Dangers of solvent abuse highlighted

BY LAURA FRIEL

Michael Young was 15 years of age when he decided to experiment with sniffing aerosols. Many people associate solvent abuse with anti social behaviour but Michael was a quiet, helpful teenager who was ``kind to his family and well liked by his neighbours''. His death two years ago was as sudden as it was unexpected. He only sniffed aerosols once but that one mistake, that one moment of madness, cost him his life.

This week, Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams launched the ``Michael Young Campaign,'' a new initiative to tackle the issue of solvent abuse among young people in West Belfast. Two years after her son's tragic death, Jean Young and her family decided to initiate a campaign so that ``no other family should suffer the same grief''. The family are being supported in their endeavour by Sinn Féin, the Falls Community Council and the Community Restorative Justice group.

The campaign aims to encourage shopkeepers not to sell aerosols to children by alerting them to the range of retail products that can be abused. The campaign will also educate young people about the dangers of solvent abuse. It is hoped that it will alert parents to the danger posed by many ordinary household materials.

Michael's sister Jane said she hoped greater publicity could prevent deaths. ``I want people to stand up and do something about solvent abuse. The message to young people is to stop and think. Michael was a ordinary 15-year-old with hopes and dreams and ambitions but unfortunately he never got to realise any of these,'' she said.

Gerry Adams pointed out that the issue was one which affected many families in West Belfast but in the past it had largely been ignored. ``We hope this campaign will change all that,'' he said.

``We would call on the statutory bodies to join with us in this initiative and to ensure that the issue is given the importance it deserves. A collective approach is needed to tackle the root causes of the problem,'' said Adams.

Project coordinator with Drugs Awareness for Youth, Gerry McConville, said West Belfast has witnessed several deaths in the last few years which have been related to substance inhalation, ``but it's not reported.

``Statutory agencies are more focused on drug rather than solvent abuse,'' he said, ``and while that is also important, young people in West Belfast are equally at risk to either.'' He warned that solvent abuse can be very ``invisible'', and can involve very quiet children who don't particularly go out and about. ``Substances can be so readily available that a young person can be abusing solvents without leaving their bedroom,'' he said. ``That's why parents need to be extra vigilant.''

``We hope that by reducing availability and launching an education campaign we can help reduce the risk to young people. This activity is dangerous and needs to be taken on board by all the relevant statutory authorities.''

McConville described the family of Michael Young as ``very brave to come forward''. The family hoped that out of the tragedy of their own personal loss some good might emerge, he said.

Michael was the youngest and only son of a family of four. He was a former pupil of St. Colm's High School in Twinbrook. The campaign was launched on the second anniversary of his death.