Pubdate: Sat, 15 Jan 2005
Source: Evening Courier (UK)
Copyright: 2005 The Halifax Courier Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/918
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)

ADDICTS' AUKP50 A DAY ON DRUGS

A NEW report has revealed the huge amount being spent by drug addicts in 
Calderdale every day.

It is costing the average hard drug user about UKP50 a day to feed their 
habit - and the only way to pay for it is through crime.

The findings are from a report commissioned by Calderdale Drug and Alcohol 
Action Team to examine the nature and extent of crack cocaine and Class A 
drug misuse across the district.

Specialist researchers from Government-funded Smith and Honor carried out 
the survey of 50 Calderdale drug users, which revealed addicts were having 
to fund a UKP16,000-a-year habit on average.

It also showed a new merged market of crack cocaine and heroin, labelled 
"white and brown", had evolved in the borough. In most cases the same 
person was selling both, often offering deals to buy heroin and crack together.

"All available evidence suggests that the beginnings of a merger between 
the heroin and crack market, observed in 2002, have continued over the past 
two years and that the exclusive heroin user is now a dying breed in 
Calderdale."

The report said 62 per cent questioned admitted they had an "unofficial 
income" to pay for their narcotics.

Almost half said they "grafted" - another name for shoplifting - to finance 
their needs. Other crimes included handling stolen goods, burglary, dealing 
drugs, fraud and forgery.

The report says: "Despite daily fluctuations in the amount of money spent 
on drugs, the figures reported amount to a pretty accurate daily average 
within a typical two-week period.

"Daily spend, income and criminal activity obviously all interact."

These findings add to a backdrop of high unemployment in crack users, 
researchers found. Official sources of drug users' income found that 94 per 
cent of addicts were on benefits, compared to only 6 per cent who were in 
full-time work.

The two primary researchers, who also carried out a project on crack 
cocaine in the district in 2002, found that 73 per cent of those asked said 
it took less than 30 minutes to obtain crack and heroin from local dealers.

Overall, Calderdale was found to be the seventh district in a top 10 of 
spenders on drugs, above cities like Newcastle, in tenth. Bradford is 
number one and Huddersfield is second. Smith and Honor found that 
Calderdale drug users spent an average UKP16,206 a year on drugs, compared 
to Bradford, which has an average of UKP24,192.

Earlier this week we revealed the price of crack cocaine nationally had 
plummeted from UKP21.50 a rock 10 years ago to just UKP7.50 last year, 
sparking fears it could undermine work in Calderdale to stop the spread of 
the highly-addictive drug.

Martin McGroarty, commissioning manager for Calderdale's Drug and Alcohol 
Action team, said an action plan to the report's findings had already been 
put together.

He said specific training for staff would be introduced and employment 
needs for users would be addressed.

Mr McGroarty said the range of clinical treatment services in Calderdale 
now needed to build on their positive work already done with crack users.

"We considered the crack report and took the view that it is an extremely 
valuable and informative document.

"It also indicated the relative positives of the situation in Calderdale, 
along with challenges we face in terms of reducing crack-related harm.

"We noted that the prevalence of crack use appeared to have stabilised in 
the district," he said.
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