NO SOFT OPTION IN DRUG BATTLE

Donnie Struthers watched first-hand as the North-east drugs problem
exploded. As the former head of the region's drugs squad he saw countless
lives wasted by the evils of drugs like heroin.

Now as he calls time on his 31-year career he has hit out at the Government
over its moves to reclassify cannabis.

Donnie Struthers - who has just retired as a detective superintendent - has
been at the forefront of the battle against narcotics since the 1980s.

In that time he has seen hard drugs like heroin and crack escalate from
limited use in the city to holding entire communities in their evil grip.

But he believes recent government policy changes could turn the drugs war
into a never-ending battle.

Mr Struthers hit out at the government for its recent decision to
reclassify cannabis. It goes from a class B drug to a class C in 2003,
which will effectively decriminalise it.

"The suggestion that the government doesn't find it dangerous is
disappointing," he said.

"It's not a positive message."

He doesn't automatically see cannabis abuse as leading to hard drug abuse.

But for people to get their hands on cannabis for personal use they still
have to turn to drug dealers.

These people are part of much bigger drug dealing networks masterminded by
major criminals.

It's argued that simple possession of UKP30 of cannabis supports much more
violent criminals farther up the dealing chain.

Mr Struthers says some who peddle "soft drugs" are often found to carry
firearms in a bid to protect their trade.

Guns have become a much bigger part of the North-east drug scene - a
reflection of the increase in availability of crack cocaine.

Police officers are now told to be prepared to encounter firearms each time
they go on a drugs raid.

Mr Struthers says the rising use of crack cocaine - and the violence
associated with it - worries him.

"We seized crack in Aberdeen when I was new in the drugs squad," he said.

"It has been something we have lived with for some considerable time - and
we are concerned about it."

The use of highly addictive crack has risen steadily in the North-east. In
2000, the drugs squad recovered 154 grams of crack worth UKP38,000. In 2001
that figure more than quadrupled to 716.8 grams worth UKP179,000.

Mr Struthers says he fears for the future if the North-east sees the same
problems with crack as seen in England.

"Down south, in London and the Midlands, they have a level of violence
which frequently includes the use of firearms," he said.

Between 2001 and 2002, 2,262 firearm-related incidents were recorded by
West Midlands Police alone.

A spokesman for the force said: "There's clearly a link between the trade
of drugs and the use of illegal firearms."

Gun violence in England is a worry for the North-east as dealers from these
areas are travelling to Aberdeen to ply their trade.

They can sell crack for UKP50 a rock in Aberdeen - but in London they will
only get UKP10 due to market saturation.

Mr Struthers spent around ten years spread over two stints in the drugs squad.

But in the last decade his job was made harder by an increase in
drug-related robberies, break-ins and increasing quantities of drugs
heading for the area.

There have been 23,000 offences, 250 deaths, 125,000 break-ins and more
than 3,000 muggings attributed to drugs over the last 20 years.

That surge in crime was sparked by an explosion in heroin.

Entire North-east communities have suffered due to that drug.

Mr Struthers has watched heroin use boom since the 1980s.

"When I was a detective constable back in the 80s there was a limited use
of heroin," he said.

"And even when I came back as a detective inspector in 1991 there was still
heroin abuse, but not on a major scale.

"But over three to four years it moved out to affect the communities.

"It went from gram quantities, to seizing multi-ounce to seizing kilos
which is a fairly significant indication of the severity of the problem."

However, Mr Struthers knows the police will never give up on the battle.

He accepts that drugs will always be a part of society, but believes the
way forward is through education.

"If the agencies pull together and help give people the skills for living
it could really help," he said.