 More than 150 people have sought help in the past three months. |
A south Wales drugs initiative that started with a donated telephone in the back office of a community centre is marking its 20th anniversary. Swansea Drugs Project (SAND) has grown from humble beginnings into one of the country's busiest and most respected schemes.
On Tuesday workers will spend another day on the streets, providing information, advice and fact sheets from a mobile stand based on Oxford Street.
Project deputy director Gill Burton said those who helped establish SAND all those years ago could not have imagined the scale of the drug problem in Swansea and across Wales today.
"I do not think that any of the people who first started the agency ever imagined that the project would become so successful," she said.
"Nor do I imagine that they anticipated that the number of people using drugs and those developing problems would ever reach the level that it has done so today."
In the past three months more than 150 people between the age of 13 and 50 have contacted project workers.
Crack cocaine
Over 90 of these had problems with heroin - both smoking and injecting the drug.
Amphetamine, alcohol and tranquillisers also caused significant problems.
Ms Burton said crack cocaine is also being seen in Swansea.
An independent charity, SAND is funded by grants from Swansea Council, the local health board, the National Probation Service and Swansea Social Services.
It also receives money from the Welsh assembly and charitable and other donations.
"The mobile display will have information and advice leaflets about substances and their use as well as treatments and responses," added Ms Burton.
'Debate'
"We want to talk to parents, students, shopkeepers, housewives, professionals - in fact anyone who lives or works in Swansea.
"The project is also keen to talk to the friends and relatives of users, and to encourage more users to take the first step into treatment.
"Arrangements can also be made to talk to people privately.
"Whether you want to ask us about a friend or discuss with us what particular substances look like or if you have views about drugs education in schools, or the cannabis legalisation debate.
"If you want to know how you can help or if you want to criticise existing services we would be delighted to talk to you."
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We want to talk to parents, students, shopkeepers, housewives, professionals - in fact anyone who lives or works in Swansea 
