“Drugs – The Real Deal”

Designed to specifically address drug and alcohol-related issues the event
“Drugs – The Real Deal” will take place on the 8th of November at the Emerald Hotel.

Gisborne (15 October 2012) – “Drugs – The Real Deal” is a community-based initiative led by Amberley Meredith, health psychologist and founder of TheBeingWellProcess.com. The event aims at addressing regional drug and alcohol-related issues and providing solutions to the challenges faced by the Gisborne-Tairawhiti community to help residents live a better, healthier and longer life.

Facts
Drugs (i.e. alcohol, caffeine, sugar, meth/’P’, etc.) intake is continuously increasing in most of New Zealand, and it is especially true and obvious in Gisborne where children here are starting using drugs as young as 9, and where many people spend upwards of $300 a week on drugs and alcohol.
The United Nations’ drug reports consistently rank Kiwis among the highest cannabis users in the World, at 13-14% of the adult population. The 2009 report found New Zealand teenagers to be the highest drug users among their peers around the world, with about 80% of students having tried drugs at some point throughout their adolescence.

“The kiwi drinking and drug culture is embedded, generational and not going away.”
Brian Hunt, Psychotherapist, AOD Practitioner

Consequences
Drug use leads to many tragic social (e.g. crime and violence), physical, mental, financial, and health problems. For example, the biggest killer in Tairawhiti is the cancer of the digestive organs, which can be caused by alcohol, obesity (from eating too much sugar) and smoking.

The underlying objectives of “Drugs – The Real Deal” are to:
- Bring together drug and alcohol services across Tairawhiti to facilitate access of services and information for the public;
- Raise awareness of impact and risks drugs have on people’s daily life;
- Help people understand the process that leads them to taking drugs and becoming addicted;
- Provide strategies to manage drugs better and deal with issues related to drug intake; and
- Promote the real benefits of avoiding drug consumption across the region.

What will you learn at “Drugs – The Real Deal”?
In response to the worrying statistics and social trends recorded in the Gisborne region over the years, TheBeingWellProcess.com has designed “Drugs – The Real Deal” http://drugstherealdeal.weebly.com to specifically address drug and alcohol-related issues, and answer the following questions.

- What are drugs?
- How do they work?
- What impact do they have?
- How can you deal positively with them?
- What barriers exist?
- Where can you get help?

Conference Programme
The evening will be kicked-off with a special introduction by Honorable Mayor Meng Foon who holds the wellbeing of his community at heart, and will feature three keynote speakers - Amberley Meredith, Health psychologist; Brian Hunt, psychotherapist, AOD practitioner; and Bev Thomas, CAYAD Project Co-ordinator, Turanga Health.

Speakers
- Amberley Meredith, Health Psychologist (www.thebeingwellprocess.com): Amberley Meredith will empower people by helping them know how to make better choices about their lifestyle through taking better care of their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
- Brian Hunt, Psychotherapist, AOD Practitioner (www.brianhunt.co.nz): Brian Hunt will be talking about drugs across the ages, how they have historically been part of our society, and how we can deal with them better.
- Bev Thomas, CAYAD Project Co-ordinator, Turanga Health (www.turangahealth.co.nz): Bev Thomas will be talking about synthetic drugs, focusing on products being sold in New Zealand, the new government regulations, and how they affect these drugs, as well as the impact they have on the community.

Where to attend ‘Drugs – The Real Deal”?
The conference will take place at the Quality Hotel Emerald Gisborne, Turanganui Room, which is also supporting the event by generously offering the room for the evening.

When is it?
Thursday, 8 November 2012, from 5:00PM to 8:00PM

Who should attend?
- Health & wellbeing staff
- Community organizations
- School/college staff and students
- Government representatives
- Media experts with a focus on or interest in health and wellbeing issues
- Drug users & supporting families

Entrance fee
- $10 per person for advance booking
- $15 per person, at the door, the day of the event
Advance booking is strongly recommended, as there is a limited number of seats available.

“Drugs: The Real Deal” backstage
Several community organisation representatives will also be there to engage with the public, share their expertise and provide on-location information for those who wish to obtain further in-depth immediate support.
ends

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