Teesside tops for drug addicts in treatment

MORE drug addicts are being treated for their habit on Teesside, than in other parts of Britain. Research shows 82 per cent of users seeking help for their addiction in the area have been in treatment for six months or more - 22 per cent higher than the national average. A spokesman for Teesside's four primary care trusts said today that there is a high level of drug users in treatment and a history of agencies working successfully in partnership. Another finding is that drug-related deaths are no higher on Teesside than other areas with similar levels of deprivation and high drug misuse. Most drug-related deaths are users not under the care of drug treatment services and occur among those who combine different drugs or mix them with alcohol, as a 'cocktail'. Work continues between the NHS, police, the prison service, probation service and councils to reduce drug-related deaths on Teesside. Professor Peter Kelly, executive director for public health on Teesside, said: "Every drug-related death is a tragedy for all involved. This work highlights the risks associated with substance abuse and makes recommendations to improve the already very good local services further. "Above all, I hope we can learn from this work to reduce the number of tragically early deaths due to drug abuse in our community." Ads by Google Call Thailand – 1.1p/min Cheap Calls to Thailand – Try a Free Test Call Today! Localphone.com/Thailand Isle Of Wight Holidays Ferry Inclusive Deals Available. Accommodation, Caravan & Camping www.wight-holidays.com Dr Helen Park, the specialist registrar in public health who conducted the work, commented: "It is good to see that local services for those who misuse drugs are of very high quality. "Through these services we hope to further reduce the damaging effects of drug misuse - on the individual and their families but also on our communities here in the Tees area. "It is important that the drug misusers understand the potentially fatal consequences of combining drugs and alcohol, even in very small quantities, and also see the benefit of accessing the excellent services available."