ABSTRACT
An account of New Labour’s drugs policy can usefully start with the claim made repeatedly by Paul Hayes, Chief Executive of the National Treatment Agency (NTA), that it was only by stressing the link between crime and drugs that increased resources for drugs treatment were levered from the Treasury. It is worth noting also the role played by Tony Blair in these changes. As Prime Minister, he made a personal commitment to the crime and drugs strategy, keeping the issue in the public eye and giving it high priority.
