A MAJOR conference is being organised in East Lancashire in the national fight against drugs.

The East Lancashire Drug Reference Group is inviting local businesses and groups to the event, which is due to be held on October 15.

The organisation was set up at the beginning of this year by the East Lancashire Health Authority as part of the national Tackling Drugs Together initiative.

It has organised the conference, which will be held at Mitton Fold Conference Centre in Langho, to allow people working in the drugs field to share information and their priorities with others and improve links with other groups. Groups invited to the conference will be asked to display posters leaflets and reports highlighting their involvement with tackling the drugs problem.

Working groups will then be set up to identify priorities and discuss possible solutions.

East Lancashire Drug Reference Group chairman Peter Lewenz said: "A major initial aim is to involve the communities in East Lancashire in a partnership to address the issues which surround drug misuse.

"There is already a considerable amount of work being undertaken individually by different agencies and in some localities co-ordinating groups are in place.

"But members of the reference group felt that it would be helpful to hold a conference."

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