Tony Blair will declare war on drugs dealers when he
comes to Scotland this week.

The Labour leader will warn that the country is facing
the "waste of a generation". And it's expected he will
announce that his government will bring in tougher
sentences for dealers who peddle drugs to children.

Blair, who is deeply worried about Britain's growing
drugs subculture, will speak out on a visit to Aberdeen.
He plans to hold urgent talks with police, education
experts and other agencies fighting the scourge of drugs in
the city.

The move will come in the week that Aberdeen Council
receives an internal report revealing heroin and Ecstasy
are readily available in the city.

The report will say that not enough use is being made
of information technology in the fight against drugs.

It will call for antidrug education for people at high
risk of becoming addicts and for more liaison between
agencies.

Blair said yesterday: "Drugs are a growing evil in our
society.

"I know from my days as Shadow Home Secretary just how
quickly this problem is accelerating. "If we do not take
action now, we risk the waste of a generation.

"It is not just in the big cities that drugs are a
major problem, but in many parts of rural Britain, too.

"I will be speaking and listening to experts in the
field and discussing with them moves that Government can
take to help them in their work.

"These will include plans to make life especially
difficult for drug dealers who target children."