The Matthew Project launches online drug and alcohol survey

The Matthew Project is carrying out research online into drug and alcohol usage and is asking for parents, carers and under-18s to take part in the project. The aim of the project is to help in the fight against substance abuse.

The Matthew Project’s main objective is to assess public awareness of the services, support and information currently available to youngsters and their carers in Norfolk and Suffolk.

The under-18 services manager at The Matthew Project is Naomi Selim. She explained the key points of the project: “It is definitely the case that many parents and carers are unaware of the support that is out there. The issue of drug and alcohol problems among young people is a difficult one, and many people don’t know where to go or how to access help. Also, conducting this research gives us a much wider of idea of what is really happening.”

The biggest problem faced by support groups is the constantly changing habits of drug users. New recreational drugs appear on the market every year and support workers are often not aware which legal highs are being abused by youngsters.

It is now common for youngsters to use a wide range of recreational drugs even though there is no information about their composition and possible health risks.

The Matthew Project supports people with drug- and alcohol-related problems and provides innovative education about the risks of drug abuse. It empowers people to make more informed choices. All advice is free and confidential.