A dad-of-one has opened up about his battle with drug addition after becoming the first resident to move into a 'dry-house' in Newcastle.
Gary* said he found himself addicted to heroin at the age of 26, just one week after trying the drug for the first time. He had started taking cannabis at the age of 14, but later started experimenting with other drugs, despite warnings from friends.
Gary, now 43, said: "I had been using cannabis at first, and it was just a weekend thing. It never stopped me from functioning or leading a normal life, holding down a job and things.
