INSPECTIONS at Chateau des Marais will be stepped up in a bid to cut out glue-sniffing and drug-taking. Culture and Leisure minister Peter Sirett said that the historic Ivy Castle site would be closely monitored following the discovery of about 20 empty glue tins and 200 plastic bags during Monday’s weekly inspection of the ancient monument.

Despite Monday’s clean-up operation, more glue tins and plastic bags were evident yesterday.

Speaking after an emergency meeting on the problem, Deputy Sirett said that while the department would be doing all it could to reduce the problem, given that glue-sniffing was not illegal, there was also a need for parents to recognise their responsibilities.

‘We have discussed the matter and will be looking to visit the site more regularly and, where necessary, report to the relevant authorities,’ he said.

‘It must be remembered that this is not an enclosed site and therefore it is impossible to keep people away from it. We also understand that it is not against the law and therefore the powers of the police are somewhat limited.’

Deputy Sirett said that he wanted to solve the problem and not just move it on from the Chateau des Marais site. He believes that to achieve that, there is a need for parents to take more responsibility.

‘I would question whether parents know that their children are sniffing glue or where they are late at night. They have a responsibility to at least make their children aware of what they are doing and that it is likely to lead to serious health problems.’

Drug workers and police are also set to try and tackle solvent abuse.

Police are aware of a hardcore group of glue users and are trying to help them kick the habit.

‘For a period of time, there appeared to be a decline in glue-sniffing,’ said police chief George Le Page.

‘There is no significant evidence to say that it’s on the rise and becoming a problem but we are aware of a group of youngsters using it and are seeking to treat them and help them in weaning them away from the habit.’

His comments follow a recent Juvenile Court case during which it emerged that some youngsters were glue-sniffing.

‘People under the influence of any substance, glue or drugs, can act in an irrational matter and could cause harm to themselves or other people. We treat it quite seriously but we don’t appear to be seeing the number we were a few years ago.’

Drug Concern education worker John Webb said it remained a

problem.

‘Volatile substance abuse has moved on from just glue-sniffing. People still do it but now there is also abuse of general household products,’ he said.

‘There have always been people using glue and other substances but there is a stigma attached with

solvent abuse and fewer people admit to using it.

‘Every so often, it seems to rear its ugly head but there seems to be no rhyme or reason for that. The message is that people have got to be vigilant about what their children do.

‘When people are getting into abusing, they start experimenting with these substances but what they often don’t realise is that these can be lethal the first time they are used.’

Local teachers forming the Personal and Social Health Education Support Group have received an information pack, funded by the Drug Strategy Group. Titled ‘A Loaded Gun’.

It is produced by Re-Solv, the society for the prevention of solvent and volatile abuse and includes a video and teachers’ pack providing lesson plans and suggestions for group activities.