Drugs disgrace

New Labour had the best of intentions in 1997. It appointed Keith Hellawell, the then Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police, as its first drugs tsar. A zero- tolerance approach would be applied. However, this mantra became shortlived when Ministers liberalised their stance, with the Government accused of giving out mixed messages as it now

tries to ban the drug mephedrone following the deaths of two young people in this region.

The Government's continuing struggle with its own experts is also deflecting attention away from the bigger picture; namely drug addicts cost society 15bn a year, mostly through crime, and that the Home Office does not know whether its 1.2bn anti-drugs strategy is working.

This is indefensible, given the money involved and an indisputable link between crime and drugs. As the authors of this highly-critical report conclude, the misery being inflicted on local communities needs to be stopped. However, this will not happen until officials apply, without failure, the sort of measures that were being put forward by Tony Blair and Mr Hellawell 13 long, and wasted, years ago.

It's a salutary lesson to every politician fighting for election; it will be their responsibility to back up their words with deeds.