EXECUTIVE IS TOO SCARED TO WIN THE WAR ON DRUG ABUSE

Drug abuse threatens the very fabric of our society. It destroys
lives, tears families apart, leads to widespread crime and the
disintegration of entire communities.

Consider the following: there are an estimated 55,800 drug users in
Scotland; last year there were 41,823 drug-related offences; in 2004,
356 people died as a result of drugs; numbers of methadone scripts are
now 145% higher than they were in 1997.

We are on a disaster course because the Scottish Executive has been
scared to give political leadership, has been embarrassed about
looking uncool, has been wooed by politically correct trendies and has
presided over confusion and escalating drugs abuse chaos.

A study commissioned by the Executive estimated that there are 19,000
drug addicts parked on methadone. It is virtually the only option open
to many addicts, yet it is a well-known fact that methadone is more
addictive that heroin.

The Executive's policy of so-called harm reduction was criticised by
the Drug Outcomes Research in Scotland study led by Professor Neil
McKeganey, which found that most drug addicts who seek help want to
become clean and change their lifestyle. But current rehabilitation
policies are not designed to meet these goals.

It is imperative that drug addicts are given immediate support and
rehabilitation to help them end their addiction and go back to leading
a normal life. It should be the job of government to help them;
instead they are being trapped.

I want to see a radically different way of dealing with drug addiction
and such a strategy must start with the goal of ridding Scotland of
drug abuse altogether.

Scottish Conservatives would promote greater use of the voluntary
sector to develop clearer and more effective messages to educate
people about the dangers of drugs. W e need to utilise the charitable
and voluntary organisations who are working so hard in this area. This
would need to be coupled with improved and increased rehabilitation to
offer routes to abstinence. England has a central register of
substance rehabilitation provision which allows individuals, families
and friends instant access to what help is available. Such information
needs to be provided in Scotland too.

For those convicted offenders who have drug problems, we would widen
the use of drug treatment and testing orders to more minor offenders .
We would also do more to eradicate drugs from our prisons, matching
this up with rehabilitation and linked support upon release.

This is only the bare bones of our strategy. However, the difference
between the Scottish Conservatives and the Executive is that we are
committed to doing what it takes to win this war on drugs.