Young offenders will attend drug treatment centres

The government's Drug Intervention Programme, which treats drug offenders, will be set up in Barnsley, Dewsbury, Huddersfield, Rotherham and Wakefield.

The scheme is already running in parts of Leeds and Bradford and requires young people to attend drug treatment as part of a community sentence.

The programme is just one in a range of initiatives to tackle drugs problems.

New legislation

Government figures show crime in Bradford has fallen by 33% since the Drug Intervention Programme was launched and by 32% in City and Holbeck, Leeds.

A government spokesman said there would also be a raft of new legislation on drugs including giving police powers to test for drugs when someone is arrested.

Anyone found dealing drugs near a school or using children as couriers face tougher penalties.

"More drug dealers will be put behind bars and drugs taken off the streets through a major campaign against crack houses and drug dens," the spokesman said.

The Drug Intervention Programme is also already up and running in parts of Doncaster, Sheffield, Keighley and Lincolnshire.