Labour Councillors in Kirkby have perhaps hundreds of addicts in there constituencies, not to mention the massive numbers of people who use drugs recreationally. But what are the Labourites actually doing about it? - well, it seems that far from stopping drugs, New Labour are encouraging a potential new generation of heroin addicts as they go back on promises to tackle the cultivation of opium poppies which are the raw material ,later refined, that makes the heroin which addicts in Kirkby seem so fond of. Much of this heroin, 90% in fact, comes from Afghanistan, another place British Troops led by the USA helped destroy to 'fight terrorism'. We are now informed by customs and police in the UK that in the next few months a glut of cheap Afghanistan heroin is set to hit the streets. This is bad news for a Town like Kirkby already hit hard by heroin addiction.

Another Tony Blair Lie

Afghanistan was bombed after the USA decided that Osama Bin Laden was hiding there. Thousands of civilians have been killed but Osama, whose family has links with the Bush family, escaped, and the ordinary people of Afghanistan had little else to do but grow more poppies to make a living in there decimated war torn Country. Why should an Afghan Farmer who has seen US and UK planes drop bombs on them give a damn if people in the UK become addicted to heroin? Tony Blair told us after the Sept 11 attacks that he would make sure the Afghans would 'not produce for the drugs trade' - the reality is that they have a bumper crop plus all the previous years stored produce, which will see heroin prices come down at a street level. New Labour have not only helped the heroin producers, they've given Kosovo a chance to act as the major player in delivering the product.

The USA, Columbia, Kosovo and Afghanistan - Drug Partners?

The USA spends 700 million a month on military operations in Afghanistan. The USA has spent approx 70 million in 3 years trying to tackle the heroin problem there. Given the USA's ability to happily work with drug cartels in Columbia, and more recently Kosovo (Kosovan's are heavily involved in the heroin drug trade in the UK), it seems that Drug Cartels in Afghanistan have little to worry about. Whilst Kirkby Times isn't big on conspiracy theories, it has to be noted that the Kosovan War allowed the place to become a centre of drug activity for the European market. Kosovan's had a reputation for smuggling, but mafias there were eager to be involved in supplying the European market and could offer safe storage and a network of smugglers and wholesale dealers in the UK. They also used the refugee crisis to take advantage of this. If Afghanistan was a War to fight Terrorism - it begs the question - who is benefiting from the billions in drug revenues? In one War (Kosovo) a massive European safe haven for traffickers is created as the CIA court drug mafias linked with 'freedom fighters'. In Columbia - Right wing paramilitaries work hand in hand with drug cartels. In Afghanistan, the CIA again courted people involved in the drug trade masquerading as freedom fighters - the 'Northern Alliance' rise to power has seen the old poppy farming come back with a vengeance. It's almost as if the USA is creating the very conditions the drug trade needs to prosper. Some would point to the ease in which drug ravaged communities can be controlled by the state. The consequence of the USA involvement in its wars has been to create a free market for drugs. Was that the intent or just an accident?

What it means for Kirkby

Kirkby has hundreds of heroin addicts. Most simply buy from local dealers; many of the small time dealers are addicts themselves making enough to fund their own habit. It's easy to dismiss all heroin addicts as scum etc - but as a local man I would never write off all of the addicts here. These are people we went to school with and people we grew up with. At some point they went off the rails - and we have a responsibility to help them - within reason. Kirkby Times has stated that the best way to tackle the problem initially is to allow addicts to be given pure medicinal heroin under very strict supervision. The addicts would in effect sign a contract agreeing on the strict terms, yet to be decided, under which the heroin would be given. There are already GP's in Liverpool, perhaps Kirkby who prescribe pure heroin to the long term addicts. Kirkby Times hopes that local GP's may speak out on the issue, but whilst under the control of Knowsley Primary Care Trust it seems that speaking out may hinder any GP. This is a shame as we have some decent local GP's who may have words of wisdom to offer us.

Out of the Frying Pan……….

Whilst the Labour Councillors here steer away from anything approaching controversy, the situation gets worse. Whilst we sit back and wait for this new flood of heroin to further decimate the working class towns and estates, the politicians simply fund the addicts through social security payments which fund the local dealers who in turn will be supplied through the chain of supply with this new heroin. Cheaper heroin will create more profits as the addicts will simply buy more heroin if it's cheaper. We already have reports of crack being introduced by giving free samples with heroin - we may now see the reverse happen. A lot of coke dealers will not touch heroin though - even in Kirkby there's still a dirty image as far as heroin is concerned, but in other parts of the UK, and especially amongst the middle classes, heroin is being seen as a recreational drug. Heroin 'chic' will be promoted more as the supply of heroin is now exceeding the European Markets demand. And after the rave scene has died a death and a generation is reeling from the effects of coke and the dodgy 'e' in Liverpool - it may seek refuge in the UK's most persistent and most addictive drug available on a street level.

Give heroin to the Heroin Addicts - break the market.

It is vital that working class communities tackle this problem. If every Heroin addict in Kirkby was given pure heroin, what would the dealers do? Bear in mind most addicts selling heroin do so for their own supply - if they received pure heroin they would not endanger that supply. No addict would risk losing out. Most of the addicts in Kirkby who have OD'd may still be alive today had they been put on medicinal heroin. The crimes which addicts commit would virtually stop overnight, which would free up local Police time by a vast amount. Of course giving heroin to addicts is not the only answer. For some addicts though, it may well be the only solution, but those addicts using pure heroin could easily do a diploma or work down the local shop. Pure heroin is no more harmful than cigarettes if it is administered in a proper manner.

From the Guardian …….

Just to balance the sensible approach of Kirkby Times - here are those mad liberals of the Guardian saying the same thing us working class are saying. ……………

"Heroin, so benign in the hands of doctors, becomes highly dangerous when it is cut by black-market dealers - with paracetamol, drain cleaner, sand, sugar, starch, powdered milk, talcum powder, coffee, brick dust, cement dust, gravy powder, face powder or curry powder. None of these adulterants was ever intended to be injected into human veins. Some of them, such as drain cleaner, are simply toxic and poison their users. Others - sand or brick dust - are carried into tiny capillaries and digital blood vessels where they form clots, cutting off the supply of blood to fingers or toes. Very rapidly, venous gangrene sets in, the tissue starts to die, the fingers or toes go black and then have only one destiny: amputation. Needless suffering - inflicted not by heroin, but by its black-market adulterants.' (End of guardian article)

Note - All the above adulterants mentioned and much more besides have been used in heroin sold on Merseyside and obviously Kirkby. You can read an excellent Guardian article which has more to say about legalising heroin. Many people simply have a knee-jerk reaction to heroin addiction - but the truth is - if given pure heroin these addicts would be as normal as you or me. Heroin is a pretty harmless drug in its pure form, a lot less harmful than paracetamol which is sold openly. As from December 2002 it was announced that Heroin is to be made available on the NHS to all those with a clinical need for it - if any people in Kirkby have been proscribed heroin or use street heroin then please email Kirkby Times with your experiences and what YOU think about the matter.

If you are a parent, partner or friend of a heroin addict in Kirkby - please relate your experiences. Any Councillors who have any views are welcome to relate them - but it's even odds they will not respond. Councillors may also bear in mind there own dismal failures regarding drug problems here in there own Council Wards. It's possible there's more addicts then people who voted for you! - Seriously! It would do Councillors in Knowsley some good to actually walk the streets - hopefully it will be a practice run for when most of them are run out of office. It only takes a few local people to stand in opposition and your careers may well be curtailed. One thing is for certain - being a Labour Councillor nowadays is not the easy ride it was. Jim Keight found that out. If he can go - any of them can. We leave local Councillors with that comforting thought.

Finally - If you're thinking of using heroin - make the most of Kirkby Times whilst you can. In a few weeks/months you'll have likely sold your computer anyway.