There is a lot of sense spoken here but it has to be taken from retoric to reality. Mulberry Community Project (Blackpool)(www.mulberycompro.org.uk)is trying to achieve a lot of what is being said here but it finds getting help from the authorities not very easy. Please carry on the fight against what is a tremendous blight on society but also help those who are trying to help you with your aim.

Place a greater responsibility on drug users on benefits to get treatment and back to work.: • Drug users when compelled to undergo compulsory detoxification have a very poor success rate. Maintenance therapy on either Methadone or Subutex long term i.e. years and not months would give a far better success rate with drug addicts realistically being giving the opportunity to “hold down a job” whilst on therapy and stabilized. • .However, they must have the necessary educational qualifications to obtain work in a competitive work place. Increase the use of community sentences with a rehabilitation requirement • Maintenance is far more effective than rehabilitation. • Voluntary rehabilitation is the only effective method. • Is the reason addicts commit crimes because there are not enough Drug Clinics with support workers in the Community? Once they go to prison it is too late. The majority will be compulsorily detoxified in prison with the effect of illicit drug use on the prison wings. • Maintenance therapy should be available on request in prisons. This would maximize harm reduction and reduce the numbers of prisoners who die on release from loss of tolerance. • Individual Governors could put this policy into effect now but as they are not aware of drug maintenance issues very few do.