| Subject |
BMA propose the use of Afghan poppies to address UK diamorphine
shortage
|
| Ref |
PR/07-102 |
| Date |
Friday 26th January
2007 |
Leading doctors say Afghanistan's opium-poppy harvest should be
used to tackle an NHS shortage of diamorphine.
The British Medical Association says using the poppy fields in
this way, rather than destroying them, would help Afghans and NHS
patients.
Tobias Ellwood very much welcomes the BMA's announcement of support
for poppy growth in Afghanistan as a way to "firstly, assist
Afghans in making a living and secondly, to help relieve the shortage
of diamorphine in the UK."
Tobias said:
"I have called for some time for Britain - who is responsible
for counter narcotic in Afghanistan (as agreed by the G8 summit
in 2004) - to support the proposal of allowing Afghan's to legitimately
grow poppy crops with a view to supporting local economy, denying
terrorists groups a source of income and help relieve the world
shortage of opiates such as codine and diamorphine.
"Britain with responsibility for dealing with narcotics is
in an ideal situation to manage a pilot licensing scheme similar
to programmes launched in Turkey and Thailand which have removed
the large scale illegal export of heroin and now raises over $60m
a year from the sale of poppies for medicinal purposes."
Tobias will be speaking on this issue during the Defence Debate
this Thursday.
NOTES:
1. Almost half the world's heroin now comes from Helmand province
where British troops are based.
2. Dr Jonathan Fielden, a consultant in anaesthesia and intensive
care medicine in Reading, said: "Unfortunately over the last
year in particular, the availability of diamorphine has dramatically
reduced.
|
