Peter Stoker, Leading Prevention Campaigner, Out of Action after Collapse. Report by Spokesman and Scribe Services.
[UKPRwire, Tue May 16 2006] Of the many campaigners for Drug Prevention Training, Peter Stoker and his wife Ann have been by far the most active over the last few decades, Peter’s attention being focussed on the work of the NDPA charity – the National Drugs Prevention Alliance - which, although U.K. based, is in fact famous in Europe and across much of the United States.
Peter is well known for his contributions to newspaper articles, radio and TV programmes, national and international conferences and for the provision of information to government committees and various party think-tanks.
It is therefore with regret that, as a result of fainting and injuring his head in the resultant fall, it was necessary for Peter to be hospitalised for several days at Dorchester, from where he had now returned home for recuperation.
There is little doubt that his condition owes much to the many long and hard working hours he and Ann have put in over the last years. Not only fighting the hidden menace of so-called “harm-reduction” drugs education, but also chasing the funding needed by the NDPA to keep that vital battle going.
As our grandparents used to say: “Prevention is better than cure”, and Peter has been proving this not only personally but via the many other prevention organisations which are part of the Alliance, including ‘TEENEX’ and ‘Positive Prevention Plus’. His problem unfortunately has always been that those powerful vested interests, who wish for selfish commercial reasons to see drug usage expanded, have always had major financing on their side and have often used this to marginalise, side-line and ridicule prevention concepts so as to deprive prevention organisations of funding.
So-called “harm reduction” makes the absurd and provably false assumption that ‘everyone’ will use drugs at some time in their lives and that they must therefore be told ’how to choose drugs’ and ‘how to use drugs’ – from age 7 or 8 onwards. Peter stresses that this is NOT prevention but is in fact a form of subtle encouragement which has provably done vastly more harm than good, and continues to do so.
Fortunately he is expected to fully recover before the autumn, and if funds can be found for someone to replace him in that period, the prevention message will continue to go out and to produce the results which have proved so effective in enhancing and even saving the lives of thousands of youngsters.
Born 1993, NDPA has developed into one of the most authoritative voices in the field of drug prevention. Membership embraces all disciplines in the field, and is widely based in society at large, imparting balance and strength to NDPA’s work. There is a clear understanding of why drug misuse happens and - more importantly - why it need not happen.
In 1996 the value of NDPA was recognised by a three-year grant from National Lottery Charities Board, allowing operations to be consolidated. At national level NDPA has contributed to significant effect in both the current strategy (Build a Better Britain) and its predecessor (Tackling Drugs Together), also the BMA (medical uses of cannabis), the Lords (cannabis for medical or social use) and the Police Foundation (review of Misuse of Drugs Act 1971). NDPA members present papers at regional, national and international conferences, the latter as part of an enviable international network. Meanwhile input to Drug Advisory Teams (DAT) and Drug Reference Groups (DRG) is soundly based in NDPA’s grass roots project work - home, school, community, sports centre, workplace, church/mosque/temple - anywhere that help is needed.
For further information please contact:
National Drugs Prevention Association
P.O. Box 594,
Slough,
SL1 1AA
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Company: National Drugs Prevention Association
Contact Name:
Ken Eckersley
Contact Email:
ndpa@drugprevent.org.uk
Contact Phone:
01753 542296
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