A DRUG addict's worried mother says experimental treatment involving stomach implants should be introduced to tackle the problem.
The Broadwell woman, who does not want to be named, said she felt the revolutionary treatment developed in Perth, Western Australia, could be a lifeline for people like her 24-year-old son.
"He is off it again at the moment but he has stopped his treatment before. The real problem is that heroin is so easily available – it is terrible, it is everywhere round here."
She said her son was taking the 'heroin-blocker' drug naltrexone but it was notoriously easy for addicts to stop taking medication.
In desperation she had sent her son to stay with his brother in Perth where he learned about the stomach inserts, which deliver a constant supply of naltrexone to the bloodstream for six months. However the effectiveness of the device was not yet fully proven.
But she feels the treatment for on-off victims like her son, who was "very poorly" at the moment, offered a chance where other courses of action failed.
•Gloucestershire Police have just launched a multi-agency initiative to tackle drug abuse and focus attention on its root causes, including a crackdown on dealers.
The Gloucestershire Drug and Alcohol Action team, social services, the probation and prison services and voluntary agencies would all be involved.
Launching Drug Plan 2000 Deputy Chief Constable Tim Brain said: "How we deal with drug issues will have a major impact on the fabric of society in the 21st century.
"The police alone cannot tackle this problem which is why Drug Plan 2000 focuses on an integrated approach."
He added: "We want to concentrate on those communities where drugs cause most harm, ensuring dealers and users are not only prosecuted but also treated for drug dependency, thereby trying to address the root cause."