[Margaret Pilkington]

Yes, I think you are right.
But the problem has got to be owned.
From where I am sitting it is NOT owned.
Maybe the answer would be a dedicated force separate from the main body of the police....a force who are only concerned with tackling the problem of drugs and supply of drugs. Maybe some of the customs officers dealing with searching out drugs coming into the country could be mustered....and if it means training and employing more of them....then it has to be done.
(In the not too distant future there may be 39billion quid going spare to deal with such issues)

What is clear to me is that many crimes have their roots in drugs and drug dealing.
Not addressing these issues means that there are more crimes for the police to deal with from domestic burglary to gangs and the murders they commit related to turf wars.

Drugs and the proceeds of drugs funds other crimes too.
So not tackling the cause of these crimes....namely drugs and drug dealing means that the perpetuation of other offences continues unrestricted.