DRUGS POLICE STRESS NEED FOR TREATMENT

Senior police officers are expected to endorse new guidance today for
cocaine and heroin users to be sent for treatment rather than prosecuted in
certain cases involving drug abuse.

The report by the drugs committee of the Association of Chief Police
Officers says it looks forward to a time when people appearing in court
over the misuse of class A substances can be given access to medical
treatment immediately, and that in some circumstances treatment should be
an alternative to a caution or conviction.

It says it "aims to break the cycle of drug-related offending and
drug-related deaths and generally improve the life of our communities".
However, the chief constables remain opposed to the decriminalisation of
drugs, warning that it could create a crime wave and "drug tourists"
flocking to Britain, according to reports in today's Times and Daily Mail.

The committee's chairman, Metropolitan police deputy assistant commissioner
Andy Hayman, said: "We are saying the punitive option is limited. This is
predominantly a health issue which must be matched with a health option,
such as treatment.

"The long term success of our proposal would be judged on whether someone
reoffends or improves their health."

The report comes just weeks before the Commons home affairs select
committee is expected to back plans by the home secretary, David Blunkett,
to downgrade the classification of cannabis to class C. It is also likely
to back a move towards more spending on drug treatment, based on evidence
that ?1 spent on treatment saves ?3 in terms of crime.

Some MPs endorse more treatment centres and liberalisation of the supply of
diamorphine to addicts.

The drugs minister, Bob Ainsworth, has indicated that the Home Office and
the Department of Health will consider clarifying guidelines on
diamorphine. The government is anxious about liberalising the dispensing of
the drug, since it requires injections and quickly repeated doses.