TWO more drug addicts have died from a suspected bad batch of heroin on Teesside.

The news came as a neighbouring police force defended its plans to supply medical-grade heroin to users. 

The deaths on Friday of two 37-year-old drug users, who are believed to have used low-quality heroin, follows on from three other people who died in the Cleveland Police force area throughout February. 

A man was found dead in an address in Newton Walk, Stockton, before police were notified of the death of a woman at an address in central Stockton later that afternoon.

The deaths are not being treated as suspicious, but police are investigating to see if they are linked.

Detective Inspector Jon Tapper said: “Obviously we don’t advocate anyone should buy any type of drugs, but we are aware there are batches of particularly harmful heroin on the streets which are being peddled by dealers as a higher standard than they are and they are putting people’s lives at risk.

“We have now sadly had five deaths in the Cleveland Police area and we continue to work with specialist partner support agencies, so that they can advise users of the dangers of these products, and also to identify the supplier [or suppliers] of these drugs.”

Durham Police has found itself in the national headlines over its proposals for a Heroin-Assisted Treatment (HAT) service, which is aimed at cutting drug- related crime. 

Facing a welter of criticism, Durham’s Police and Crime Commissioner Ron Hogg defended the scheme saying that current drugs policy is not working. 

He said: “We have the highest rates of heroin usage of any country in Europe – and the highest rates of cocaine and ecstasy usage. 

“If you look at drug-induced deaths, we are just under 45 drug-induced deaths per million population in the UK against the EU average of 17. 

“If people are trying to convince me that our current drugs policy is working is delivering, I fail to be convinced because of those facts.” 

Referring to latest two drug-related deaths he added: “Each of these individuals is a tragic case. They have brothers, sisters and parents and we have got to think about the human tragedy as well.” 

Mr Hogg said the HAT service would be targeted at a small number of the 2,000 heroin users in County Durham. Police are working with public health partners on cost options – which could be £15,000 a year for each addict.”

Mr Hogg said : “It’s not just giving heroin to addicts, it is giving heroin to addicts who are part of a treatment programme to get them off heroin.

“And with the purposes of not only making them clean but reducing the crime they commit to feed their addiction.”
Our primary role as a police force is to prevent crime and we believe that we are fulfilling that role by working with these addicts who are prolific offenders.”

Mr Hogg said a trial run in Darlington, London and Brighton showed it reduced crime, got addicts back into recovery quicker reduced blood-born diseases and the number of needles on the street.

David Raynes of the Drug Prevention Alliance said: “It would be wrong for the police to fund the scheme. Why are the police driving this and is appropriate for police funding, voted to them for one purpose ie policing, to be used for providing state heroin? 

“Our drugs policy is not perfect. It’s about containment and what they are suggesting is wrong, because it normalises drug use.”

Simon Stephens of Addictions UK said: “The obvious consequence is that that it will simply draw in more people.

"The message will be you can get free drugs.”