At the current time any known changes or effects made by subsequent legislation have been applied to the text of the legislation you are viewing by the editorial team. Please see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ for details regarding the timescales for which new effects are identified and recorded on this site. Controlled drugs are classified as A, B or C depending upon how much harm they can cause to the user and to society. Dependence on medicines is a growing concern and can significantly affect individuals, families, and communities. Some people suffer physically and emotionally from becoming dependent on medicines, while others experience premature death. Dependence on a drug means that your body has become so used to having that drug regularly that you need that particular drug to function normally, and if it were stopped you would feel unwell.

Drugs & Alcohol

Drug checking services allow people to anonymously submit samples of drugs for testing, enabling them to make more informed decisions, and put them in contact with support services. The SDCF evidence paper (2021) outlined how facilities will aim to reduce the risks of disease transmission, prevent drug-related overdose deaths and connect high-risk drug users with treatment and other  services. It was created with insights from parents and carers with lived experience of supporting their child or young person with alcohol and drugs. If you need more support, our drug and alcohol services can support and guide you through your journey to recovery.

National mission on drugs

People who have drug dependence may have psychological dependence and/or physical dependence and/or tolerance to a particular drug. Problem or compulsive gambling can have devastating consequences on individuals and families, affecting all areas of life, including relationships, health, work and self-esteem. If you think you need help or have identified someone that needs support, here are some offers that you might find useful. Not all of these offences are brought to the CPS – if you are found in possession of cannabis or khat, the police may deal with this in the form of a warning or on the spot fine for your first offences. For possession, the sentence is determined by class of drug, along with any aggravating or mitigating circumstances. We want to get drugs under government control and out of the hands of organised crime.

In contrast, there were increases in drug use among those aged 30 to 34 years and aged 45 to 54 years compared with the year ending March 2020. For those aged 30 to 34 years, this was mainly because of increases in cannabis and hallucinogen use (to 8.3% and 1.6%, respectively). The fall in drug use among those aged 16 buy drugs to 24 years compared with the year ending March 2020, was only seen in men (from 25.1% to 19.1%), and was mainly because of a decrease in cannabis use. More detailed figures on the frequency of drug use, can be found in Section 2 of the accompanying dataset.

Better Lives is the main drug and alcohol service for adults in Islington. Better Lives offer free and confidential treatment and support for people and families affected by drugs and alcohol. There are a range of treatment options including self-help, psychological support, medical detox, and residential rehabilitation. The drug and alcohol service for Newham residents is run by Change, Grow, Live (CGL). As a parent or carer, it’s important to talk to your child or young person about drugs and alcohol.

Get more advice about drugs

However, these services are isolated examples of good practice and provision is inconsistent across the country. Adfam – Adfam is a national charity who are tackling the negative effects of drugs and alcohol on family members and friends. Over 300,000 people get help for drug and alcohol problems in England every year. Whether you want to cut down or stop your use of alcohol and drugs, you can get support free of charge. Change Grow Live Pathways to Recovery support adults and families who are struggling with drugs or alcohol. They are a free and confidential service and are open to anyone experiencing difficulties with drugs or alcohol in Warrington.

• New Psychoactive Substances – named as so-called ‘legal highs’ prior to legislation in 2016.
• This will return a list of instances where your word or phrase can be found.
• For example, the relationship between drug use and marital status may be related to age.
• The Needle Exchange Surveillance Initiative (NESI) monitors the prevalence of blood-borne viruses – hepatitis C virus and HIV – and injecting risk behaviours among people who inject drugs in Scotland.