Pubdate: Thu, 27 Jun 2002
Source: Evening Telegraph (UK)
Copyright: 2002 Northamptonshire Newspapers Limited
Contact:  http://www.northantsnew.co.uk/news/tele/index.asp
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2272
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?207 (Cannabis - United Kingdom)

NEW STEP IN HELP HEROIN USERS PLEA

A County Group's Call For Help For Heroin Addicts Is To Be Considered By 
The Prime Minister

MP for Wellingborough and Rushden Paul Stinchcombe has drafted an article 
for Tony Blair after consultation with Wellingborough prisoners on 
rehabilitation programmes.

It follows articles in the ET in April which investigated the scourge of 
heroin in the county and a call from an east Northamptonshire pressure 
group for help for heroin users so they stop committing crimes to feed 
their habit.

The group asked Mr Stinchcombe to help get an opiate blocking implant 
licensed - an addiction treatment which is currently only available at a 
private London clinic.

Mr Stinchcombe has researched the effects of heroin on society and the 
implant and written to Mr Blair about it. Now he plans to send an article 
calling for a rethink of the Government's drug policy.

Mr Stinchcombe said: "The article was drafted following meetings with many 
constituents gravely affected by drugs and drug-related crime - mothers and 
sisters of addicts in prison, pensioners mugged by those who need money to 
buy drugs, residents who have seen dealers selling drugs openly in their 
estates and kids who have picked up discarded needles thrown into their own 
back garden."

Inmates at Wellingborough prison agreed with arguments made in Mr 
Stinchcombe's article which states: "It is vital that we start a grown-up 
debate on one of the greatest problems of our age - how to tackle the 
scourge of drug addiction and drug-related crime."

He has highlighted what he calls three "truths" which if recognised he 
feels would have stopped the failure of other drug policies.

* Some drugs are worse than others and that children should be taught this

* Criminalising people who smoke cannabis is counterproductive in that 
aggressive policing of cannabis users stands in the way of effective law 
enforcement of those who deal in hard drugs

* Addicts are ill, not necessarily wicked, and need to be treated not punished

Mr Stinchcombe plans to add two other points raised by prisoners to his 
article. They said that 90 per cent of ecstasy tablets are cut with other 
drugs such as heroin and that dealers will try anything to get people 
hooked on heroin and crack.
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