DIRECTORS HEAR CASE FOR HEROIN
by Jamie McIvor

A Director of Britains's only legal manufacturer of heroin yesterday
presented top business people with evidence of how decriminalising drugs
can save Government money and help addicts.

Marshall Smalley, of Edinburghbased pharmaceuticals company Meconic, made
a point of not declaring his opinions on the matter when he spoke to
Institute of Directors Scotland at Gleneagles.

But he pointed to a Swiss trial over the past three years involving 1,000
patients who were able to buy heroin legally through the State.

Meconic has provided the heroin, but Mr Smalley stressed it accounted for
an insignificant portion of the company's sales.

Mr Smalley, who retired recently as Meconic's chief executive, said the
trial brought a sharp reduction in the illicit use of heroin and cocaine.

Unemployment, debts and welfare dependency fell among the patients, while
permanent employment increased.

Recently, the programme won public backing from the Swiss in a referendum.
He estimated the total value of illicit drugs worldwide at
[pounds]280billion (ukstirling).

Afterwards, Mr Smalley was not prepared to divulge his views on
decriminalising drugs, saying: "People should look at the results and make
up their own minds and I said I was not joining the debate."

But he described reports that half of Scotland's teenagers had taken drugs
as a tragedy.