Dr Marcus Roberts

Director of Policy and Membership

DrugScope

Social trends in alcohol and drug use

What is DrugScope

The UK’s leading independent centre of expertise on drugs and drug use

The UK’s largest drug sector membership organisation

Now incorporate the London Drug and Alcohol Network (or LDAN)

Drug trend headlines Heroin and crack cocaine most problematic Heroin population growing older/trainspotting Younger people – alcohol, cannabis and cocaine

- poly-drug use New drugs – ketamine, GBL, legal highs Overall illegal drug use has been relatively stable

for the past 10 years Cocaine powder is the exception New market in ‘home grown’ cannabis is

producing a stronger product

Extend of drug useBCS 2009-10 – 16-59 year olds

Ever usedAny drug – 11.8 million (36.4%)

Any Class A drug – 4.9 million (15.0%)

Used in last yearAny drug – 2.8 million (8.6%)

Any Class A drug – 1 million (3.1%)

Used in last monthAny drug – 1.6 million (5%)

Any Class A drug – 0.5 million (1.4%)

NTA – Drug treatment figures

Figure

Number of problem drug users in England (i.e. dependent on heroin or crack cocaine)

320,000

Number of adults in contact with treatment services 206,889

Number of adults effectively engaged in treatment for 12 weeks or more, or if leaving treatment before 12 weeks did so free of dependency

192,367

Number of adults successfully completing treatment free of dependency

23,680

Number of under 18s accessing young people’s substance misuse services

24,053

Alcohol headlines Development of alcohol treatment has

lagged behind treatment for illegal drugs Alcohol as a public health problem Alcohol-related crime and disorder The NHS spends £2.7bn each year to tackle alcohol-

related problems In 2008/09 there were nearly 1,000,000 alcohol-

related hospital admissions Nearly half of all violent assaults are thought to be

alcohol-related.

Policy headlines Links with social exclusion and marginalisation Links with abuse, trauma and mental health Links with crime, disorder and anti-social

behaviour Abstinence and harm reduction Recovery and social re-integration Holism and ‘joined up’ approaches Money, structures and priorities Alcohol – pricing, taxation, licensing laws

Housing and anti-social behaviour Linked to consumption - Immediate impact (e.g. smoking)

- Context of consumption (e.g. noisy parties)

- Resulting from consumption (e.g. intoxication, alcohol related

violence – nb including domestic violence)

Linked to production, distribution and supply - Producing drugs

- Selling drugs

- Production/consumption (e.g. ‘crack houses’)

Possible links to more problematic and long-term use- Rent payment- Property unkeep- Possible crime and offending

Legal issues and responsibilitiesSection 8 Misuse of Drugs Act 1971

A person commits an offence if, being the occupier or

concerned in the management of any premises, he knowingly

permits or suffers any of the following activities:

Production or attempted production of any controlled drug, or Supply or attempted supply of any controlled drug, or Preparing opium for smoking, or Smoking cannabis or prepared opium.

Maximum sentence of 14 years’ imprisonment or a fine or both.

Part 1 Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003‘Premises where drugs used unlawfully’

Police or others have grounds to think

1. Class A drug use, production and supply and

2. Serious nuisance and disorder

After consultation with LA can issue a Closure Notice

restricting access to the building to the owner and to people who

normally stay there.

Then seek a Closure Order from the magistrates court

1. Police authorised to secure premises

2. Anyone attempting to remain on or re-enter the premises without authority faces arrest.

‘The ring-fencing coming off Supporting People has meant any progress we were making in securing supported accommodation for those who need it to facilitate their reintegration and recovery has disappeared. Accommodation problems are the single greatest factor impacting negatively on recovery’.

DrugScope consultation – September 2010

‘When service users leave one part of recovery – say time-limited supported housing – they are often left to their own devices and placed in residual sink estates where the cycle starts all over again’.

DrugScope consultation – September 2010

‘Housing is one of the most significant factors – both temporary and long-term. Until there is enough social housing our clients will always be discriminated against. How can anyone who is sleeping on the streets or “sofa surfing” address substance misuse?’.

DrugScope consultation – September 2010

Marcus Roberts

Director of Policy and Membership

DrugScope

Tel: 020 7529 7556

E-mail: marcusr@drugscope.org.uk

DrugScope website: www.drugscope.org.uk