SCOTLAND'S largest drugs charity is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a fundraising concert.

SCOTLAND'S largest drugs charity is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a fundraising concert.

Addaction, which has five centres in Glasgow, will hold the event at Oran Mor with slots from the Sensational Alex Harvey Band and Primevals.

The charity has eight Scottish centres and the only centre specifically to help drug addicted mothers with toddlers.

The charity was set up in 1967, after mum Mollie Craven wrote to a newspaper to beg for help with her addict son.

Her letter spawned self-help group Association of Parents of Addicts, which later became Addaction, and now helps 25,000 people a year.

The organisation helped to shape the drugs classification used today and is renowned for its success rates with drug and alcohol abusers.

Former addict Stephen, who uses the North Glasgow centre, said: "My life is so much more positive now. I know my attitude is vital.

"I have a house and I'm at college but I wouldn't be doing this well without the help of Addaction."

Operations manager for Scotland Andrew Horne said: "We are proud of our achievements but there is so much more to do.

"Treatment and rehabilitation has moved on greatly since the 60s but so have the levels of drug and alcohol use, particularly among young people and those living in the poorest parts of our city.

"Our aim is to help these people gain new meaning in their lives through employment, education, training and volunteering."

The concert on Wednesday, May 16 will raise funds for new centres in Ayrshire, Dundee and the Borders.

For information see www.addaction.org.uk and, for gig tickets, see www.ticketweb.com