Pubdate: Sun, 09 Jul 2006
Source: Sunday Times (UK)
Copyright: 2006 Times Newspapers Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.sunday-times.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/439
Author: Daniel Foggo
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)

USE OF HEROIN AND CRACK SOARS

THE number of people using crack cocaine and heroin has risen by more
than a third over the past two years, according to a Home Office
report, writes Daniel Foggo.

The study shows that more than 90,000 extra people are taking the
drugs in England, which now has 340,000 crack and heroin users.

The report, by scientists at the Centre for Drug Misuse Research in
Glasgow, which has yet to be published, has stunned drug-care
professionals.

It has also provoked debate about whether the new figures reflect a
recent steep rise in drug use, or whether they point to a high level
of usage that had previously gone undetected.

Either way, the report indicates that the country has a much greater
drug-abuse problem than was formerly considered to be the case.

The government claims that levels of hard-drug usage have been
relatively stable over the long term, although figures released in
February showed that drug-related deaths rose for the first time in
six years. The number of injecting drug users with HIV has hit a
14-year high.

Martin Barnes, chief executive of Drugscope, the independent drug
policy think tank, said the report was of "extreme concern". He added:
"We have seen record amounts of money going into drug treatments
recently and would have expected that to have had some impact."

A Home Office spokesman said: "There is no evidence to suggest the
number of problematic drug users is increasing. "
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MAP posted-by: Derek