[News] Drug addicts could lose benefits
Drug addicts who refuse to accept treatment will lose their state
benefits for up to six months, under new measures announced on
Wednesday.
The plans, part of the Home Office's wider drugs strategy, have
been denounced by critics, who labelled them flimsy and unlikely
to achieve any real change.
Unveiling the 10 year-strategy, "Drugs: protecting families and
communities", on today, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said almost
one billion pounds would be invested to help tackle drug-related
crime and social problems.
Along with threatening cuts to benefits payments, other proposals
include:
* New laws to allow seizure of drug dealers' assets on arrest
rather than conviction.
* Encouraging grandparents to help care for children of
drug-addicted parents.
* More and better drug education for primary students.
* A crackdown on international drug trafficking and money
laundering.
"We do not think it is right for the taxpayer to help sustain drug
habits when individuals could be getting treatment to overcome
barriers to employment," the strategy document said.
"In return for benefit payments, claimants will have a
responsibility to move successfully through treatment and into
employment."
Critics noted the plans only "encourage" drug users to seek
treatment.
Latest figures show illegal use of class A drugs alone costs
taxpayers more than ￡15bn annually.
The government claims drug use has fallen to an 11-year low and
that drug-related crime is down by a fifth, but opposition parties
claim crime has increased by almost half.
"Labour's failure to tackle drugs has led to an increase in drug
crime by 43 per cent ... and left us with the worst problem of
drug use in Europe," shadow Home Secretary David Davis said in a
statement.
Drug campaigners said the plans could create further problems and
higher bills to the taxpayer through increased health and crime
costs. If benefits are withdrawn, they say, addicts will simply
steal to maintain their supply.
Police have welcomed the plans.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/drug-addicts-could-lose-benefits-788298.html
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