Drug Rehab Speeds Up Locally

10.49.29am GMT Tue 2nd Mar 2004

There has been a big step forward in the treatment of drug abuse locally. Two years ago drug misusers in the borough had to wait a month before treatment could commence. But Vincent Cable, MP, has been told by the NHS National Treatment Agency that the service has improved and treatment can now begin within a week and a half.

Vincent Cable welcomed the improvements and said: "all the evidence available to us shows that there is a vast saving to society, let alone the drug abuser, from effective rehabilitation. Drug abusers are usually on a fast track to a life of mugging, burglary and prison and the crime issues cannot be dealt with until they are first cured of their addiction."

But Vincent Cable was critical of the fact that comparable priority was not given to people with alcoholism: "although the consequences of alcohol abuse are not as extreme as those of crack cocaine or heroin, much domestic violence and street disorder is attributable to it. Yet the government's services are much more seriously stretched in this area."