A major county-wide plan to tackle drugs and alcohol abuse across York and North Yorkshire was unveiled today.

The ten-point battle plan follows a 'steady increase' in the number of drug addicts in the county, which saw heroin arrests by York police alone rise by 75 per cent last year.

The strategy includes:

Co-ordinators to ensure agencies treating young people with drug problems - police, health authorities, social and probation workers - all work together

More support for GPs willing to work with drug users in the community

Development of a computer database using information from police, courts, social services and other organisations to build up a complete picture of the full extent of drug and alcohol problems across the county

An 'arrest referral' scheme giving people caught by police in possession of small amounts of drugs a once-only chance to opt for treatment rather than punishment through the courts

Child protection training for drug workers

Improved needle exchange service

Day service for drug addicts

Advice and support for employers with drug and alcohol problems in the workplace.

The new plan was officially launched today at the emergency planning centre at Hawkhills, near Easingwold.

Hugo Luck, co-ordinator of both the York and North Yorkshire Drug Action teams, stressed that the county did not compare with Leeds or other urban centres in terms of drugs problems.

But he said: "There is an increase in heroin use in the county and city. It's not just young people, though they are more likely to experiment, it's all ages. There was a 75 per cent increase in heroin arrests in the City of York.

"Obviously York and North Yorkshire do not have the same problems as places like inner-city Leeds or Manchester, but there are people experiencing harm caused by drink and drugs and that needs to be looked at.

"Drug and alcohol misuse is now part of society and we can't keep the ideal that people will just say no. We have to go out and actually do something, which is what we are trying to do here."

Today's report was requested of groups across the country by the Government in an effort to find what regions lacked and to formulate what is being done.

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