| Date -23 Jun 2005 | Return to previous page |
Moray Trading Standards and member agencies on Moray Drug and Alcohol Action Team want to alert businesses in Moray about a marketing promotion which requests local companies to sponsor books on drug education and other topics, for parents of primary school children.
In the last few months a number of businesses in Moray have received phone calls from promoters of drug awareness and other booklets, trying to persuade them to sponsor a supply of booklets for their local school. They are not believed to be charities and are running the promotions for profit. It is believed most businesses are being asked for about £200 to supply booklets.
A number of local primary schools have received booklets from these organisations, sponsored by a local business. With regard to the quality of the drug awareness booklets, a spokesman for NHS Grampian’s Health Improvement Team, said, “The overall production quality is not up to the standard of free publications available from NHS Health Scotland, for example, few of the statistics offered are referenced, and the booklet offers no advice on volatile substance abuse. Accurate information is available free of charge from the NHS Grampian Healthpoint at 239 High Street in Elgin, or by calling the free Healthline on 0500 20 20 30.” Moray Council Educational Services described the educational content and value of the booklets as very poor and not a resource that Primary Schools would want to use. Should businesses want to help their local schools in any way they should simply contact the Head Teacher to discuss how best they can work together for children and young people in their community.
Trading Standards advise that businesses should be careful not to commit to anything until they are sure about what is being offered. If unjustified demands for payment are received, businesses should write to whoever is demanding payment, stating that no contract has been made and that any further demands for money will be viewed as harassment. They should also be careful to document any contact they have with the company.
Trading Standards would also like to hear from anyone who believes that they have been misled by this type of promotion. Further advice and information is available from Trading Standards, telephone 01343 554617.
Contact: Joyce Pirie, Public Relations Co-ordinator on 01343 563046