Pubdate: Thu, 28 Feb 2002 Source: Daily Telegraph (UK) Copyright: 2002 Telegraph Group Limited Contact: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/114 Author: Nicole Martin Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment) 'PATCHY' TREATMENT DRIVES DRUG ADDICTS TO CRIME DRUG addicts are having to wait up to five months for treatment, raising fears that many will continue to turn to crime to finance their dependency, according to a report by the Audit Commission published yesterday. It said the Government planned to spend around UKP 3.5 billion on the costs of drug abuse in the current financial year, of which less than a fifth will go on treatment, education and other prevention projects. The result was that services for addicts were "patchy and fragmented", with many people reluctant to seek help because of long waiting lists and red tape. Addicts had to wait on average 35 days for prescribing services, in which drugs are given under supervision. But in three areas the wait was more than 100 days, according to the survey of 16 community drug teams. In one area, where addicts routinely waited five months for an appointment with a community drug team, only one in three people offered a consultation actually turned up. Andrew Foster, the commission's controller, said discouraging addicts from seeking help had a knock-on effect on crime. In a recent study, 69 per cent of 506 people arrested tested positive for drugs. "Effective support will not only help more drug misusers to rebuild their lives but also improve the quality of life in many communities," he said. - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk