A STAGGERING UKP3.5 billion is wasted on Scotland's drug addicts EVERY YEAR, shock new figures revealed last night. Cash pours out of the national coffers to pay for healthcare, policing, court time and looking after addicts' shattered families - as well as wider costs to the economy and society. And with more than 55,000 Scots now hooked on drugs - it works out at more than UKP63,000 per addict. Incredibly, the spiralling bill is equivalent to more than a quarter of the Scottish Government's health spending and nearly THREE TIMES the justice budget. [continues 704 words]
Sir, Decriminalize drugs? Think of a new way to deal with the problem? What shocking suggestions. Imagine the calamity that would befall society if the state ceased its tireless attempt to control what people put into their own bodies. This would mean that people would be forced to be responsible for themselves. We can't have that. Just think of the job loss. The war on drugs creates many important job spin-offs that people who make such preposterous suggestions obviously haven't considered. [continues 168 words]
