The number of people in north Shropshire receiving treatment for heroin addiction has more than doubled in the last three years, the Chronicle can reveal.
The figures were released following a request submitted to Shropshire County PCT under the Freedom of Information Act.
Figures show that in 2005 to 2006, 79 people receiving treatment for drug addiction listed heroin as their primary drug of choice. But by 2008 the figure had risen to 168. Overall the number of people receiving treatment for drug addiction rose from 110 to 176.
The PCT failed to answer a request for how much it cost to treat heroin addiction in north Shropshire, stating it was difficult to separate costs.
The PCT did reveal that the number of needle exchange schemes has increased in the last four years from eight venues in 2004 to 14 venues in 2008, including locations in Ellesmere, Whitchurch and Wem.
A spokesperson from the PCT said national evidence showed the number of people with drug problems remained fairly constant while in Shropshire, a higher proportion of drug users were actively getting treatment than elsewhere in the country. She added the PCT were supporting GPs and developing more needle exchanges.
She said: “We believe it is a positive step that more people in north Shropshire who have drug addiction are coming forward for treatment, which reduces the risk of harm to their families, themselves and to their communities.”
Richard Ewels, spokesperson for West Mercia Police, said there was a clear link between drugs and addicts stealing to supply their habit and it was therefore important that every effort be made to break the cycle with police working with schools and rehabilitation workers to combat the problem.
“Several search warrants were executed in north Shropshire last month during National Tackling Drugs Week. Throughout Shropshire as a whole 15 people were arrested and drugs worth thousands of pounds were recovered,” he added.
Owen Paterson, north Shropshire MP, said the rising figures were not exclusive to the district but were indicative to the current situation in the UK. He said: “These figures are very interesting but also extremely disturbing as they show that north Shropshire is not exempt from the national problem of the breakdown of the family and the damage drugs inevitably have.”
