Pubdate: Sun, 25 Feb 2007
Source: Independent on Sunday (UK)
Copyright: Independent Newspapers (UK) Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.independent.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/208
Author: Marie Woolf, Political Editor
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)

HEROIN ON THE NHS AND A DOCUMENT TOO HOT TO HANDLE

Secret Home Office Brief To Tony Blair And David Blunkett Urges 
Dramatic Steps To Counter Rising Criminality

Some of the proposals are political dynamite, so it is small wonder 
the Home Office briefing paper is marked "restricted".

Its contents dare to say what ministers cannot. On drugs, for 
example, it reports: "There is mounting evidence of the impossibility 
of winning the war against drugs supply." Furthermore, if the 
"Government did succeed in cutting the supply of heroin" the price of 
the street drug would rise, driving addicts to more desperate and 
dangerous criminal acts to pay for their habit.

The warning is alarming, and undermines the policy of targeting drug 
smugglers. Perhaps this is why the report containing this damaging 
analysis has never been published, particularly since its authors 
were the Home Secretary's own policy advisers.

The Home Office strategic policy team's plan to reduce crime contains 
other startling conclusions. One way to reduce drug-fuelled burglary 
and muggings was for the Government to take control of the drugs supply.

The strategists say: "There is a strong argument that prohibition has 
caused or created many of the problems associated with the use or 
misuse of drugs. One option for the future would be to regulate drugs 
differently, through either over-the-counter sales, licensed sales or 
doctor's prescription."

This radical policy recommendation in the Final Report of the Crime 
Reduction Review has not been adopted by Downing Street. But other 
proposals, unthinkable when they were presented to David Blunkett and 
Tony Blair in May 2004, are now very much part of Whitehall policy 
formation. Among them is the suggestion that pure heroin be given to 
hard-core addicts who steal to pay for drugs.

"The Home Office should consider wider rolling out of injectable 
heroin prescription for highly dependent users through the NHS," the 
report says. "A system of controlled availability of drugs would 
allow the Government to exert a much greater degree of influence over 
the way in which substances are used than is currently possible."

Within months of the report, NHS trials were set up in London, 
Brighton and the North-east to test the efficacy of prescribing 
heroin, rather than methadone, to "the most chaotic and dependent users".

The trials end this summer. It is believed that by next year, John 
Reid, the Home Secretary, will have approved a scheme for heroin 
addicts who have failed to respond to other forms of treatment to be 
offered injectable heroin on prescription.

The 100-page blueprint has the immediate aim of helping the 
Government meet its goal to reduce crime by 20 per cent by 2008. But 
it questions one of the Government's flagship schemes, SureStart, 
which was set up by Labour to give poor pre-school children a better 
start in life. The report says "SureStart only reaches a third of the 
poorest young children in the country." It was often used by 
middle-class families from outside the catchment areas, says the 
report. "There are indications that those most in need are not always 
accessing the programme."

The officials do not flinch from damning other crime-fighting 
programmes, including CCTV.

"CCTV was associated with a 41 per cent reduction in crime in car 
parks, but provided little evidence of an effect in other settings," it says.

With some prescience it warns that drugs, peer pressure and desire 
for expensive clothes, including running shoes, was leading to a 
burgeoning gang culture in the UK, particularly among Afro-Caribbean 
boys. It urges the police to work with local communities to stop 
gangs gaining a foothold.

It also cites evidence that children who bully their classmates are 
more likely to end up as thugs. "By taking early action to really 
address the behaviour of bullies, including working with parents, 
schools should tackle anti-social behaviours before they escalate to 
more serious criminality and violence."

Tried And Tested: Prescribe Heroin For 'Chaotic' Users

Proposal

Prescribe pure heroin instead of methadone to "the most chaotic and 
dependent users" who commit crimes to feed their habit. Concludes 
that "wider roll-out" would "reduce drug-related crime" and improve 
the health of addicts.

What Happened

Three trials have been set up by the National Health Service to see 
if giving addicts injectable heroin instead of methadone reduces 
crime and improves their health. Trials end this year and the 
programme is likely to be extended across the country to the most 
dependent users.

Left On The Shelf: Legalise And Regulate All Drugs

Proposal

Legalise and regulate drug use to reduce organised crime and cut out 
the profits made by dealers. The Government should consider 
over-the-counter sales of currently illegal drugs, licensing drug 
retailers or allowing doctors to write prescriptions.

What May Happen

Legalising drug supply has been firmly rejected by the Government 
because it would sanction the use of drugs. The policy of targeting 
drug smugglers and dealers continues, despite the report's warning 
that reducing the drug supply drives up the price and increases crime.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman