Every year, the government was voting more money for drug agencies such as Sedqa, but was not giving any import-ance to what they were achieving, Labour MP Marie-Louise Coleiro-Preca, party spokes-person for social solidarity, said yesterday.

In fact, she added, the opposition had drawn attention to the fact that, although more was being spent on these agencies, the number of their clients was on the decline, contrary to what was happening on the streets.

Ms Coleiro-Preca was commenting on the number of deaths in recent days due to drugs overdoses which, she said, showed that the fight against drug abuse was being lost in spite of the millions being spent on these agencies and authorities that had been set up to combat abuse.

Not only were there more abusers, she said, but more abusers were dying.

Ms Coleiro-Preca said the government boasted about opening care services but was neglecting prevention. It needed to strengthen prevention programmes immediately, starting with those for the young, evaluate the service being given and the results being achieved and involve specialists who can contribute to the work that was required.