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 12 May 2008 23:47 BST

NHS 'should provide heroin' to criminals

Wednesday, 22 Nov 2006 13:52
A Heroin substitute could be prescribed on the NHS
One of Britain's most senior police officers has today told colleagues that drug-addicted criminals should be given heroin on the NHS to cut crime.

Howard Roberts, Nottinghamshire police's deputy chief constable, made his comments, which he emphasised were his own personal views, at an Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) conference in Manchester.

He said that although the treatment would come at a cost, it would save far more in terms of preventing the crime caused by "drug-fuelled addicts".

"We should actively consider prescribing diamorphine, pharmaceutical heroin, to those seriously addicted to heroin as part of a treatment programme for addiction," he said.

"My motives for making such a statement are frankly this - there is an undeniable link between addicted offenders and appalling levels of criminality, as heroin and crack cocaine addicts commit crime from burglary to robbery to sometimes murder, to get the money to buy drugs to satisfy their addiction. The resulting misery to society is huge."

He added: "At the moment across the country we see levels of burglary, robbery and murder being committed by drug-fuelled addicts who are doing so in order to get the money to buy the drugs."

Mr Roberts said that the offenders would be treated in "closely supervised treatment programmes" and claimed that results of pilots in London, the south-east and north of England were positive.

The trial, which is being conducted by the Home Office and Department of Health, sees between 300 and 400 heroin users provided with the drug under controlled conditions.

Mr Roberts claims that spending £12,000 a year on each addict's treatment would save the equivalent of £45,000 per offender each year in terms of property.

The drugs charity Drugscope welcomed the police officer's views, insisting it could have "immediate health benefits" for drug users.

"We support calls for the extension of heroin prescribing, which for some problem drug users can be an extremely effective form of drug treatment," chief executive Martin Barnes said.End of story

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