DRUG expert Ian Phillips has warned that Preston's pushers are targeting youngsters in their bid to find a new market for heroin.

Mr Phillips, of Lancashire Drug Action Team, also claims dealers are slashing prices in a bid to keep trade.

His comments follow this week's Home Office report which warns of a new generation of young heroin users who have already dabbled with Ecstasy and amphetamines. The study claims children as young as 10 are abusing the lethal drug.

Mr Phillips said this has lead to fears that it may be being taken as a recreational drug.

He added: "The worrying thing at the moment is that there's so much heroin around and dealers have cut prices, making it easier for people to get hold of it.

"More and more people are smoking it, and possibly don't realise how addictive it is, whether you smoke it or inject."

Kath Talboys, of Preston-based Drugline, agreed. She said: "It is a huge leap for someone to skip from taking an Ecstasy tablet to injecting heroin, but to move from smoking cannabis to smoking heroin may not seem so drastic and therefore not so dangerous.

"Heroin is addictive not matter how it's taken."

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