CRACK TRADE VIOLENCE 'HITS UK'S POOREST'

"Extraordinary" levels of violence are hitting some of Britain's poorest
communities as the use of crack cocaine spirals, the government has warned.

At the first conference on tackling crack abuse Drugs Minister Bob Ainsworth
said black communities and the young were often at greatest risk.

The leader of Operation Trident, which deals with black on black crime, said
gangs importing the drug, often from Jamaica, are clearly linked to gun
crime in Britain and must be stopped.

Drugs campaign groups called on the government to put treatment for addicts
on a par with that for heroin users.

In Scotland the Drugs Enforcement Agency reported a threefold increase in
seizures of heroin and cocaine and claimed it had disrupted more than 70
gangs.

'Power and Respect'

Speaking in Birmingham, Mr Ainsworth said police must build strong links
with communities, to help people drive dealers out of their area.

He said crack abuse was highest among black people, unlike heroin which is
used by more white people.

"The black community does have a problem," Mr Ainsworth said.

"The levels of violence with the black community are quite extraordinary."

'Intimidation'

Mr Ainsworth said crack is especially difficult to deal with because the
levels of addiction are so high and treatment is not as well understood as
it is for heroin.

He told BBC Radio Four's Today programme that in areas where police had the
support of the community the fight against crack had been very effective.

The minister said Operation Trident has had success fighting the crack trade
when information has been supplied by members of the communities affected.

Commander Alan Brown, the head of Operation Trident, said there was a
growing culture among young people to carry guns and sell drugs "in a way
they think leads to power and respect".

He said the trade's links to Jamaican gangs "cannot be ignored" and warned
that lives were being put at risk by the practice of using 'drugs mules',
who smuggle crack into Britain by swallowing packages.

Mr Brown wants police to work with communities to help them "reject the
intimidation and violence to secure a safer society".

Lee Jasper from the Greater London Authority said: "Crack cocaine preys on
communities that are already disadvantaged and discriminated against. "

'Turf Wars'

Danny Kushlick of campaign group Transform said the government needs to
reassess its whole drugs policy, starting with the admission that making
drugs illegal does not work.

He said: "If you look at what happens when you hand the trade over to
international organised crime and unregulated dealers you see all the
problems the government then tries to solve.

"So, turf wars, property crime, street dealing, access to drugs by young
people - those are the problems that are actually caused by prohibition."

Steve Stevens, who runs a private drugs clinic, said serious crimes tend to
be linked with the use of crack.

He said it also acts as an anaesthetic, adding: "Therefore if (users) become
violent and other people respond then they are less likely to feel hurt
while that's happening."

John Witton, a researcher with Action on Addiction, said more research was
needed to find the best ways to treat crack addicts.

He said drug treatment services are largely geared toward heroin use, and
while there is no "ready pharmacological solution for crack, like methadone
for heroin use, we know that crack can be successfully treated."

Mr Witton said research showed crack was used by half of people interviewed
by the Probation Service about drugs.

Crack Facts:

Sold as small crystals to smoke

Each 'rock' costs UKP 20 to UKP 25

Addictive and causes heart problems

Can cause paranoia and aggression