The Tories want methadone to be re-examined

A parliamentary answer by Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm showed that methadone prescriptions rose from 98,131 in 1994 to 360,326 in 2003.

Tory deputy leader Annabel Goldie said the executive should consider whether it was actually helping heroin addicts.

The cost of prescribing the drug has climbed from �600,000 to �4m.

Ms Goldie said she was "shocked and alarmed" by the statistics.

She urged the executive to reconsider whether methadone was the most effective way to help heroin users kick the habit.

Are addicts being given access to effective and immediate rehabilitation treatment? Annabel Goldie Scottish Tory deputy leader

"We now need answers to some crucial questions to assess whether methadone is part of the solution to Scotland's drug problems or whether it is part of a growing problem," she said.

"Firstly, how many methadone addicts are there, secondly, does this treatment work and finally, are addicts being given access to effective and immediate rehabilitation treatment?

"Drugs are the scourge of Scotland, the ruination of lives and communities and the reason for alarming levels of crime.

"Instead of merely attempting to manage the problem under a harm reduction strategy, the executive must change its tack and join us in attacking head-on this modern-day menace."

Stabilising patients on methadone, who may well have completely chaotic and dangerous lifestyles, helps to save lives and to reduce drug-related offending Scottish Executive spokeswoman

A Scottish Executive spokeswoman said the Tories' comments revealed a "lack of understanding" over the use of methadone.

She said: "Methadone is used in many countries to help addicts move from illegal and dangerous street drugs and high-risk injecting practices and its use is supported by very substantial research evidence.

"Stabilising patients on methadone, who may well have completely chaotic and dangerous lifestyles, helps to save lives and to reduce drug-related offending."

The spokeswoman said that there were several treatments available for addicts but there was no single approach that worked for everyone.

"It would be na�ve to believe, for example, that all drug addicts can be permanently cured after a period of residential care, and that the 5,000-plus people on methadone prescriptions in the Glasgow area alone could be accommodated immediately in this way," she said.

'Ludicrous' policy

Alisdair Ramsay, director of Scotland Against Drugs, said it was important to offer heroin addicts more than just the methadone option.

Mr Ramsay said heroin addiction should be approached in the same way as helping smokers kick the habit.

Jim Docherty, a support worker with the Glasgow Gallowgate Family Support Group, said he believed methadone did heroin addicts more harm than good.

"It only works in a tiny minority of cases and it's just a start-up drug and addicts use other drugs on top of it," he said.

"How do you control addicts by giving them drugs? It's ludicrous and is like saying to a smoker don't smoke Benson & Hedges, there's Silk Cut instead.