Pubdate: Sun, 12 Feb 2006 Source: Sunday Herald, The (UK) Copyright: 2006 Sunday Herald Contact: http://www.sundayherald.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/873 Author: Annabel Goldie Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?136 (Methadone) EXECUTIVE IS TOO SCARED TO WIN THE WAR ON DRUG ABUSE Drug abuse threatens the very fabric of our society. It destroys lives, tears families apart, leads to widespread crime and the disintegration of entire communities. Consider the following: there are an estimated 55,800 drug users in Scotland; last year there were 41,823 drug-related offences; in 2004, 356 people died as a result of drugs; numbers of methadone scripts are now 145% higher than they were in 1997. We are on a disaster course because the Scottish Executive has been scared to give political leadership, has been embarrassed about looking uncool, has been wooed by politically correct trendies and has presided over confusion and escalating drugs abuse chaos. A study commissioned by the Executive estimated that there are 19,000 drug addicts parked on methadone. It is virtually the only option open to many addicts, yet it is a well-known fact that methadone is more addictive that heroin. The Executive's policy of so-called harm reduction was criticised by the Drug Outcomes Research in Scotland study led by Professor Neil McKeganey, which found that most drug addicts who seek help want to become clean and change their lifestyle. But current rehabilitation policies are not designed to meet these goals. It is imperative that drug addicts are given immediate support and rehabilitation to help them end their addiction and go back to leading a normal life. It should be the job of government to help them; instead they are being trapped. I want to see a radically different way of dealing with drug addiction and such a strategy must start with the goal of ridding Scotland of drug abuse altogether. Scottish Conservatives would promote greater use of the voluntary sector to develop clearer and more effective messages to educate people about the dangers of drugs. W e need to utilise the charitable and voluntary organisations who are working so hard in this area. This would need to be coupled with improved and increased rehabilitation to offer routes to abstinence. England has a central register of substance rehabilitation provision which allows individuals, families and friends instant access to what help is available. Such information needs to be provided in Scotland too. For those convicted offenders who have drug problems, we would widen the use of drug treatment and testing orders to more minor offenders . We would also do more to eradicate drugs from our prisons, matching this up with rehabilitation and linked support upon release. This is only the bare bones of our strategy. However, the difference between the Scottish Conservatives and the Executive is that we are committed to doing what it takes to win this war on drugs. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake