SCOTLAND IS WINNING THE DRUGS WAR, SAYS GRAY

SCOTLAND is scoring major successes in the war against drugs, Deputy
Justice Minister Iain Gray claimed today.

He published the first annual report on drug misuse, setting out what has
been achieved and what the Scottish Executive has pledged to date.

Mr Gray said strong foundations had been laid over the past year from which
to make real progress on tackling the drugs problem.

But the report comes just a week after new figures showed the number of
hard drug users in Scotland was almost double the previous estimate.

More accurate assessments put the figure at 55,800 instead of an earlier
estimate of 30,000.

Mr Gray said: "This annual report on drug misuse shows the wide-range of
new initiatives to reduce the supply and demand for drugs which have got up
and running in the past year at both a national and local level. These have
been backed by record levels of investment by the Executive." He said he
had been "incredibly impressed" in visiting communities around Scotland by
the determination of people in drug agencies and voluntary groups to tackle
drug misuse.

The report highlights the success of the Scottish Drugs Enforcement Agency
which has seized more than £17 million worth of illegal drugs in its first
year, and arrested 130 people involved in drug trafficking and other
organised crime.