DSM Foundation urges new Labour Government to extend “Change” message to drugs education

On Thursday July 4^th 2024, the DSM Foundation was – appropriately – delivering drugs education in a school that was also serving as a polling station. Meanwhile, votes were being cast across the land that elected a new Labour government, with those who voted seemingly swayed by the Sir Keir Starmer’s message of change. This applies across many areas of life, including drugs education, which the DSM Foundation believes is an essential part of reducing demand for drugs, and the resulting harm from them.

Fiona Spargo-Mabbs OBE, Director and Founder of drug education charity the DSM Foundation, said:

“The DSM Foundation welcomes our new Government, and we very much look forward to working with them to support young people to make safer choices about drugs.

“We were so pleased to see such a strong commitment in the Labour manifesto to investing in the wellbeing of young people and building resilience against risk, including increasing support for young people’s mental health, generating positive community engagement through Young Futures Hubs, and already announcing a new law to tackle drug dealers’ exploiting children and young people into criminal activity.

“There’s a lot to be done when it comes to young people, drugs and decisions, however. We would urge the new government to maintain, strengthen and extend the current drug strategy’s focus on reducing the demand for drugs through evidence-based prevention measures, including drug education for all young people that equips them to manage decisions about drugs more safely.

“Positive strides forward have been made in recent years, and we look forward to working together to be a part of making the difference that’s needed in the years to come.”

Information for editors:

The DSM Foundation was established in 2014 following the death of 16 year old Daniel Spargo-Mabbs from an accidental overdose of ecstasy. His family felt that he simply hadn’t known enough to be able to make decisions that would keep him safe, and realized there was a huge gap in the resources and support available to schools, so set up the charity in order to spare other families going through what they had experienced.

The aim of the DSM Foundation is to provide young people with relevant, age-appropriate, up to date and evidence-based information about drugs so they develop the skills to make choices that will keep themselves and their friends as safe as possible. To this end, the charity does a lot of work in schools, colleges and community organisations with children and young people, and also provides workshops for parents and caregivers, and training for school and college staff – the two groups shown by NHS survey data as the most likely sources of information about drugs and alcohol sought out by 11-15 year olds. Educational settings are also able to access “I Love You Mum, I Promise I Won’t Die”, a verbatim play by Mark Wheeller that was commissioned by the charity to tell Dan’s story in the words of his family and friends, through studying the work itself, or booking a Theatre in Education performance. Schools and colleges can also download age-appropriate, relevant, up to date and evidence-based drugs education resources free of charge from the DSM Foundation website for delivery by teachers through PSHE/PSE provision.

For more information about the DSM Foundation, go to https://www.dsmfoundation.org.uk/.

Media enquiries about this press release or the work of the DSM Foundation should be sent to media@dsmfoundation.org.uk