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Drugs policy inquiry

Inquiry

Terms of Reference

The Committee sought written submissions on the health consequences of illicit drugs policy including on:

Health and harms:  

  • What is the extent of health harms resulting from drug use? 

Prevention and early intervention:  

  • What are the reasons for both the initial and the continued, sustained use of drugs? This refers to the wide spectrum of use, from high-risk use to the normalisation of recreational use. 
  • How effective and evidence-based are strategies for prevention and early intervention in managing and countering the drivers of use? This includes whether a whole-system approach is taken. 

Treatment and harm reduction:  

  • How effective and evidence-based is treatment provision? This refers to both healthcare services and wider agencies, and the extent to which joined-up care pathways operate. 
  • Is policy is sufficiently geared towards treatment? This includes the extent to which health is prioritised, in the context of the Government’s criminal justice-led approach. 

Best practice: 

  • What would a high-quality, evidence-based response to drugs look like? 
  • What responses to drugs internationally stand out as particularly innovative and / or relevant, and what evidence is there of impact in these cases? 

Reports, special reports and government responses

View all reports and responses
1st Report - Drugs policy
Inquiry Drugs policy inquiry
HC 143
Report

Oral evidence transcripts

View all oral evidence transcripts
2 July 2019
Inquiry Drugs policy inquiry
Witnesses Jason Harwin, Deputy Chief Constable, National Police Chief Council, Dr Wojciech Spyt, Detective Sergeant, Thames Valley Police, Hardyal Dhindsa, Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, Stephanie Kilili, Policy Advisor, Office of the Durham Police, Crime and Victims’ CommissionerMark Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, User Voice, Emily Giles, Policy and Communications Coordinator, ADFAM, Kerrie Hudson, Operational Lead, The Well
Oral Evidence
11 June 2019
Inquiry Drugs policy inquiry
Witnesses Josie Smith, Head of Substance Misuse Programme, Public Health Wales, Yusef Azad, Director of Strategy, National AIDS Trust, Matthew Hickman, Professor in Public Health and Epidemiology, University of BristolDanny Hames, Chair, NHS Substance Misuse Providers Alliance, Peter Yarwood, Chief Executive Officer, Red Rose Recovery & Lancashire User Forum, Professor Sir John Strang, Head of the Addictions Department, Kings College London, Dr Arun Dhandayudham, Joint CEO and Medical Director, Westminster Drugs Project
Oral Evidence
7 May 2019
Inquiry Drugs policy inquiry
Witnesses Mark Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, User Voice, Professor Susanne MacGregor, Honorary Professor of Social Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Professor Tim Millar, Professor of Substance Use and Addictions, University of ManchesterKaren Biggs, Chair, Collective Voice, Boris Pomroy, Chief Executive, Mentor, Professor Harry Sumnall, Professor in Substance Use, Liverpool John Moores University, Mike Flanagan, Consultant Nurse and Clinical Lead, Drug and Alcohol Services, Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation TrustKirstie Douse, Head of Legal Services, Release, Adrian Crossley, Head of Addiction, Centre for Social Justice
Oral Evidence
Harm Reduction Group (DRP0074)
Thames Valley Police (DRP0073)
Harm Reduction Group (DRP0072)

Other publications

No other publications published.

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  • Email: hsccom@parliament.uk
  • Phone: (general enquiries) 020 7219 6182 | 020 7219 6832 (media enquiries)
  • Address: Health and Social Care Committee, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA