Pubdate: Thu, 08 Jun 2006 Source: News & Star (UK) Copyright: 2006 News & Star Contact: http://www.news-and-star.co.uk/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/797 Author: Chris Davies Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin) EURO MP BACKS CALL FOR 'HEROIN ON NHS' CUMBRIA -- TMS Liberal Democrat Euro-MP Chris Davies yesterday backed the idea of heroin addicts getting a free NHS supply of the drug. Mr Davies said the medical prescription of heroin could help sever the link between addiction and drug dealers, saving lives and reducing the harm to society from drug-fuelled crime. The Manchester-based North West MEP cited research published in the medical journal The Lancet which claimed this approach had helped achieve an 82 per cent decline in heroin use in the Swiss city of Zurich in 10 years. Doctors there can prescribe addicts with heroin to be injected in clinics up to three times a day. Researchers concluded that this removed 'glamour' from drug use and gave addicts stability and the opportunity to rethink their lives. Mr Davies pointed out that in Britain, more than 50 per cent of burglaries are blamed on addicts who need to steal to fund their addiction. The MEP said: "I've long argued that we must break the link between the criminals who make huge sums of money out of supplying drugs and the people upon whom they prey." "Providing addicts with heroin through the NHS can undermine the criminals." - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman