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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| 'Phoney' UK drug war criticised | 'Phoney' UK drug war criticised |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The government's battle against UK drug use has been condemned as a "phoney war" in a report by a think tank. | The government's battle against UK drug use has been condemned as a "phoney war" in a report by a think tank. |
| The Centre for Policy Studies document called Labour's £1.5bn-a-year anti-drugs policy an "expensive failure". | The Centre for Policy Studies document called Labour's £1.5bn-a-year anti-drugs policy an "expensive failure". |
| It said the UK's policy of spending most of its drug budget on treatment was less effective than spending more on prevention and enforcement. | It said the UK's policy of spending most of its drug budget on treatment was less effective than spending more on prevention and enforcement. |
| The Home Office said the report "inaccurately portrays the impact of the government's drug strategy". | The Home Office said the report "inaccurately portrays the impact of the government's drug strategy". |
| According to author Kathy Gyngell, spending on methadone increased threefold between 2003 and 2008, as the government switched focus from combating illegal drug use to dealing with addicts. | According to author Kathy Gyngell, spending on methadone increased threefold between 2003 and 2008, as the government switched focus from combating illegal drug use to dealing with addicts. |
| She argued that this "harm-reduction approach" had failed, instead leaving 147,000 people in "state-sponsored" addiction. | She argued that this "harm-reduction approach" had failed, instead leaving 147,000 people in "state-sponsored" addiction. |
| The author also said Class A consumption and "problem drug use" had "risen dramatically" during the past 10 years, with drug use spreading to rural areas and the age of children's initiation into drugs falling. | The author also said Class A consumption and "problem drug use" had "risen dramatically" during the past 10 years, with drug use spreading to rural areas and the age of children's initiation into drugs falling. |
| Labour's War on Drugs has not, despite the rhetoric to the contrary, been fought Kathy GyngellCentre for Policy Studies | Labour's War on Drugs has not, despite the rhetoric to the contrary, been fought Kathy GyngellCentre for Policy Studies |
| The report for the right-wing think tank claims more than 10% of 11-year-olds have taken drugs, while 41% of 15-year-olds had done so. | |
| Turning her attention to the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) , Ms Gyngell said the agency - which was set up in 2006 - had been a "failure" in its bid to tackle the drugs trade in the UK. | Turning her attention to the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) , Ms Gyngell said the agency - which was set up in 2006 - had been a "failure" in its bid to tackle the drugs trade in the UK. |
| The report's author said the UK's drug policy should bear down on the illicit use of all drugs and feature a tougher enforcement programme to reduce the supply of drugs. | The report's author said the UK's drug policy should bear down on the illicit use of all drugs and feature a tougher enforcement programme to reduce the supply of drugs. |
| "Labour's War on Drugs has not, despite the rhetoric to the contrary, been fought. It has been a phoney war - and an expensive failure," she said. | "Labour's War on Drugs has not, despite the rhetoric to the contrary, been fought. It has been a phoney war - and an expensive failure," she said. |
| "While the UK spends the majority of its drug budget on its so-called treatment programmes, both the Netherlands and Sweden spend most of their drugs budget on prevention and enforcement. | "While the UK spends the majority of its drug budget on its so-called treatment programmes, both the Netherlands and Sweden spend most of their drugs budget on prevention and enforcement. |
| Drug seizures | Drug seizures |
| "Their drugs problems are a half and a third of the size of the UK respectively." | "Their drugs problems are a half and a third of the size of the UK respectively." |
| Her comments come just days after Soca said at least 5,000 criminals were now in the sights of the agency after a 75% rise in operations. | Her comments come just days after Soca said at least 5,000 criminals were now in the sights of the agency after a 75% rise in operations. |
| Of the 287 cases that reached court, 266 - or 93% - ended in a conviction, according to the agency's annual report. | Of the 287 cases that reached court, 266 - or 93% - ended in a conviction, according to the agency's annual report. |
| The Home Office rejected the claims made in the think tank's report. | The Home Office rejected the claims made in the think tank's report. |
| A spokesman said overall drug use was at its "lowest level" since measurements began. | A spokesman said overall drug use was at its "lowest level" since measurements began. |
| "Record numbers are entering and staying in treatment and recorded acquisitive crime - to which drug related crime makes a significant contribution - has fallen by 28% since the introduction of the Drug Interventions Programme," he said. | "Record numbers are entering and staying in treatment and recorded acquisitive crime - to which drug related crime makes a significant contribution - has fallen by 28% since the introduction of the Drug Interventions Programme," he said. |
| The spokesman also referred to figures showing that, in 2007/08, police and HM Revenue and Customs made 216,792 seizures of drugs in England and Wales - an increase of 17% since 2006/07 and the highest since records began in 1973. | The spokesman also referred to figures showing that, in 2007/08, police and HM Revenue and Customs made 216,792 seizures of drugs in England and Wales - an increase of 17% since 2006/07 and the highest since records began in 1973. |