DRUGS POLICY 'A RESOUNDING FAILURE'

Britain Is Among The Top Five Consumers Of Heroin

The drugs policies of New Labour and previous governments have been a
"resounding failure", according to a think-tank set up by Tony Blair. A
report for the Foreign Policy Centre said ministers have failed to
recognise the true cause of drug abuse - poverty.

Report author Rowena Young says there are now 500 times as many drug
addicts in Britain as there were in the 1960s, and it is in the top five
countries worldwide in terms of heroin consumption.

Ms Young says the government should shift its efforts away from attempting
to reduce all drug use towards cutting the harmful effects among the
socially excluded.

Policy makers should learn from community projects in Asia where treatment
and counselling has been combined with help finding jobs and learning new
skills, she says.

'Cannot Work'

Ms Young, who set up Simplyworks - a scheme providing employment for
addicts, says the increasing amounts of money spent on prohibition have not
reduced the amount of drugs on the street.

The key issue is not the availability of drugs, but rather the problematic
drug use caused by social exclusion Rowena Young And she claims alternative
strategies - like education and treatment programmes - have not led to a
significant fall in drug use. The report says the government's own research
shows education fails to reduce drug use and treatment fails in two thirds
of cases. It says there is a serious risk that the new National Treatment
Agency, with an annual budget rising to nearly half a billion pounds, will
simply fund more treatment which on its own cannot work.

'Credible Solutions'

Ms Young said: "The war on drugs has been a resounding failure. Rarely in
the history of wars have so many achieved so little at such a high cost.
"The key issue is not the availability of drugs, but rather the problematic
drug use caused by social exclusion.

"Any credible solutions need to address these causes if they are to have
any chance of success"

Ms Young called on David Blunkett to take charge, adding: "The home
secretary has shown political leadership in changing the debate over
migration and citizenship. He should do the same on drugs" More resources
Among the report's key recommendations are: National Treatment Agency to
be renamed the National Drugs Rehabilitation Agency - encouraging
education, work, enterprise and treatment. More resources for front line
police units tackling the causes of drug misuse. Private and voluntary
sectors to provide training and work experience for problem drug users.

Home office should create 25,000 jobs for drug users within ten
years. Reform the benefit system to reduce disincentives to work.