Time to stop criminalising drug users
A one-size-fits-all approach cannot work when it comes to drug treatment, argues Kirstie Douse a solicitor for Release
Published: August 4, 2011
FOLLOWING the death of Amy Winehouse there has been lots of speculation about the cause of this after her much-publicised problems with drugs and alcohol.
The tributes laid at her home in Camden Square represented the sadness felt by fans for the loss of a talented artist at such a young age.
Release decided not to comment on the situation at the time as it is unhelpful, not to mention distressing for the family, to state that her death was due to drugs or alcohol in the absence of toxicology reports confirming this.
We do, however, welcome the debate that Amy’s father, Mitch Winehouse, has triggered by calling for an increase in funding for rehabilitation centres for young people.
The proposals presented to Parliament this week are extremely valuable as residential rehabilitation must be available to those who are seeking it.
When considering the treatment of problematic drug users, and particularly young people, it is essential to have a broad approach, one that encompasses both residential rehabilitation and other effective interventions.
Residential rehabilitation is just one route to addressing drug misuse; community-based options have also proven to be highly successful. Methadone prescribing and similar harm-reduction practices have saved and continue to save lives.
It is has been repeatedly shown that a one-size-fits-all approach cannot work when it comes to drug treatment.
The problem we face is that the issue of drug treatment in the UK has become polarised over the past 18 months, with a perceived battle between residential rehabilitation and methadone prescribing.
Politicians have talked about people being “parked on methadone” and that abstinence should be the only goal for those entering treatment and should be achieved within a finite period. Frankly, this debate has been unhelpful – anyone working in the drugs field would support a client’s right to choose the type of treatment that they want and recognise that for many becoming stable is the first step in their treatment journey.
This debate has done nothing to assist those who use drugs problematically and has created a climate of greater stigmatisation and exclusion for many of the most vulnerable people in our society.
It is correct that residential treatment is not readily available to those who use drugs and want to go into such treatment.
According to the National Treatment Agency just over 0.5 per cent of those accessing treatment in 2009/10 were in residential rehabilitation, that is, 1,108 people out of a total of 206,889 in the treatment system.
Funding is a very real problem in relation to the availability of residential rehabilitation and this must be addressed.
But this is not the only issue. Removing a drug user from their usual environment for a period may address the problem in the short term but what happens once a stint in rehab is over?
People frequently return to the same situation and are at serious risk of relapsing, ensuring that someone’s life is sustainable in terms of stable relationships, employment and housing is as vital as any other aspect of treatment.
It is right that Mitch Winehouse has brought this important and complex issue to the attention of the public and politicians. People who use drugs are often seen as unworthy of sympathy, vilified through the use of negative stereotypes in the media, and have politicians ignoring the scientific evidence and dictating how they think they should be medically treated.
Release supports Mitch Winehouse’s position that the focus should be moved away from the criminal justice system and funding should be directed towards drug treatment. It is time to stop stigmatising and criminalising drug users.
• Kirstie Douse is Legal Services Manager for Release: Drugs, the Law & Human Rights
www.release.org.uk. Release helpline 0845 4500 215
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