A new website offering young people in Camden safe and accurate information on drugs has been launched. The site features four main characters seen in situations involving drugs. The aim is to steer young people in Camden away from the dangers of drug use, with useful information in a language and format they can relate to.

The site can also help parents, teachers and others working with young people to find out about drugs use. It gives details of local services offering help and advice and links to other websites.

The site was commissioned by Camden and Islington Drug Action Team and has been developed by Milton House, a drug treatment agency working with young people across both boroughs. It is funded by the Health Action Zone.

More than 1,400 pupils from eight schools in Camden and Islington were asked about drugs in a survey commissioned by the Drug Action Team in 2000. Overall, a fifth of pupils who responded admitted having tried an illicit drug. The majority of drug use was cannabis, but eight per cent of Year 10 girls and four per cent of Year 10 boys said they had used a Class A drug. A total of 51 per cent of Year 10 pupils said they had been offered drugs.

Jan King, Chief Executive of Milton House Trust, said: "The aim is to make young people aware of the effects drugs can have. The website will offer accurate, non-judgemental information about different drugs and the harm they can do, enabling young people to make informed choices."

Councillor Richard Arthur, Camden Council's Executive member for community safety, said: "We know that drugs and drug-related crime are a major concern for people in the borough. Education is a major part of the fight against drugs - it is vital that young people know about the danger and this website will be a valuable tool in raising awareness."

Visit the new sit at: www.drugslife.info

Camden has been identified by the Met as one of the city's worst crime-plagued boroughs.

In a new campaign, codenamed Safer Streets, Camden will become the focus of the Yards attention in a drive to reduce street crime.

Figures released indicate that street crime rose by 49 per cent in January, compared with the same month the previous year.

Camden is one of nine London boroughs where mugging rates are highest and the new initiative instigated by the Met has already driven down street crime by 22 per cent across London.

Police identify the rise in street crime in the last year as being driven by the theft of mobile phones, a crime running at a rate of nearly 3,000 a month throughout the capital.

Safer Streets was instigated in the wake of Home Secretary David Blunkett warning Met commissioner Sir John Stevens that he would intervene in the running of the Met if crime figures were not brought under control.

Sir John believes the current success of the operation is due to his decision to switch officers from enforcing traffic laws, to tackling muggers.

The other boroughs due to be targeted are Westminster, Islington, Lambeth (the robbery capital of Britain), Hackney, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Haringey and Brent.