Impact of scheme to cut drug-related crime "not known"

"The Home Office does not know if a £1.2 bn-a-year scheme to tackle problem drug users reduced the costs of associated crime, MPs say.

The committee said there were 330,000 problem users of heroin and crack cocaine who cost society £15bn a year, with crime accounting for £13.9bn of that figure. However, the committee said in its report: "The government spends £1.2bn a year on measures aimed at tackling problem drug use, yet does not know what overall effect this spending is having." BBC News Website, April 2010