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i.e. 1 p.p.m., costs per head for dental treatment are substantially
lower.
Purely from the medical angle, a corresponding deterioration in
dental health has been noted in an area where fluoridation was
previously introduced but is now withheld.
As far as this Borough is concerned the position remains static.
Fluoridation has the support of this Council but the Metropolitan
Water Board is persisting in its policy of not introducing fluoridation
until there is unanimity among the local health authorities. In
the meantime, a great deal of preventable dental caries will continue
to afflict the young, the conservative treatment of which
will prove to be extremely expensive in money, manpower and
personal inconvenience.
Drug Addiction
Drugs which alter the chemistry of the body in such a way that
physical withdrawal symptoms are visible are termed "addictive".
There are, of course, other drugs which, although not falling within
this category, nevertheless can be habit forming and on which a
dependence can be created.
As a public health problem, that of "drug addiction" has been
too long neglected and society's reluctance to face it has resulted
in a "contagion-like" spread bringing much misery, sickness and,
in some instances, even death.
In England, the point has been reached where some concerted
action for its control is imperative for, besides being a drain on
the economy, any further extension has within it a threat to the
structure of society.
Although, statistically, the drug scene does not appear to be
serious, it is however, deteriorating at an ever increasing rate. In
1964, addicts to dangerous drugs numbered 753 and by 1967 this
figure had risen to 1,729; during this period heroin addicts
increased from 521 to 1,299. By the end of 1968 and under the new
regulations some 2,624 first notifications had been received of
which 2,096 related to heroin addicts, of whom 1,024 had not
previously come to notice. From 1964 to 1968 numbers of young
people under the age of 20 years known to be addicted to heroin
rose from 40 to 785.
Government measures restricting prescription of heroin to
specially licensed doctors has doubtless forced many undetected
addicts to seek treatment and this is probably one reason for the
sharp increase in notified cases.
Dependence on heroin and cocaine in England, at present has its
peak incidence under the age of 25 years with a ratio of five males