David Blunkett, home secretary said:"The misery caused by drug misuse must never be underestimated. It damages the health of individuals, ruins the communities they live in, and turns law-abiding citizens into thieves, including from their own families. The costs to society are enormous.
"Since 1998 we have taken consistent and focused action to tackle drug misuse and much has been achieved. Gone are the days when there was little or no drug education in schools, or when there was limited treatment, long waiting times, and no grip on drug using offenders.
"Backed by unparalleled investment, over the last six years we have seen substantial quantities of heroin and cocaine successfully taken out of the UK market and organised crime groups disrupted. Enforcement powers to tackle drug dealing have been strengthened – police are now able to close down crack houses within 48 hours. Class A drug use by young people has stabilised and the groundbreaking FRANK campaign has succeeded in reaching millions of young people and parents. Total spending on tackling drugs this year has doubled since 2000, to £1.3 billion, 54,000 more people are in drug treatment and treatment services will be available in 153 prisons by next year, 144 more prisons than in 1997. Waiting times are at their lowest level ever.
"Crime and fear of crime have both fallen. The government’s Drug Interventions Programme is providing a route out of crime and into treatment for thousands of drug using offenders every month. Crime in these 66 areas is going down faster than in the rest of the country, for example in Bradford crime has fallen 33 per cent, and in City and Holbeck in Leeds crime has fallen 32 per cent.
"But there is much more to be done if we are to reduce even further the harm caused by drugs. By 2008 we want to see safer communities with less crime. We want fewer lives to be destroyed by drug misuse and more young people achieving their full potential free from drugs. Effective treatment will be available promptly to all who need it. The new measures and legislation that we are announcing today will help us to achieve this."
Party Response: Liberal Democrat
Mark Oaten Home affairs spokesman said: "These are constructive proposals, but with no date for a bill they could fall by the wayside before the election.
"The government rightly talks about the need to expand treatment, yet their own figures for numbers in treatment are misleading.
"Diverting addicts into treatment is vitally important, but all too often the treatment they need is not available.
"The majority of offenders who enter prison with a drug habit, come out again with their problems unchanged.
"The government must ensure that prisons are properly resourced to break the cycle of drug-related crime."
Stakeholder Response: Hubbard Foundation
Liz Osterman of the Hubbard Foundation said: "I looked through the statements from the various parties and I feel the Liberal Democrats are correct in that no real treatment is being made available to drug addicts – however may I add that certain treatments that do get results are not being implemented broadly – or worse ignored. I would ask those who are looking for real answers and effective treatment to look at the Narconon website www.narconon.org .
"Narconon is the drug-free method developed by humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard, without the use of addictive “substitutes” such as methadone. When you read the Narconon results you may also ask the question – why is the government not implementing the Narconon programme in this country, when the success of this method is so enormous?"
