WhAt thE COUNCil SAYS...
COUNCILLOR Bev Craig, Executive Member for Adults, Health and Wellbeing at Manchester council said: “There has been a recent spike in the visible effects of Spice-taking in parts of the city centre, largely due to a more dangerous strain of this illegal drug being in circulation and the warm weather meaning some users are taking it more openly.
“This is clearly unacceptable and we and our partner organisations will not tolerate it.
“We support the determined efforts of Greater Manchester Police to tackle the evil drug dealers who are profiting from human misery and welcome the fact that there will be extra high visibility patrols to further address this serious issue and provide public reassurance.
“This is in addition to the extensive outreach work which our rough sleeper team do, including joint outreach work with our commissioned drugs and alcohol services.
“This work is helping people off the streets and providing advice and treatment to help those who are on Spice to get off it or reduce their risk - although it can be extremely challenging to get those in its grip to engage with services.
“We are also commissioning extra voluntary sector support to provide further care and support for those at risk from, or suffering from the effects of, Spice.
“The amount of temporary and emergency supported accommodation has been considerably increased in the last few years and we are also putting an increased emphasis on prevention work to stop people becoming homeless in the first place.
“Lives are being turned around through structured support but against a challenging backdrop where the impacts of austerity have seen a nationwide increase in homelessness - it remains a complex picture which needs a concerted national as well as local response.
“But while there are rough sleepers who are taking Spice, it would be wrong to suggest the issue is limited to them - a significant proportion of those taking it are not rough sleepers or even necessarily homeless, including some who are based outside Manchester and travelling in.
“This only serves to highlight that people who want to help should give to the Big Change Manchester campaign, which is working with more than 30 charities who directly help people who are homeless get their lives back on track, rather than to people who are begging.
“However good their intentions, people should be under no illusion that there’s a strong chance that cash given to beggars will end up in the pockets of drugs dealers who prey on vulnerable people and wreck lives - sustaining rather than solving problems.
“We all have a part to play in making sure that does not happen.
“While we will always work to support those vulnerable people, we are also working alongside police colleagues to ensure that where begging causing serious nuisance this is stopped through the use of civil injunctions and criminal behaviour orders.”