The government is accused of ignoring the drug problem

Former drugs tsar Keith Hellawell says ministers are "closing their eyes" to a problem that caused pain across all parts of society.

The Home Office rebuffed the claim, saying recorded drug offences were down in the quarter to June 2004.

However, the Conservatives say "complacency" over the spread of hard drugs had contributed to gun crime.

'Off the radar'

Mr Hellawell, who quit his role in July 2002 over plans to downgrade cannabis, said: "What we are seeing is that drugs have gone off the radar of the Labour government.

"Labour came in 1997 with this [drug abuse] as part of their manifesto.

"Now you never hear anything about it. It is as if they are turning their back on it, closing their eyes to it, believing that perhaps it will go away, but it doesn't."

Unless society and unless government actually gives a much stronger message ... this sort of thing is just going to spread Keith Hellawell

Mr Hellawell said drugs caused pain and damage "right across the spectrum of our society" but ministers were pushing the issue "into the long grass".

He told the BBC's Today programme that drug dealers were deliberately targeting children under the age of criminal responsibility who could not be prosecuted.

"Unless society and unless government actually gives a much stronger message than it's doing at the moment about drugs then this sort of thing is just going to spread."

'Complacency and confusion'

Shadow home secretary David Davis said: "Drugs are not on the radar for this government.

"Their complacency and confusion over the growth in hard drug use has been a direct contributor to the dramatic increase in gun crime and other violent crime."

A Home Office spokeswoman said: "The number of recorded drug offences decreased 2% in the quarter to June 04 compared with the quarter ending June 03.

"The government is tackling drugs by strengthening policing to better disrupt local drug markets and reduce use of drugs.

"Intelligence-led targeting of local drug markets is beginning to produce results."

She added that new powers to close crack houses were "being used to good effect".