HIGHLANDS DRUG CRISIS WARNING

THE Scottish executive is being urged to help tackle a growing heroin
problem in Lochaber after GPs highlighted a series of drugs-related suicides.

Senior partners in the three doctors' surgeries in Fort William have
written to Malcolm Chisholm, the health minister, calling for improved
facilities for drug users.

Dr Michael Foxley, Dr Chris Robinson and Dr Jim Douglas say there is a
"serious and significant" heroin problem in Lochaber, bringing with it
related problems such as hepatitis C. "Sadly we have had several
drug-related suicides of young people within the last couple of years.
There is widespread use of other illegal drugs throughout Lochaber."

The doctors say they have seen little, if any, of the £100 million the
executive has given to assist in tackling drug abuse in Scotland and say
facilities are needed locally, urgently.

"At a time of crisis, usually at night or at the weekend, the only
frontline services dealing with the drug problem are the police, Belford
Hospital's accident and emergency department and the GPs.

"GP workload has increased significantly over the past two decades and yet
our numbers remain unchanged. We continue to hear promises of support
services and facilities but these have consistently failed to materialise."

Brian Gardner, the drug development officer with the Highland drug and
alcohol strategy group, said Lochaber is one of four priority areas in the
Highlands, along with Inverness, Nairn and Easter Ross, which drug workers
are targeting.

A spokesman for Northern Constabulary's drugs squad said numbers of
seizures of heroin were increasing.