Drugs drive goes to Westminster

A PASSIONATE campaigner against the prescription of addictive drugs has hammered home his message at a top-level meeting.

Barry Haslam, chairman of Oldham Tranx, was in London to call for more help for addicts when he met shadow health secretary Andy Burnham.

Barry suffered years of problems when he became addicted to prescribtion drugs.

Since cleaning them out of his system he has fought to reduce the overprescription of addictive medicines.

Barry said: “Andy Burnham’s comments gave full support of just what is needed to tackle this major public health issue.

“There’s a further seminar early next year to keep up the momentum, public awareness and political pressure on behalf of the 1.5 million long-term prescribed addicts of benzodiazepine drugs.”

The seminar was chaired by Mr Burnham and consisted of a panel of clinicians, service users and experts in their respective fields who have direct experience of addiction to prescription drugs and treatment services.

Barry explained: “I am passionate about this issue of involuntary tranquilliser addiction and the fudged cover-up of the Government, the Department of Health, National Treatment Agency for drug misuse, and now Public Health England.

“Between them this decades-old problem of medical negligence has led to the worst national scandal in the history of the NHS.”