Tracknum: .000701bf1f73.4490bea0.b944be Pubdate: Tue, 26 Oct 1999 Source: Times, The (UK) Copyright: 1999 Times Newspapers Ltd Contact: http://www.the-times.co.uk/ Author: Trudy Harris Cited: ResourceNet: http://www.resourcenet.org.uk/ DRUGS WAR HAS LITTLE IMPACT Keith Hellawell, the Government's drugs czar, admitted yesterday that the availability of cocaine and heroin had not been reduced since he was appointed by Tony Blair two years ago. Mr Hellawell, former Chief Constable of West Yorkshire, also said that the cost of the drugs had not increased despite more seizures. But he rejected claims that he was losing the war against drugs. Mr Hellawell told The Times that he expected some success in April next year - 12 months after a ten-year strategy was launched to reduce the number of addicts. The strategy focused on educating young people about the dangers of drugs as well as increasing treatment services. Mr Hellawell held a meeting yesterday with General Barry McCaffrey, his American counterpart, who is touring Britain. The pair launched a drug education website called ResourceNet, funded by the Health Department, at Goldsmiths College, in southeast London. General McCaffrey tried to leave immediately after the launch but was jeered by protesters, denouncing hardline US drug policies. Steve Rolles, a protester, said that both Britain and the United States had failed to fund treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts. But a Cabinet Office spokeswoman said that Mr Hellawell had spent two years developing the ten-year strategy. During that time, he had also announced UKP217 million in funding for anti-drugs initiatives. Home Office figures have shown an increase in arrests for cocaine possession from 3,400 cases in 1997 to 4,500 last year.