AUTHORITIES that refer drug addicts to Weston are still not taking responsibility for their actions according to Weston s MP.

AUTHORITIES that refer drug addicts to Weston are still not taking responsibility for their actions according to Weston's MP.

John Penrose said: "Probation services, health trusts or social services, often fail to inform local agencies that they're sending an addict for treatment in Weston.

"They fail to check the treatment is progressing satisfactorily or take appropriate steps to continue an addict's care when they complete the Weston stage of their recovery."

Now Mr Penrose has asked senior executives from the Government's drug watchdog, the National Treatment Agency, to visit Weston to see the problem for themselves.

He says the agency's National Drugs Strategy, which aims to pull together separate government initiatives on drug misuse, treatment and reducing harm, due to be published next Spring, 'won't deal with the problems here in Weston'.

Mr Penrose added: "The major problem is that addicts are referred to rehabilitation centres in Weston from all over the country and are simply abandoned.

"This situation has to be resolved. We need the people who send addicts to take responsibility for the whole of their care, not just the first couple of steps before abandoning them here.