THE "unacceptable" shortage of rehabilitation places for drug addicts in Worcestershire would end under a Conservative Government, the party said yesterday.
Mid-Worcestershire MP Peter Luff welcomed shadow Home Secretary David Davis's announcement that rehab places would increase ten-fold under the Tories.
And Mr Luff said the threat of jail for addicts who fail rehab would help beat the scourge of heroin in places like Evesham, Droitwich and Worcester.
"Under the next Conservative Government addicts will face a choice - rehabilitation, or the criminal justice system," Mr Davis told the Conservative Party conference.
"Residential rehabilitation is not a soft option. It will be under court supervision - and failure will mean prison.
"This has worked in America, and with the right powers, it can work here too. The public is protected. The addict is encouraged to go straight - and stay straight."
Mr Luff said his experience with drug addicts in Worcestershire convinced
him of the need for more rehab places.
"I have had a lot of heroin addicts in my constituency who have not been able to get rehab," he said.
"In places like Evesham, Droitwich and Worcester, there's a huge problem.
"I knew a young man who was suitable for rehab, wanted rehab but couldn't get it and had to carry on buying heroin until a place came up. That's totally unacceptable."
Mr Davis also announced plans to carry out random drug-testing at every school in a bid to stamp out drug use at an early age.
"There is no point ducking this," Mr Luff said.
"I just don't think that people properly understand just how big a drug problem we have in Worcestershire," he added.
Later, shadow defence secretary Nicholas Soames repeated his pledge to
retain single-unit battalions, such as the Worcester and Sherwood Foresters
which faces the axe under Ministry of Defence proposals.
The Tories are committed to increasing spending on frontline defence by £2.7
billion over the next three years after making efficiency savings elsewhere.
Mr Soames told the conference yesterday: "As a result of this settlement we
will retain the infantry regiments that Labour propose to do away with, thus
ensuring that we will have enough boots on the ground to meet our demanding
commitments."
By Daniel Bentley
THE "unacceptable" shortage of rehabilitation places for drug addicts in
Worcestershire will end under a Conservative government, the party said
yesterday (wed).
Mid-Worcestershire MP Peter Luff welcomed shadow home secretary David
Davis's announcement that rehab places would increase ten-fold under the
Tories.
And Mr Luff said the threat of jail for addicts who fail rehab would help
beat the scourge of heroin in places like Evesham, Droitwich and Worcester.
"Under the next Conservative government addicts will face a choice -
rehabilitation, or the criminal justice system," Mr Davis told the
Conservative Party conference in Bournemouth.
"Residential rehabilitation is not a soft option. It will be under court
supervision - and failure will mean prison.
"This has worked in America, and with the right powers, it can work here
too. The public is protected. The addict is encouraged to go straight - and
stay straight."
Mr Luff said his experience with drug addicts in Worcestershire convinced
him of the need for more rehab places.
"I have had a lot of heroin addicts in my constituency who have not been
able to get rehab," he said.
"In places like Evesham, Droitwich ad Worcester there's a huge problem. I
knew a young man who was suitable for rehab, wanted rehab but couldn't get
it and had to carry on buying heroin until a place came up. That's totally
unacceptable."
Mr Davis also announced plans to carry out random drug-testing at every
school in a bid to stamp out drug use at an early age.
"There is no point ducking this," Mr Luff said. "Drug abuse is a problem in
our schools. One of the major themes of the conference is the need to
improve discipline in schools and drugs are a major factor.
"I don't think people understand just how big a drug problem we have in
Worcestershire," he added.
Later, shadow defence secretary Nicholas Soames repeated his pledge to
retain single-unit battalions, such as the Worcester and Sherwood Foresters
which faces the axe under Ministry of Defence proposals.
The Tories are committed to increasing spending on frontline defence by £2.7
billion over the next three years after making efficiency savings elsewhere.
Mr Soames told the conference yesterday: "As a result of this settlement we
will retain the infantry regiments that Labour propose to do away with, thus
ensuring that we will have enough boots on the ground to meet our demanding
commitments."
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