A CAMPAIGN to warn teenagers they are dicing with death if they take drugs has won the backing of Solicitor General Harriet Harman.

Ms Harman - who visited Droitwich on Monday for a whistle-stop tour of West Mercia - described the Take Action To Curb the Killer (TACKLE) campaign as "very important".

The campaign aims to not only warn children about the dangers of drugs, but also encourage parents to be extra vigilant and look out for warning signs which might suggest their child is using a drug such as cocaine, heroin or amphetamines.

TACKLE was launched by St Paul's Hostel in Tallow Hill, Worcester, and was the brainchild of its project director Terri Preece, who was concerned at the number of people she was meeting who were using heroin.

As part of the campaign, the hostel has teamed up with police, Turning Point and others, to produce around 25,000 hand-held bright yellow cards advising parents of the symptoms their child might display.

The cards are being distributed to schools and parents in Worcester in a bid to highlight how children from all walks of life are at risk from drugs.

The Evening News, which is also supporting the campaign, met Ms Harman during her visit to the county on Monday, and took the opportunity of explaining the objectives of TACKLE to her.

She praised the campaign and said educating children, and their parents, was important in the fight against drugs.

"It's a very important campaign," said Ms Harman. "I think that quite often people who have got drug problems get involved in crime and can also become victims of crime."

Mrs Preece said she welcomed support for the campaign from Ms Harman.

"It can only be a positive thing if she's backing us," she said.

The bright yellow TACKLE cards are available from the Evening News office in Hylton Road, Worcester, St Paul's Hostel in Tallow Hill, Worcester Police Station in Castle Street and the Community Drugs Team in Fish Street.