The elephant in the room

[steveL]

Yet another revelation putting Hartlepool at the wrong end of the league as we are told that Hartlepool has 3 times the national average of hard drug users. Six users per 1000 is the average - we manage 18.

This is the elephant in the room that is behind a large proportion of all crime and anti-social behaviour yet how little we hear about it.

[Jamescampbell78]

Where has that statistic come from?

[steveL]

Public Health England. The Mail are covering the same report but has chosen to concentrate on the alcohol side which is equally depressing.

http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/health/local-health/hartlepool-among-worst-in-country-for-alcohol-problems-with-hundreds-of-drinkers-ending-up-in-hospital-1-6587138

[not4me]

Anyone wishing to study alcohol abuse and binge drinking should pay a visit to The Jackson's after the monthly council meeting where the best of Labour's purple, bloodshot faces are regularly on display for all to see.

[Pwilson]

Things like this I struggle to blame politicians for directly as its a symptom of a much deeper social malaise.

I wonder if any of the current Labour councillors actually understand that to fix these things you don't need to ban drugs or booze and you don't need to fund drug treatment. You need to provide a future for people and give their lives purpose.