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With You responds to the Home Affairs Committee’s latest report on drugs

31 August 2023

Today (Thursday, 31 August), the House of Commons’ Home Affairs Committee published a paper on drugs (third report of session 2022–23).

This report calls for a public health response to drugs, with key recommendations including:

  • The provision of UK Government funding throughout the lifespan of the 10-Year Drugs Strategy in three year cycles
  • The creation of a cross-departmental action plan to tackle stigma, to include engagement with people with lived experience of drugs and stakeholders in the drug treatment and recovery sector
  • The creation of a national naloxone programme in England to bring it in line with the devolved nations

Robin Pollard, Head of Policy at With You, says: “With drug deaths at record levels across the UK, With You welcomes today's report from the Home Affairs Committee, which calls for a public health approach to drugs, and for greater investment in harm reduction and treatment services.

“We are pleased to see the Committee including many of our - and our treatment sector partners - recommendations in its report. This includes recommending the UK Government provide sustainable, long-term funding for the duration of the 10 year drugs strategy, ring-fenced drug and alcohol treatment spending allocated under the public health grant, and a cross-departmental action plan to tackle stigma.

“We also welcome the report’s strong focus on harm reduction rather than punishing people who use drugs, from reforming the Misuse of Drugs Act, to expanding the use of diversion schemes, piloting overdose prevention centres in areas where there is a need, expanding needle and syringe programmes and drug-checking services, and calling for the voluntary police carriage of naloxone in all police forces.

“The list of positive recommendations is long, and well evidenced, and repeats what our sector and what many other parliamentary committees have called for over many years. We hope that the UK Government and parliamentarians across the political divide properly consider the recommendations of this report, and ensure that it informs policy-making in the coming years.”