Pubdate: Wed, 22 May 2002
Source: Times, The (UK)
Copyright: 2002 Times Newspapers Ltd
Contact:  http://www.the-times.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/454
Author: Glen Owen, Education Correspondent
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)

PARENTS PULL NO PUNCHES IN FILM OF DAUGHTER'S LIFE AND DEATH

THE parents of the addict at the centre of a new government drug campaign
warned local authorities against any attempt to sanitise images of their
dead daughter yesterday. 

Pauline and Michael Holcroft claimed that councillors had wanted to tone
down a video that includes pictures of Rachel Whitear hunched over a syringe
after her last fix. They said that the council was persuaded otherwise about
the video, which is being sent to every school in the country, after a group
of local pupils said that it had made a powerful impression on them. 

The Holcrofts were backed by Ivan Lewis, the Education Minister, who
promised that the "shock tactics" would continue. After meeting the couple
yesterday, he said that he did not see the need for any editing. 

Mr Holcroft, Rachel's step- father, said that Hereford Local Education
Authority had "tried to sanitise (the film) in their own way, which we feel
is totally wrong". 

Eddie Oram, director of education at the authority, denied the claims. "We
are still carrying out the final editing of the video itself so it has the
most impact," he said. "The final edit . . . will not involve the removal of
any of the still images. These images are an integral and important part of
the video and all will remain. We have kept the Holcrofts informed at all
stages of the video's production, and will continue to do so." 

Rachel's Story, which illustrates her life from a contented childhood to
death in a bedsit at the age of 21, has so far been shown only to children
at Lady Hawkins High School, Kington, and to teachers at Rachel's former
school, Aylestone High. 

Jim Rogers, head of the sixth form at Lady Hawkins, said that the 20 pupils
who watched the film had sat in stunned silence for several minutes after it
had finished. "It wasn't just the stark pictures, it was their juxtaposition
with the story of her life," he said. "By the end of the film they felt that
they knew her, and could see how easily an A-grade student could fall into
this life. We would not classify the group we showed it to as 'high risk'
students, but then Rachel was not in that category either." 

After the screening, the pupils filled out evaluation forms for the
education authority. "Almost all of them gave it top marks for impact," Mr
Rogers said. 

Rachel died in May 2000, five months after dropping out of Bath University.
Her mother has embarked on a drug education campaign in local schools,
telling pupils that if her daughter, a bright, happy girl who excelled as a
pianist and left with ten GSCEs, could become an addict then every child was
at risk. 

Mrs Holcroft said: "Sadly there are many others that died the way Rachel
did, but they don't get a film made about them. I'm pleased that it has got
the coverage it is getting, and if it is going to play a part in education
for children and have a meaningful impact on them, well, good." 

The film will form a key part of a campaign against drug use in schools. It
will be backed by guidance that drug dealing should be an offence for which
children should be permanently excluded.

The word on the street

Heroin: China white, gear, smack

Amphetamines: speed, uppers, whizz, billy whizz

Cannabis: blow, pot, weed, wacky, spliff, joint

Cocaine: Charlie, gold, toot, coke

Crack: gravel, rock, stones

Ecstasy: E, disco biscuits, love doves

Ketamine: green K, special K

Magic Mushrooms: liberty cap, magics

Heroin injecting centre: shooting galleries

Smoking heroin: chasing the dragon

Dealers: the man
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MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk