DRUG workers today responded to claims that addicts were facing long delays for vital treatment by declaring "We have cleared the waiting times."

Jerry Stokes, manager of the East Lancashire Drug Service (ELDS), spoke out after Burnley MP Peter Pike called for action to cut waiting times for treatment in the district.

The Labour MP said he was alarmed that there were often delays of several months before addicts could be admitted to clinics - even though the area was far from the worst in the country.

But Mr Stokes said today that waiting times had been cleared and there was currently no wait for treatment.

He said 1,200 drug addicts were currently receiving treatment across East Lancashire with a 50/50 split between the two areas - Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale and Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley. Mr Stokes said: "There is currently no waiting time for the two routes into the treatment cycle.

"They are via our shared care scheme which involves GPs and via direct treatment to us.

"There were some delays for treatment during the last financial year because of the sheer number of people wanting to be treated. But we have managed to clear those waits."

His comments came as Cabinet "Enforcer" Jack Cunningham and UK anti drugs co-ordinator Keith Hellawell announced a Government shift towards a greater emphasis on treating hard drug users.

They are to step up prevention and treatment of drug use while concentrating police and customs action on reducing the growing availability of hard drugs.

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