A lack of rehabilition help means drugs problems are not going away

Kevin Morris, president of the Police Superintendents' Association, told delegates at their conference in Newport, south Wales, that it is Prime Minister Tony Blair who needs to solve the problem, not the police.

Mr Morris has called on the government to "honour" its 1997 election pledge to tackle the causes of crime by boosting spending on drug rehabilitation before addicts are convicted of crimes.

"Do not wait until another victim suffers, do not pass the buck to the police," Mr Morris said.

"Waiting until a drug addict commits a crime is totally unacceptable and waiting for nine weeks for treatment to begin is insane."

"Let us see some targets for others to achieve and, if all this becomes a tabloid headline about wasted money, do something to show that what's being done is effective."

Pressing for more treatment for drug addicts is, in my view, the only long-term solution Supt Kevin Morris

Mr Morris has criticised the shortage of drug rehabilitation treatment, and called for a re-examination of the criteria to get on to drug treatment courses.

"If you look at what's available at the moment to get drug rehabilitation you must commit a crime or be rich enough to pay for it yourself," he said.

"It may not be for everyone but punishing a drug addict and not treating them means that straight after the punishment they are back to where they were before," he said.

"That is not good for crime and it is certainly not good for the victims of our societies.

"Pressing for more treatment for drug addicts is, in my view, the only long-term solution."