No reduction in drugs use

The government’s outgoing drug tsar Keith Hellawell admitted in
his final annual report last week that drug use in general has
remained steady and has increased among 11 to 15 year olds.

But he added that he was proud of setting up drug action teams,
increasing referrals to treatment programmes, and creating
community-based partnerships.

Hellawell’s three-year contract has not been renewed and the
implementation of the government’s drug policy is now shared among
Home Office ministers.

Home Office minister Beverley Hughes praised Hellawell for
leading “away from dealing mainly with the consequences of drug
misuse to an increased focus on education and prevention, on
treatment and on disruption of the supply chain”.

– Annual report from www.homeoffice.gov.uk/drugs