The scale of the illegal drug trade in the UK is immense. Last year, the first part of an independent study of the drug trade found the UK market worth an estimated £9,4 billion a year – with the industry's health, social and criminal damage to society estimated at £19. billion per year.
This study was conducted by Dame Carol Black, a physician and researcher who was previously the government's national director for health and work. Its first report revealed that by 2020, approximately 3 million people will be illegal drugs used in England and Wales. These numbers are staggering, especially when you consider that drug-related deaths in England and Wales have risen to record levels over the past eight years.
The second part of the review, which has just been published, makes some recommendations on how the government can best tackle the UK's drug problems. Black makes a total of 32 recommendations, covering all aspects of drug policy, from preventing drug problems to evaluating the effectiveness of treatments.
Recommendations that Minister Grapperhaus and other European ministers of justice and security can also use to take a critical look at the controversial and much-discussed war on drugs.
Some of the key recommendations are:
- Disinformation is dangerous. Facts and expertise are important.
- Establishing a "drug unit" that would bring leadership and responsibility for drug policy, prevention and treatment into one central government department.
- Providing funding for peer mentors in job centers to encourage drug addicts to access employment support.
- Creating a fund to investigate which measures work best to change the behavior of recreational drug users.
- Providing money to local authorities for drug services to ensure that resources are given to those who need them.
Do not treat problem drug use as criminal activity
Given the size of the drug trade in the UK and the number of people using illicit drugs, it is clear that there is a need for investment and reform. But in order for these changes to happen, one of Black's biggest recommendations is to stop treating problem drug use as a criminal activity.
Instead, problem drug use should be approached in the same way as other chronic health problems, such as diabetes or cancer. Treating drug addiction like other health problems would mean helping patients get help from trained health professionals — such as nurses, social workers, and psychiatrists — rather than employees and volunteers who are sometimes untrained.
But treating drug problems has not been a priority for the UK government for years - with spending and budgets on services and treatments having been greatly reduced. This has not been helped by the fact that many still view drug addiction as a personal choice. But this is not always true, because many different experiences – such as trauma – can lead to a person developing problems with drugs. This shows that drug problems are in many cases intertwined with health and psychological problems.
Research shows that the stigma of drug use as a criminal issue – rather than a health issue – can deter people from seeking treatment. In some cases, this delay can be fatal, as treatment is an effective way to reduce drug-related deaths. Timely treatment can also reduce the spread of infections such as HIV and hepatitis by providing sterile needles and syringes to those injecting drugs.
Less money for drug research
Viewing drug use as a criminal issue also means that less money is invested in research into looking at effective treatments for these problems. Traditionally, investments have been made in research into the link between drugs and crime. Investing in research that examines the health aspects of problem drug use can lead to positive outcomes, such as finding targeted interventions that can minimize harm.
Labeling drug use as a criminal problem has also freed up money for treatments primarily aimed at reducing criminal activity related to drug addiction. As such, many treatment services have inadvertently become 'opiate-focused', as they primarily support those with heroin-related problems related to crime. This was again driven by policies and a focus on resources that aim to reduce crime, but do not reflect the range of drug problems people present with.
But with the increasing use of other drugs – including cocaine and cannabis – a growing number of people are signing up to services with problems other than heroin. By investing almost exclusively in support and treatment for people with opiate problems, people who have problems with other drugs may not get the help they need. Investing in research to develop evidence-based treatments for all drug problems is urgent.
War on drugs versus public health
Perhaps the most pressing need to move drug policy to health services is the record number of drug-related deaths. Improving access to and quality of treatment not only helps keep more people in treatment, it also reduces the likelihood of relapse and ultimately reduces drug-related deaths. But until now, policymakers have ignored this advice about reducing preventable deaths. Providing services to people outside of treatment – such as access to housing and employment – can also help people break the cycle of problem drug use.
It is no coincidence that since cuts to treatment services were imposed ten years ago, drug deaths have started to rise and hit a new record. If attitudes towards drug problems change and more is invested in developing more effective treatments, more people may be able to recover successfully.
Read more theconversation.com (Source, EN)
