Scotland on Sunday has reported that Scottish ministers are planning a significant change in drugs policy in a bid to reduce the number of heroin users in the country.
The newspaper stated that the Scottish Labour Party will shortly unveil a manifesto pledge to take a tougher stance on drugs if they are returned to power in Mays Holyrood election. Planned measures are said to include:
- removing drug users from their own communities in order to attend abstinence-based treatment in other areas.
- a crackdown on health boards which, Labour chiefs claim, are currently forcing heroin users to wait for months for treatment while leaving beds unfilled.
- changing the law to allow routine searching of prison visitors.
- using testimony from former drug users to 'scare' school pupils and prevent them from trying drugs.
The news follows the publication of Professor Neil McKeganeys latest report which calls for an end to the 20-year-old policy of harm reduction.
Critics have suggested that the moves could be counter-productive, forcing more drug users underground - at a time when HIV infection rates are up in Scotland.
David Liddell, of the Scottish Drugs Forum, said: "The risk with abstinence is that if people are without proper support and are pushed too quickly you get a revolving foor where they are off drugs for a while before going back on. We need more light than heat and unfortunately in the run up to an election, you get more heat. "
Source: scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com
Posted: 18th December 2006
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