PRIME MINISTER NEEDS RESOLVE TO BEAT DRUGS

MR BLAIR announced yesterday that a new Crime and Justice Bill concentrating
on drug-related offences will form the centrepiece of this autumn's
legislative programme. The Prime Mmister has always shown a keenness to be
"tough on crime", as well as on its causes, and this new impetus should be
welcome news to many communities where crime is a major cause of fear and
distress. A very high proportion of crimes are drug related and the costs,
both in emotional and financial terms, are enormous. Last week's tragic news
of the death of government minister Ian McCartney's son, Hugh, from the
effects of heroin, highlight once again how drug misuse can blight young lives.

Of course, as Mr Blair has said, many people - especially parents - are
often petrified about drugs. He is also right that his government, and
previous ones, have not yet managed to address some of the most pressing
issues, such as how far to extend mandatory drug testing for criminals or,
indeed, whether such testing really works.

It is to be hoped that the new Crime and Justice Bill will tackle the most
urgent problems head-on. But success will not be easy. As the American "drug
war" has shown, even huge investments of time and money in education
programmes and draconian drug laws do not always help and may sometimes make
things worse.

The problems associated with crime, drug use and misuse are varied and
complex. It will take a brave, determined and well-informed government to
begin solving them.