IT'S the world's oldest profession and it's on the streets of every town and city in the land.

Prostitution in 2001, however, takes on a worrying new dimension with our report today that at least one woman holding down a responsible day job in a nursing home is plying a trade in sex for cash.

Like many other young women on the streets, drugs play a part -- her addiction was costing her between £20 and £90 a day. And, even though she is having treatment for her addiction, she still needs the money.

Another 25-year-old woman, who works part-time in a shop, touts for business with her younger sister -- again, to feed a costly drugs' habit.

Women "moonlighting" with prostitution is not unknown. But concerns are bound to be voiced about a prostitute with a drug problem working in a nursing home, looking after local elderly people, and where drugs are being used medically.

As this newspaper has reiterated, drugs are the cancer in our community which wreck lives. Our reports over the next few days show just one area where it does its terrible work -- and just why a hard-line is needed over pushers everywhere.