North Dublin Regional Drugs and Alcohol Task Force (NDRDATF) has developed SAND (Substance Abuse North Dublin), an app that provides clear, factual and accessible information on alcohol and drugs.

The app was launched on 27 April 2016 by Dr Gerry McCarney from SASSY (Substance Abuse Service Specific to Youth), along with Louise McCulloch, care coordinator for NDRDATF, who project managed the project, and Bríd Walsh, coordinator of NDRDATF.

Louise McCulloch described how the task force had been looking for a way to provide information on alcohol and drugs to as many people as possible in their region, a large and varied geographic area. The task force felt that using social media would help them engage better with young people. 

Development of the app was a collaborative process, involving the community and with local Leaving Cert students testing the app and providing invaluable feedback.

The app has four sections: 

1. Information on alcohol and drugs
2. A quiz to test your knowledge about drugs – six questions only, but they change randomly
3. Signs to look out for
4. How to get help 

The app is free and can be downloaded for Android or Apple from the usual sources, using the search terms ‘sand drugs’ or simply scan the QR code. It can then be used on- or off-line.