Pubdate: Fri, 09 Dec 2005
Source: Scotsman (UK)
Copyright: The Scotsman Publications Ltd 2005
Contact:  http://www.scotsman.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/406
Author: Gareth Rose and Alan McEwen
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?136 (Methadone)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

HEROIN CRIME COSTING CITY VICTIMS UKP200M

HEROIN-fuelled crime committed in the Capital is costing innocent
victims up to UKP200 million a year.

The true cost of Edinburgh's drug problem was revealed today for the
first time.

Desperate addicts are said to be committing a growing number of
housebreakings, muggings and thefts, with the rising tide of cheaper
and purer heroin flooding into the city believed to be at the root of
the problem.

The average heroin addict is estimated to steal around UKP160,000 worth
of goods and cash each year to buy drugs.

With a hard core of around 1200 addicts in the Capital, the annual
cost of the crime they commit is thought to be around UKP200m. Experts
fear that Edinburgh is on the verge of the worst heroin epidemic in 20
years, and that current crime trends echo problems last visited on the
city in 1984, when heroin abuse was at its peak.

City drugs tsar Tom Wood - chairman of the Edinburgh Action Against
Alcohol and Drugs Team - said the city was facing a massive and
increasing problem.

He said: "Acquisitive crimes, such as housebreaking, thefts from cars
and shoplifting, go with drugs like peas go with carrots.

"There are only three ways of maintaining an expensive drug habit. One
is by being a multi-millionaire pop star.

"The second is through dealing and acquisitive crimes. The third is
through involvement in the sex industry."

The former Lothian and Borders Police deputy chief constable said the
majority of housebreakings committed in the Capital was down to drug
addicts.

"Nearly 20 years ago, when heroin was at its peak in Edinburgh, 85 per
cent of housebreakings were by drugs users," he said. "It would be
less now but is still a significant amount."

Police chiefs have warned that an average heroin addict's habit costs
around UKP16,000 a year to feed. They say such hard-line users cannot
hold down a job and rely on stealing to pay for their drugs. But
stolen goods can only be sold for around a tenth of their true value -
meaning addicts have to steal up to UKP160,000 worth of items.

There are an estimated 2500 heroin users in the Capital, with around
half of them thought to be addicts. The latest NHS statistics suggest
there are 1260 people injecting heroin in Edinburgh.

While there has been a massive rise in seizures of Class A drugs such
as heroin and cocaine in Lothian in the past few years, drugs workers
and police admit they are struggling to stop the constant flow of the
highly addictive drug infiltrating the city.

They say they face an uphill battle preventing people from buying it,
and admit they are failing to persuade young people to stay clear of
the drug. Thanks to the force's anti-drugs campaign Operation Foil,
there have been some successes.

In March this year, UKP500,000 worth of heroin was recovered at Waverley
Station in the biggest seizure of its kind in the Capital. But Mr Wood
said: "It all comes down to supply and demand. The police have
concentrated a great deal of effort on the supply side.

"But more heroin is available now than there has ever been, and it is
cheaper and purer.

"The other challenge is to win the argument and persuade the younger
generation that it's good sense not to take drugs. We've got to win
the argument - and we've not done that so far."

As the number of people being prescribed the heroin substitute
methadone grows, so too has the level of break-ins and thefts from
cars. In the past year, the number of houses broken into in Edinburgh
and the Lothians has risen by around four per cent. The year before it
went up by 15 per cent.

At the same time, the number of people in Lothian being prescribed
methadone increased by more than 40 per cent in two years, from 2191
in 2002 to 3104 last year.

The estimated cost of prescribing methadone in the Lothians is almost
UKP2m, with the bill for the entire country reaching UKP11.6m.

Mr Wood said: "It's a massive strain on the health service. Then
you've got to think about the lost opportunities caused by heroin.

"People are prevented from working and contributing to the city
because of their addictions. A report from the House of Lords said the
cost of heroin to the economy of the UK was UKP30 billion."

The news has revived calls for greater government investment into
treatment and prevention methods. Drugs experts say agencies providing
support for heroin users who want to kick their addiction need more
support.

John Arthur, of the drugs counselling group Crew 2000, said: "More
investment is needed. A range of services have to be made available.
We need more detoxification centres, programmes to reduce the harm
users do to themselves, such as needle exchanges, and ways to
reassimilate people back into work and society."

But the agency, which receives cash from the Scottish Executive, city
council and private trusts, has seen its funding drop by 20 per cent
since it started up four years ago. It faces a UKP35,000 funding gap for
next year.

Mr Arthur said: "Joined-up working between organisations in Edinburgh
saves us money, and we can be as cost-effective as any public sector
body.

"But we always need more funding as the number of people taking drugs
is higher than ever."

Dr Malcolm Bruce, a consultant psychiatrist in addiction, said: "The
remit of the Community Drug Problem Service (CDPS) is to reduce the
harm drug users cause to themselves, their families and society.
Patients who are addicted to heroin can be treated in a number of
ways, and are not always prescribed a heroin substitute such as methadone."

As well as the methadone programme, Lothian Primary Health Care Trust
also funds a variety of methods to help beat addiction.

The CDPS provides services including counselling to change users'
attitudes and lifestyles, and relapse prevention.

A spokesperson for the Scottish Drugs Forum said: "The figures
underline the need to look at investing resources in tackling the
drugs problems behind drugs-related crime.

"The vast majority of the estimated 50,000 people in Scotland with a
serious drugs problem are of a comparatively young working age, but
around 85 per cent are unemployed.

"Yet research in England has shown that UKP1 spent on treatment and
rehabilitation can save up to UKP18 on costs to society."

Lothian and Borders Chief Constable Paddy Tomkins said that while
reducing the availability of drugs was important, stopping people
becoming long-term heroin users was a priority.

He said: "Of course we want to reduce the availability of Class A
drugs. But more crucial is getting the message out to young people so
they make the right choices in life. Enforcement can only be part of a
more sophisticated approach."

'Over the Years I Must Have Carried Out Hundreds of Housebreakings'

ROB was a heroin addict on and off for 23 years and believes he must
have carried out "hundreds" of housebreakings to feed his habit.

The 42-year-old from Oxgangs would roam the country with fellow
addicts to target isolated homes, then sell on their haul to pay for
drugs.

He was committing two or three break-ins a week at the peak of his
addiction and also dabbled in shoplifting.

At other times Rob was able to take up gardening work to buy heroin,
but his chaotic lifestyle meant this would not last for long.

He said: "I injected heroin on and off between the ages of 14 and 37.
That was broken up by spells in prison and other times when I managed
to get clean.

"I went through periods when I would get more sorted out. I would go
round the doors looking to do people's gardens or cut their grass.

"But the money would still be spent on drugs and I would end up
disappearing during jobs or taking money without doing anything.

"At other times I would get money through breaking into houses. Me and
other guys who were addicts would move around Scotland committing
burglaries. We would drive out and look for isolated places in
Edinburgh, the Borders, Fife and elsewhere.

"Over the years I must have done hundreds of housebreakings. We would
take money, jewellery, electrical goods - anything we could turn
around quickly for cash. I would say we usually got one-third of the
value of anything we stole when we resold it."

He added: "Shoplifting wasn't really my thing but I did that sometimes
as well. I can't really say what I spent every year - you don't think
about it like that - but I suppose it was UKP200 or UKP300 a week.

"But you spend whatever you have. If you make UKP50, you spend it on
drugs, but if you make UKP500 you spend that the same way."

Rob has now been clean for five years after undergoing detox and
counselling from Narcotics Anonymous. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake