Drug related crimes such as burglary and motor vehicle theft have fallen by over a third since 2003 in Nottinghamshire. The Home Office is building on successes such as these by increasing the budget for the local Drug Interventions Programme, which gets drug using offenders into treatment to cut crime, by 1.5 per cent to £4,195,931 this year.
Attended by delegates from across Europe, the "Tackling Drugs - Reducing Crime" conference is an opportunity to share best practice in reducing the harm caused by illegal substances through tough enforcement, education and treatment.
This was one of the first speeches since the Drug Strategy, which details tackling drugs through tougher enforcement, enhanced treatment, education and prevention, was published on 27 February.
Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker said:
"Illegal drugs cause untold misery to users, their families and their communities. That is why we have backed our Drug Strategy with unparalleled investment which has helped to contribute to a 20 per cent fall in drug related crime since 2003.
"However, I have always recognised that drugs remain a complex social problem with no easy answers. It was for this reason that we had such an extensive consultation for the Drug Strategy.
"We tackle drug use through strong enforcement, such as seizing drug dealers' assets on arrest rather than on conviction, complemented by educating young people and their families, and supporting drug users in getting them off drugs and re-integrated back into their communities.
"I welcome the partnership approach of this conference which recognises that we need to pursue a balanced approach of enforcement as well as education and treatment. We need to share best practice and knowledge. If we are to build on our successes in enforcement we need to know how such illegal markets work.
"The effects of the drugs trade are felt across the globe. If we are to respond effectively to it we need to work together, which is why I wholeheartedly endorse the partnership approach of this conference."
