Pubdate: Wed, 22 May 2002
Source: Evening News (UK)
Copyright: 2002 Archant Regional
Contact:  http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/141
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?142 (Safe Injecting Rooms)

'WE CAN'T COPE' WARN CITY DRUG AGENCIES

VOLUNTARY drug organisations in Norwich today warned they faced collapse 
unless the Government provided proper financial support for rehabilitation.

The head of Norwich's largest voluntary drug rehabilitation centre claims a 
lack of cash is hampering efforts to stem the increasing tide of drug abuse 
in the city.

The warning comes on the same day a powerful House of Commons committee 
delivered a damning verdict on the Government's track record for dealing 
with drugs.

The report, by the Commons Home Affairs Committee, attacks the Government's 
much-vaunted national strategy on drugs which aims to cut drug use and the 
availability of illegal substances by 25 per cent and increase treatment of 
addicts by 35 per cent.

It has also urged a major softening of drug laws, including a downgrading 
of clubbers' favourite ecstasy.

Peter Farley, director of the Matthew Project, said the Government has 
taken advantage of the goodwill of drug rehabilitation centres for too long 
without giving them adequate funding.

The effects of such a cash shortage was shown last year when the Ferry 
Cross Centre closed because of insolvency.

Mr Farley said the Matthew Project was spending too much time scrabbling 
around for funding instead of helping people with drug abuse problems.

He said: "Unless the situation is redressed there will be drastic consequences.

"There are a number of exciting possibilities we would like to explore but 
too much time is spent seeking funding.

"More funding has been made available but not to match the increase in the 
number of people in Norwich with drug problems.

"In the past five years the number of people looking for help in Norwich 
has tripled.

"Heroin has overtaken cannabis as the drug of choice for people contacting us."

In the past year the Matthew Project has had one-to-one contact with more 
than 3,000 people seeking help.

Mr Farley wants ex-convicts to be met at the prison gates when they are 
released and be given instant support by the Matthew Project -- but there 
is not enough money to fund such a project.

Brian Arvery, chief executive of the Dian, Princess of Wales Treatment 
Centre for Drug and Alcohol Problems in Mundesley also claimed today 
cannabis and ecstasy were "pretty widespread" in the county. He added: "The 
big crime problem in Norfolk cenres around heroin.The problem across the 
county is extensive and the blackspots for heroin are Norwich, Thetford, 
Great Yarmouth and Cromer."

A serial jailbird today also today claimed Norwich's drug agencies were 
failing addicts.

The warning comes just weeks after the Evening News revealed how an 
explosion in the use of crack cocaine in the city was being blamed by 
police for an alarming surge in armed robberies.

There have been dozens of raids since the start of the year and shopkeepers 
have been targeted with thieves armed with knives and guns.

Reforming heroin and crack addict Anthony Eames, 31, said he had asked for 
help from Norwich's drug agencies since being released from prison five 
weeks ago, but not received any.

Mr Eames has spent 14 of the past 16 years in 46 different prisons and 
claims the problem of convicts leaving prison, falling back into drugs and 
resorting to crime again to feed their habits is not being tackled.

Since he left prison he has not received any counselling, has been offered 
bed and breakfast accommodation with heroin addicts and been told to 
survive on UKP 48 a week.

"The Government wonders why crime is on the increase and more people are 
taking drugs," he said. "It's because people looking for help can't get it."

"The day I came out of prison I went for help but I was blatantly ignored.

"I've been out for five weeks and received no support from drug agencies or 
probation.

"I'm struggling at the moment. I've had no help."

Harry Crothers, assistant director of corporate affairs at Norfolk Mental 
Healthcare Trust, admitted there was a waiting list for people needing help 
to get off heroin.

But he said people who manage to get themselves clean should receive 
immediate assistance with counselling and support.

Today's report by the Home office Affairs Select Committee, entitled The 
Government's Drugs Policy: Is it Working?, has suggested a number of 
radical new measures.

The committee has supported the Home Secretary's proposal to reclassify 
cannabis from class B to class C. It has also recommended Ecstasy is 
reclassified as a Class B drug, rather than Class A.

But Mr Farley said declassifying drugs gave youngsters a mixed and 
confusing message.

He said: "Although every pronouncement about such moves has the caveat, 'we 
are not saying this or that drug is harmless', the reality is that this is 
the impression young, and perhaps not so young people, will pick up.

"Logically, why would you make something more readily acceptable or reduce 
the sanctions around its use, unless this were the case?"

Another controversial proposal being debated is the introduction of 
so-called "shooting galleries" where heroin addicts are given clean heroin 
to inject. It has been suggested they can help reduce crime because addicts 
will not need to steal to feed their habits.

Mr Farley said such ideas would have been unthinkable ten years ago but had 
to be looked at to address the growing problem of drug abuse.

He said: "Yes, it is a sad indictment on our society, that we are being 
forced to consider such responses but are there any other possibilities 
worth considering?"
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