New cross-government unit to tackle drug misuse

The government has announced that a new drugs unit will be set up to help end illegal drug-related illness and deaths.

The Joint Combating Drugs Unit will bring together multiple government departments, including the Department of Health and Social Care, Home Office, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Department for Work and Pensions, Department for Education and Ministry of Justice – to help tackle drugs misuse across society.

There are now an estimated 300,000 opiate or crack users in England, and around one million people using cocaine per year. Drug misuse poisoning deaths are at a record high, having increased by nearly 80 per cent since 2012.

Professor Dame Carol Black has published the second part of her Independent Review of Drugs, which sets out more than 30 recommendations to government to help overcome the harm drugs have caused to individuals, families and communities across the country. The report calls for significant investment in the drug treatment and recovery system so that more people can get the support they need.

The report says there’s an urgent need to reinforce the treatment workforce to raise standards and restore morale, while national leadership needs to be strengthened to reduce supply and help people get off and stay off drugs.

The government says that this responsive joint approach recognises that treatment alone is not enough and wider support, including with housing and employment, is essential to aid recovery.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “When I first commissioned Dame Carol to do this review as Home Secretary, we knew the sale and use of drugs drives serious violence and homelessness but this review shows that the health implications are just as devastating. Tackling this issue requires strong collaboration across government and the new specialist Joint Combating Drugs Unit will help us to do just that.

“I would like to thank Professor Dame Carol for her dedication to this critical work and for producing this accomplished review. We will look closely at these recommendations and publish an initial response shortly on the urgent action we can take to turn the tide on drug-related deaths and get more people access to higher quality services.”

Professor Dame Carol Black said: “Drug deaths are at an all-time high and drug addiction fuels many costly social problems, including homelessness and rising demands on children’s social care. The government faces an unavoidable choice: invest in tackling the problem or keep paying for the consequences. A whole-system approach is needed and this part of my review offers concrete proposals, deliverable within this Parliament, to achieve this.”