NEW PLAN TO STOP DRUG ADDICTS HAVING CHILDREN

DRUG addicts would have their treatment withdrawn unless they agree
not to have children until they beat their habit, under plans being
considered by Scottish Labour.

Users would have to sign up to a "social contract" setting out their
responsibilities to society, and failure to meet the terms of the
agreement could result in services for addicts - such as free
methadone - being taken away.

The "tough love" plan is being discussed as part of Scottish Labour's
manifesto process in the run-up to next year's Holyrood election.

The ideas were fed into the party's policy forum by Labour MSP Duncan
McNeil, who caused a row in parliament earlier this year by calling
for contraceptives to be put in methadone.

Scottish Labour are now examining proposals submitted by the Greenock
and Inverclyde MSP on how to deal with Scotland's 50,000 addicts.

McNeil believes the current system of treatment focuses too much on
the rights of drug users and not enough on their responsibilities.

"These responsibilities are either non-existent or entirely unknown to
those supposedly subject to them," McNeil's paper states.

He says one way of "redressing the balance" is for the Scottish
Executive to introduce a "social contract" for addicts that lays down
the behaviour expected of them.

Part of the addicts' contract would involve mandatory attendance at a
drug cessation programme, with a strict timetable set out to help each
individual become drug-free. Addicts would also be required to attend
compulsory drug treatment services, an element lacking in current provision.

In addition, McNeil wants users to be forced to take regular drug
tests as a condition of receiving benefits and other public support.
He believes sanctions for breaking the terms of the contract could
include suspension of free prescriptions and support services or, at a
Westminster level, the docking of social security payments.

More controversially, McNeil believes the contracts should contain a
users' pledge "not to start a family" while being treated for addiction.

This proposal reflects the growing concerns of MSPs in all parties
about the effects drug-addicted parents are having on their children.

Speaking to the Sunday Herald, McNeil said the current rights-based
system was failing and had to be reformed. He said linking benefits to
changes in behaviour would help addicts become drug-free.

"There comes a time when we have to challenge addicts' behaviour," he
said. "I can't see that we are asking for any commitment at all from
them. Addicts just turn up and the support is automatic. We need to do
better than harm reduction."

Scottish Labour are currently at the consultation stage of their
Holyrood manifesto, which will be finalised in the run-up to next
year's poll, where insiders say Jack McConnell's party will unveil
policies on addicts and how to protect their children.

Professor Neil McKeganey, of the director of the Centre for Drug
Misuse Research at Glasgow University, said he agreed with McNeil's
stance on contracts for addicts.

However, Ruth Stark, spokeswoman for the British Association of Social
Workers in Scotland, warned that the proposals to stop addicts having
children contravenes human rights - and added it was comparable to
genocide.

"One is reminded of some of the ghastly things that have happened in
terms of ethnic cleansing - are we talking about ethnic cleansing of
people who are drug addicts?" she said.

A Scottish Labour spokesman said: "Drugs have scarred so many
communities in Scotland, and Labour have shown they are prepared to
take the tough decisions to tackle drugs and the associated crime
where necessary, while providing support for addicts to recover and
play a fuller role in society."