DSM Foundation founder and director Fiona Spargo-Mabbs OBE has been announced as the newest member of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD). The ACMD, an advisory non-departmental public body, is responsible for providing recommendations to the government on the control of dangerous or harmful drugs, including classification and scheduling under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and its regulations. This news comes just a week after the Home Office requested the ACMD to make recommendations on the reclassification of ketamine as a Class A drug.
In her role as the DSM Foundation Director, Founder, and Dan’s mother, Spargo-Mabbs expressed her gratitude for the appointment, stating, “I feel incredibly honoured to be joining the ACMD, an influential group of experts working in an area that is very close to my heart. I am looking forward to playing a role alongside others in providing independent advice to the government and reducing risk and harm from drugs.” She went on to explain that her personal connection to the cause, the loss of her son Dan eleven years ago, has driven her to establish a drug education charity that aims to support safer decision making in situations involving drugs.
The appointment announcement, which can be seen on the government website, highlights Spargo-Mabbs’ extensive experience and expertise in the field. The DSM Foundation, established in 2014 following the accidental overdose of 16-year-old Daniel Spargo-Mabbs, works to provide young people with accurate, age-appropriate, and evidence-based information about drugs. The charity has reached almost 750 schools, colleges, and community organizations and also offers workshops for parents and caregivers, as well as training for school and college staff.
Through the DSM Foundation, educational settings can access various resources, including a verbatim play commissioned by the charity to tell Dan’s story in the words of his family and friends. The play, titled “I Love You Mum, I Promise I Won’t Die” by Mark Wheeller, is also available for theater in education performances. Schools and colleges can also download free, age-appropriate, and evidence-based drugs education lesson resources from the DSM Foundation website for delivery by teachers through PSHE/PSE provision.
For more information about the DSM Foundation and their work, please visit their website at https://www.dsmfoundation.org.uk/. Media inquiries can be directed to [email protected].
