Oswestry anti-GHB campaign praised by publicans

Publicans believe a campaign to rid the streets of the potentially fatal drug GHB has helped lower the number of users in Oswestry.

The town has been marked as a hotspot for the class C drug and so members of the Oswestry Pubwatch scheme were issued with tester kits to help combat the problem.

GHB is a clear liquid which can be hard to detect in drinks because it looks like water and has no smell.

The kits use a litmus paper to identify the liquid.

About 20 to 25 kits were handed out to landlords to be used if they were suspicious someone may be carrying or using the illegal liquid. If the test is positive the drug is taken off them and handed to the police.

Today Pubwatch chairman Frank Francis revealed they have not had to use any of the kits on people in the town to date.

Mr Francis said the kits were a message to the public that the drug would not be tolerated in Oswestry.

He said: "We haven't used the tester kits so far.

"The main point and reason of having them was to highlight that GHB won't be tolerated and that any suspicious liquids would be checked. There hasn't been so many people having it within the pubs and clubs. It is a relief."

Mr Francis said the police, Shropshire Council, Pubwatch and other parties had all worked hard to put out a clear message they were against the drug.

He said: "It is a situation where we will always be looking at GHB because it is still around but the pubs have put up a wall against it.

"The council also really helped to control and stop a problem from becoming worse.

"It is good news for the people in Oswestry and shows if the community work together we can tackle a big problem."

Shropshire Council still plans to carry out a poster campaign against the use of drugs.

Kate Garner, from the authority said: "Reports tell us usage and manufacturing of the drug has reduced but it has definitely not been solved completely."

Shropshire councillor Martin Bennett said: "It is a step in the right direction. The partnership action has made a difference."

By Chrissy Symmons