International Day Against Drug Abuse
26th June is International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, AKA World Drug Day. Historically this day has highlighted the global problem of drug abuse and illegal drug trade, focusing on how we can reduce global supply and prevent drug abuse. Thanks to a campaign in 2013 “Support. Don’t Punish.” it has turned to also focus on how we can better support people facing substance misuse. We’d like to take this opportunity to raise awareness not only for people affected by addiction but also victims of substance criminalisation.
Each year, drug use causes a lot of harm worldwide. That is to say - it creates problems for people’s health and wellbeing. In response to this, governments wage ‘wars’ on drugs to prevent the supply and reduce the number of people using drugs. In theory, it makes sense. By criminalising drugs and instating punishment for having or using drugs, governments can dissuade people from using them, reducing the impact that drugs have on our society… right?
Unfortunately, it is never that simple. It is true that criminalisation can reduce the number of individuals using a substance. But what does it do for people already using substances? How is the threat of criminal persecution going to help someone struggling down the slippery slope of addiction? Well that’s the issue - it doesn’t. People struggling with addiction need support to recover from their issues, not the threat of fines or incarceration. In fact, there is evidence to say that criminalisation further pushes these vulnerable people towards substance use; the burden fines have on a person’s finances and mental wellbeing can push them to use substances further in order to cope. Similarly, imprisonment can expose a person to more substance use, and disconnect people from family or their support networks, with GOV.UK figures suggesting around half of all prisoners are facing substance issues. Additionally, people who are released can easily fall back into old behaviours if not given proper support. If we as a society want to make progress in supporting these vulnerable people, we need to stop seeing substance misuse as a criminal issue, and start seeing it as a health issue.
Over 200 years after being put in place (and after years of pressure from homelessness organisations like Crisis) our Labour Government have recently committed to scrapping the Vagrancy Act once and for all, decriminalising rough sleeping. This comes as a welcome move in the right direction, especially here at Ben’s Centre as we deal with the increased pressure the recent Public Space Protection Order has put upon rough sleepers in the Sheffield’s City Centre. As we know, rough sleeping, especially long term, often comes hand in hand with substance misuse. Whilst we are eager to see an end to criminalisation and more support for rough sleepers, we are remaining cautious until the act is officially scrapped. In 2022 the Conservative Government promised to repeal the act, but failed to do so before the election. We are hopeful not only that the Government follows through with this commitment but that this step reflects a change in the way we see and deal with vulnerable people in this country, including those affected by addiction. If our Government truly wants to make a change to rough sleeping in this country, they must address the root causes. This means recognising that the criminalisation of substance use often pushes vulnerable people further towards rough sleeping. If we instead support vulnerable people to deal with their substance issues, we can give them the stability they need to get off the streets.
Ben’s Centre works with people affected by addiction to meet them where they are. We aim to make our day centre as accessible as possible to ensure vulnerable people are not excluded from the support they need. This is why we run a damp approach - allowing clients who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol to still access the day centre.