Drug Intervention Policies (Hansard, 15 January 2004)

§ Caroline Flint

The Updated Drug Strategy 2002 aims to concentrate resources on the most dangerous drugs, the most damaged communities and those individuals whose addiction and chaotic lifestyles are the most harmful.

Indicators of the effect of the strategy include: (a) Drug crime (including supply)

The level of seizure of drugs and drug related assets is one indicator of the effectiveness of policies to reduce the supply of illegal drugs. Recently, over £20 million worth of cocaine was seized in one of the UK's biggest ever drugs operation, while over £37 million, suspected of being the proceeds of crime or intended for use in crime, has been recovered.

The Government are also addressing drug related crime—which includes high levels of acquisitive crime such as theft and burglary—by getting more offenders out of crime and into treatment. The numbers of problematic drug users entering treatment in 2002–03 increased by 41 per cent. to 140,900, against a baseline of 100,000 in 1998–99. In April 2003, the Criminal Justice Intervention Programme (CJIP) was introduced to break the link between drugs and crime and is now operating in the 25 Drug Action Team areas with the highest level of acquisitive crime. It will be extended to a further 22 DATs in 2004–05.

Drug use

Data from the British Crime Survey (2003) demonstrate reductions in overall levels of drug use. For Young People (16 to 24-year-olds): Reported use of Class A drugs in the last year has remained stable since 1996. Around 8 per cent. of young people had used a Class A drug in the last year; Since 1998, those individuals reporting use of any illicit drug in the last year decreased from 31.8 per cent. to 28.1 per cent.; Large decreases have been seen in the use of amphetamines (9.9 per cent. to 3.7 per cent.) and hallucinogens (5.3 per cent. to 2.0 per cent.) in the last year since 1998. However the number of individuals reporting cocaine use in the last year has increased from 3.1 per cent. in 1998 to 4.7 per cent. in 2002–03; and Among young people cannabis use has remained stable since 1998. In 2002–03 25.8 per cent. said that they had used it in the last year.

For 16 to 59-year-olds: Since 1998, those reporting use of any illicit drug in the last year has remained stable at approximately 12 per cent. in 2002–03, while those individuals reporting use of Class A drugs in the last year has slightly increased (2.7 per cent. to 3.3 per cent.); Since 1998, there have been increases in last year use of cocaine (1.2 per cent. to 2.1 per cent.), crack (0.1 per cent. to 0.2 per cent.) and ecstasy (1.5 per cent. to 2.0 per cent.), although decreases in reported use of amphetamines (3.0 per cent. to 1.6 per cent.) during this period; and Among 16 to 59-year-olds cannabis use has remained stable since 1998. In 2002–03 10.9 per cent. said that they had used it in the last year.

Drug deaths

Department of Health figures for England and Wales indicate that there was a steady increase in the number of drug related deaths between 1993 and 2000, when 1,662 drug related deaths were recorded. In 2001 the number of drug related deaths decreased to 1,623.

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The Government produced "The Action Plan to Prevent Drug-Related Deaths" in 2001. The implementation of this action plan is expected to make a vital contribution to reducing drug-related deaths.