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Hammersmith and Fulham is among the 37 most affected areas in the country.
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| Thirty seven communities blighted
by crack are to get extra Government help to tackle the problem,
Home Office Minister Bob Ainsworth said. London, Manchester and
Bristol are among the areas to get extra funding and specially tailored
services to deal with crack addicts, to help communities battle
the misery which crack cocaine causes. In London, the most affected areas include Camden, Hackney, Hammersmith & Fulham, Islington, Kensington & Chelsea, Lambeth, Tower Hamlets and Westminster. Announcing the areas, Mr Ainsworth said: "Crack can have a devastating effect on communities and the quality of life for local people. It causes a very particular set of problems and we need specially designed solutions to tackle it - but we can make a difference. "The same levels of crack use are not found nation-wide, and some communities are suffering far more than others. People living in the areas we have identified already know that crack is a problem in their community, and know only too well the crime that crack brings with it. Crack addicts live chaotic lifestyles, they commit crimes and crack houses bring fear and degradation to neighbourhoods. "Through the Government's crack action plan, published in December, we are targeting money and help at the communities which need it most. Specially-designed programmes - including better crack treatment programmes, police work to disrupt crack markets and work to keep young people off crack - will help us turn around the lives of individuals and the communities who are most affected." As part of the updated Drug Strategy, published in December, the Home Secretary announced a major increase in direct annual funding to tackle drugs and the harm they cause to individuals and communities. Funding will increase year on year from £1.026 billion this financial year up to £1.5 billion from April 2005. Mr Ainsworth added: "All drugs are harmful and will remain illegal. The misery caused to communities, families and individuals cannot be under estimated. We are maintaining a sharp focus on class A drugs as these cause the most harm. "We know that money on its own cannot automatically solve problems in an area affected by drugs and crime so we will be working closely with local agencies and the voluntary sector to make the best use of all additional resources which will be made available." The Government's Drug Strategy Web site Latest crime figures |