The programme aims to disrupt the UK's crack network

Reading, Slough and Oxford are among 37 areas across the country where crack use is prevalent.

The government is awarding extra funding and specially tailoring services to deal with addicts.

The plan was announced on Wednesday by drugs minister Bob Ainsworth.

The 37 areas targeted South East: Brent; Brighton and Hove; Camden; Croydon; Hackney; Hammersmith and Fulham; Haringey; Islington; Kensington and Chelsea; Lambeth; Lewisham; Newham; Oxford; Reading; Slough; Southwark; Tower Hamlets; Waltham Forest; Wandsworth; Westminster South West: Bristol; Midlands: Birmingham; Coventry; Derby; Stoke-on-Trent; Nottingham; Sandwell North: Bradford; Leeds; Liverpool; Manchester; Middlesbrough; Rochdale; Salford; Sheffield, Stockport; Trafford

Initiatives include improved treatment programmes, better policing to disrupt supply and increases in the work done to keep young people off the drug.

The government believes the initiative will help both individuals and communities most affected by crack.

Speaking on a visit to a drugs programme centre in west London, Mr Ainsworth said: "The same levels of crack use are not found nationwide.

"People living in the areas we identified already know 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."

Mr Ainsworth said better drug treatment programmes will work alongside police operations to disrupt crack markets.

Areas were selected on a number of criteria, such as the number of crimes linked to crack abuse, amounts of the drug seized, and how many arrested people test positive for it.

The programme forms part of the Home Office Drugs Strategy that was published in December and involves an extra �500m in the budget to tackle drugs by 2005-2006.