Note: This is the printed version of this story which varies slightly fro
m
the on-line version, especially towards the end.

HEROIN HITS THE SHIRES

A NEW wave of heroin use among young people is spreading out of the inner
cities and into the shires, according to new government research. Towns
with no history of a serious hard drug problem are being targeted by a
sophisticated network of pushers who have "rebranded" heroin to make it
cheaper and more accessible to children, many of whom are completely
ignorant of its addictive powers. Home Office research - which predicts a
n
"epidemic" of heroin use unless there is urgent action to prevent it - sa
ys
middle class children are increasingly at risk, with some users as young
as
10. Last night ministers described the findings as "alarming" and said th
e
Government would increasingly focus its anti-drugs strategy on the threat.
George Howarth, Home Office minister, said: "This is worrying evidence th
at
heroin misuse is spreading in towns where, traditionally, there has not
been a major heroin history." Keith Hellawell, the Government's anti-drug
s
co-ordinator, said the first thing was to recognise that there was a prob
lem.

He said: "I still go to some rural areas where they would deny there is a
problem in their communities. People are loath to accept that their
children could be involved." Around 48 per cent of 16- to 24-year-olds sa
y
they have used drugs, including cannabis and amphetamines, up three per
cent on 1994. New outbreaks are being reported in most regions of England
including the North-East and Yorkshire, West Midlands, Avon and the
South-West. Towns now seeing a rise in the problem include Bridlington,
Hull, Goole, Dewsbury, Blyth, Solihull and Huddersfield. Bristol is said
to
be experiencing a "full-blown" outbreak and Luton - close to the M1 - is
a
distribution point for towns such as Leighton Buzzard and Milton Keynes.
The report says that in the South and South-West, the hard drug problem i
s
particularly associated with coastal resorts.

The report says: "Many communities will see its arrival during this and
next year." One reason for the spread of heroin is that it is now cheaper
as a result of increased smuggling from south-west Asia through the
Balkans, across the EU to Britain. Suppliers with mobile telephones use t
he
motorway networks to move heroin around the country and push it as anothe
r
"recreational" drug in A35 or A310 "wraps" that can be smoked or "chase
d".
Huge profits are made. One ounce of heroin, costing A3800, can be turned
into 300 wraps costing A310 each. The high returns mean that there are
always dealers ready to replace any arrested. Unlike the last heroin
upsurge in the Eighties, new users are much younger and include teenagers
from well-off and stable backgrounds. The report, from the Home Office
Police Research Group, says: "There are clear signs of broader penetratio
n
with heroin use being found among youths from more affluent families.

There is some evidence of heroin being used as a 'chill out' drug by youn
g
adult clubbers." Most new users identified by police and drug agencies ar
e
16- to 18-year-olds but a significant number are between 14 and 16. In so
me
areas, children aged between 10 and 12 have been found trying the drug. T
he
report says:"With 80 per cent of area returns fairly confidently
identifying new outbreaks within their communities and providing such a
consistent picture and profile of new users, it is, unfortunately,
reasonable to suggest that we are facing a second heroin epidemic." This
expansion is set to continue and an early warning system is needed to ale
rt
the various anti-drugs agencies to its presence in particular areas. The
Home Office group says drug services for young people should be expanded
urgently and the supply network broken by co-ordinated action. Last night
Mr Hellawell said the increasing emphasis of his strategy would be to kee
p
young people off drugs.

There would be more special programmes designed to give young people the
resolve to resist peer pressure to take drugs. But the Labour MP Paul
Flynn, vice-chairman of the Parliamentary all-party drugs misuse group,
rejected more anti-drug education. "The drug tsar's answer of more
anti-drug education has been tried and failed for 30 years in America," h
e
said. "When will the government realise prohibition increases drug use?
Intelligent policies reduce drug harm."

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski