Salvation Army's war on drugs

Drug addicts will have to kick the habit

The Salvation Army has launched its first addictions unit to try and fight Scotland's growing drugs problem.

The project, which will be based in Glasgow, follows two successful pilot schemes in Bristol and London.

Drug rehabilitation has been unchartered territory for the Salvation Army until now.

Although many of the charity's homeless clients are addicts, it has steered clear from giving them anything other than a friendly shoulder to lean on.

The Salvation Army piloted the scheme in England

The organisation only decided to introduce something permanent after the two pilot drug support projects in England proved so successful.

The new addictions unit in Glasgow has room for nine addicts.

Those taking part in the scheme will be allowed to continue with their methadone programmes.

However, the charity's way of getting them to kick the habit is more holistic - relying on individual willpower and group therapy.

Every few days, the addicts will be tested to see if they are still using drugs.

New research

If anyone fails that test they will have to quit the programme.

Once they are clean the addicts can, if they want, be rehoused in Glasgow.

The launch of the project comes only days after new research suggested Inverclyde is the new drugs capital of Scotland.

Figures released on Monday by the Inverclyde Forum About Drugs suggested that the area has the highest proportion of heroin users in the country.

Reduce deaths

Nearly five people in every 1,000 in the area are registered as drug addicts, with Glasgow coming second in the league table with four people in every 1,000.

In December, ministers pledged to reduce the number of drugs deaths by a quarter over the next three years.

The Scottish Executive announced new targets so it could measure whether its policies were working.

They are aimed at radically cutting the number of drugs-related deaths, increasing the number of dealers arrested and improving services designed to help users kick the habit.