format. With the help of donations from the community, these booklets are being printed and distributed broadly. While youth of today are often viewed as strong headed and independent, the "only sin is ignorance" (Socrates) and no matter what they hear in the street, thousands of surveyed young people couldn't answer even the most basic of questions about the drugs circulating around and which they have sampled, use regularly or have thought about trying. Those who have used, are shocked when they read the booklets, with one multiple drug user saying he never would have experimented had he known this information and the negative effect his personality changes had on the relationships with people around him.

The key point of the Drug Free Ambassadors Australia is getting out the truth about drugs. No hype or marketing sales pitches from dealers who need ignorant users to make their profit. No false words such as 'recreational' or 'party' which clouds the harm issue. Just facts. The charitable group was started by the Church of Scientology who has long campaigned for comprehensive drug education and works with the support of a wide range of volunteers and the community. They take their message straight to the youth and through outlets where people will get the information. Their initial print run of 330,000 booklets is going out to dance parties and is being distributed in major cities, but they need many more copies.

Ms Crutchfield promises: "What happened to Annabel shouldn't have happened and my heart and thoughts go out to her family. Getting out true information like these 10 drug education booklets contain is key. I know they make a difference as kids have told me they do. If anything can come from the loss of a life, it would be to bring up awareness to save others, so I want to get out a million booklets. If I can get any support from companies to print them and help in distributing them, I know that this would make a difference."

The Drug Free Ambassadors are calling on volunteers, groups, businesses and agencies to help however they can in this call to arms against drugs. Making the target of a million booklets giving out the message that a drug free life is possible, and desirable, will make a difference. It can make the difference between life and death.