Exclusive: Drug Alert System to be launched in Manchester
It's the first of its kind in the UK
Last updated 27th Mar 2017
Key 103 can reveal a Drug Alert System - the first of its kind in the UK - is being launched in Greater Manchester.
The scheme's being set up because experts say too many substances are doing the rounds on the streets that no-one knows anything about.
SPICE is the latest drug to be giving cause for concern.
The drug early warning system is an online network of frontline staff from police, health, prison service and others agencies, which allows participants to share dangerous and emerging drug trends in their local area.
The changing potency of traditional drugs - for example, ecstasy is ten times more potent than it was a decade ago - and New Psychoactive Substances, such as Spice, make it increasingly difficult for agencies and frontline staff to keep up-to-date with new drug trends and changing legislation.
Commissioned by Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd, the system gives frontline staff an easy way to share information and concerns about new, dangerous and contaminated drugs with colleagues both in their local area and other boroughs of Greater Manchester.
This information feeds into a panel of experts, including medics, chemists, toxicologists, police, public health and drug specialists, to decide next steps, ranging from alerting other agencies across Greater Manchester to issuing safety messages to the wider public.
The system has been running successfully in Salford since 2013 and Oldham since 2015 connecting more than 60 professionals in each area. Networks have also been set up in Bury, Rochdale, rolling out across the remaining boroughs.
The system has been developed by Mike Linnell, from Linnell Communications. He said: “The Drug Early Warning system will not be a miracle solution, but it will be an up-to-date source of information and intelligence for professionals working in Greater Manchester and a systematic, professional way of responding to incidences of new, dangerous or adulterated drugs.”
Between 2013-15 there were 442 registered deaths related to drug misuse in Greater Manchester.