Pubdate: Wed, 28 Feb 2007
Source: Herald, The (UK)
Copyright: 2007 The Herald
Contact:  http://www.theherald.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/189
Author: Lucy Adams

'ENDING BINGE DRINKING HOLDS KEY TO SOLVING DRUG PROBLEM'

Delegates at the Acpos annual drugs conference this week will be 
shown a DVD of boys in Polmont young offenders institute, describing 
the natural transition for them from binge drinking to taking 
cannabis and other drugs, including heroin and cocaine.

For many of them, this was the reason they ended up behind bars.

The progression of young people trying cannabis and then moving on to 
harder drugs is a well-known argument against legalising cannabis but 
Graeme Pearson, the head of the Scottish Crime and Drugs Enforcement 
Agency (SCDEA), says it is time to tackle the problem much earlier, 
from before the stage of underage binge drinking.

"Reducing binge drinking among 11 to 15-year-olds will decrease the 
numbers who go on to be involved in drugs," he says, after speaking 
to scores of offenders about their experiences.

To the people, including the advocate Donald Findlay, who have 
recently called for cannabis to be decriminalised and regulated in 
the same way as alcohol, he suggests looking at Scotland's worsening 
public health record on drinking.

National statistics revealed last week that, despite having only 8.5% 
of the UK population, Scotland has three-quarters of the worst 20 
areas for drink-related fatalities.

Between 2004 and 2005, there were 3500 psychiatric discharges where 
the main diagnosis was linked to alcohol. In the same period there 
were 931 drug-related discharges.

"Why would we want drugs to be managed or licensed in the same way as 
drink and see the problems more than triple?" he asks.

"I see the Scottish habit of abusing alcohol as being inextricably 
tied into our experience of drug abuse at the user level. Evidence 
from prisoners reinforces this view. The link to an alcohol strategy 
will be critical. One without the other will not work."

There is growing concern not only about the increas-ing use and 
cultivation of cannabis since it was reclassified, but about its strength.

According to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug 
Addiction THC, the active ingredient in herbal cannabis, has doubled 
in strength between 1995 and 2002.

Mr Pearson says educating young people about the dangers of 
substances such as cannabis and using treatment to help people come 
off drugs, is vital.

Sweden takes a hard line on alcohol and drugs misuse. It also has one 
of the lowest prevalence of cannabis use in Europe.

Its policy of a "drug-free society" has brought the introduction of 
new laws since the 1980s, calling for the prosecution of all drugs 
cases, even the very minor. Those caught for possession can be 
imprisoned for up to six months.

Mr Pearson said: "Sweden has taken a very hard line on drugs. But it 
is still about a package of education, protection and enforcement.

"Scotland surprisingly accepted the challenge of public smoking and 
proved it could accept the impossible. If we can change behaviour in 
respect of smoking after 200 years of a love affair, we should surely 
be capable of facing the challenge of alcohol and drugs."
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman