HEALTH Secretary Stephen Dorrell was today studying a dossier containing the BEN's Bolton Against Drugs reports.

The Cabinet Minister paid tribute to the BAD campaign, which aims to highlight the distressing human and financial cost of the town's drugs crisis - and show how it can be combated.

The BAD dossier was presented to Mr Dorrell by Bolton North-east Tory MP Peter Thurnham during a private visit to hospital products company, Vernacare in Bolton.

Mr Thurnham, together with other local MPs, has thrown his weight behind BAD.

He said: "The Health Secretary was clearly impressed by the BEN's anti-drugs campaign.

"He has taken it away to study the material and said he would write back with his reaction. However, his initial response was that he was very pleased to see a regional newspaper taking such a responsible and positive stand on the issue.

"He was deeply concerned by the BEN's revelation that the drugs problem is costing the community here in Bolton nearly £8 million per year."

Mr Dorrell was also impressed by Bolton's Life Education Unit, set up by the Rotary Club and sponsored by a number of local companies.

The Health Secretary heard how the unit visited schools, teaching children about the functions of their minds and bodies, and enabling them to make a informed choices, primarily about drug abuse.

Mr Dorrell added that he regarded the promotion of sport in schools as an important way of channelling youngsters' energies and interests away from potential drug-abuse environments and into healthy activities.

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