A group of former policemen has launched a Web site aimed at combating drug abuse by informing parents about drugs commonly in use and the signs of drug abuse.
The Web site, www.drugaware.co.za, includes photographs and descriptions of drugs and paraphernalia, and gives advice on drug abuse treatment.
The site was launched this month, after 14 months of research and development by a team of former Narcotics Bureau members.
Spokesman Vincent Crous says: "Collectively, we have more than 30 years` experience in combating drug abuse. We saw the need to share this information to update parents on modern day drugs and warn children about the dangers of drug abuse."
Crous says the initiative was solely funded by the team members - himself and fellow retired Narcotics Bureau members Jan Brink and Louis Swart. "We felt it would be a sin not to put our hard-gained experience to work, although we are no longer in law enforcement," says Crous. "We used our personal funds to develop the products such as the Web site and CD-ROM."
In addition to the Web site, the team has also launched a CD-ROM containing detailed drug information, a photo library and examples of rave music. They will also present lectures on drug abuse and will investigate instances of drug abuse. The team also includes former Narcotics Bureau members Jan Brink and Louis Swart.
While basic information is freely available on the site, registration to access detailed information on the Web site costs R65. A copy of the CD costs R249. Crous says Drugaware is forced to charge for the information because of the costs involved in developing and hosting the Web site.
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