Scottish Drugs Forum
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11 September 2003
Scottish Executive plans to give police “closure notice” powers to curb anti-social behaviour could harm vital drug work in the community and lead to more drug-related harm, according to Scottish Drugs Forum.
Current proposals for the Anti-Social Behaviour Bill, which would give police “clear power” to close premises where drug-dealing or other anti-social behaviour takes place, could also render drug workers liable to prosecution unless adequate safeguards are built in to the legislation, SDF has warned.
“The consultation paper which forms the basis of the proposed Bill gives us considerable cause for concern as far as frontline services are concerned,” said David Liddell, Director of Scottish Drugs Forum.
“Any new legislation will require to differentiate between premises which are used as bases for drug dealing and those where legitimate work with problem drug users takes place.
“The danger, otherwise, is that bona-fide services essential to help drug users could face closure – and that staff working at these premises could be vulnerable to prosecution.
“Statistics showing the highest number of drug-related deaths ever recorded in Scotland have just been published. Clear protocols and sensible agreements between the police and frontline agencies must be put in place to ensure that vital harm reduction work is allowed to continue and the interests of drug workers are safeguarded,” he said.
Earlier this year, The Home Office announced draft proposals in its Anti-Social Behaviour Bill to exempt certain types of premises, such as hostels providing treatment or housing, from similar police powers in England and Wales.
SDF has also highlighted concern that some other proposals within the consultation paper could cause even further stress to vulnerable families whose so-called “anti-social behaviour” has resulted from their existing inability to deal with the pressures of poverty, deprivation and family breakdown.
Measures such as parenting orders and anti-social behaviour orders for the under-16s fail to take account of the multiple difficulties faced by drug-using parents, their children and the parents drug users.
“The narrow focus of the consultation paper fails to address the more complex underlying causes of anti-social behaviour. As such, there is a real danger that the measures proposed here will undermine the considerable effort and effective investment being made by the Scottish Executive - quietly and systematically, away from the headlines – into tackling Scotland’s social inequalities, “ said David Liddell.
“An estimated 40,000 - 50,000 children in Scotland are living in households where there is a drug problem. Resources would be far better concentrated on supporting families with drug problems by providing drug-using parents with support to fulfil their parenting role and care for their children effectively.”