ANTI-DRUGS POLICY WORKING - TSAR

The Government's anti-drugs policy is beginning to bring results, drugs
Tsar Keith Hellawell claimed today.

He said recent surveys showed the growth in use of illegal drugs was
levelling off.

Mr Hellawell pointed to a recent poll that showed only a very slight
increase in the number of schoolchildren claiming to have used cannabis.
And he said a drop in the number of youngsters smoking cigarettes was
likely to be followed by a fall in those using the drug.

There was nothing inevitable about rising levels of drug abuse, Mr
Hellawell said.

"If you look at overall drug use in this country it appears to be levelling
off," he said.

The Government's 10-year drugs strategy was only its second year, Mr
Hellawell said, adding: "We are already beginning to see some encouraging
signs that Government policy is working".

Mr Hellawell was speaking ahead of the launch of new high-tech systems to
combat drugs, using interactive games to educate youngsters about drugs as
well as super-sensitve equipment capable of sniffing out drug smugglers.