Drink and Drugs News February 2021 ISSN 1755-6236 ALL OR NOTHING? The controversial history of ‘controlled drinking’ A SHOT IN THE DARK Could online dealers help spread harm reduction messages? ALCOHOL AND ISOLATION DID LOCKDOWN CANCEL THIS YEAR’S DRY JANUARY? UPFRONT IN THIS ISSUE Drink and Drugs News is published by CJ Wellings Ltd, INSIDE Romney House, School Road, 4 NEWS Cash boost for services north Ashford, Kent TN27 0LT t: 0845 299 3429 and south; Scotland’s new minister for 6 drug policy Editor: Claire Brown e: [email protected] 10 LETTERS Steps for behaviour change; Advertising manager: Ian Ralph your views needed for psychology e: [email protected] survey on recovery Reporter: David Gilliver e: [email protected] 16 PARLIAMENT A public health approach Designer: Jez Tucker to older people’s drinking e: [email protected] Subscriptions: 19 A GREATER CONNECTION Forward e: [email protected] Trust share ideas for digital support website: 21 I AM A... This month’s career story is www.drinkanddrugsnews.com ON THE COVER: Alcohol and us from an isolation support worker Website support by wiredupwales.com Printed on environmentally friendly paper by the Manson Was 2021 How have dark web What impact has Group Ltd the best Dry drug sales been affected COVID-19 had on mutual Cover by: Ian Shaw / Alamy 8 January so far? by the pandemic? aid groups like AA? CJ Wellings Ltd does not accept responsibility for the accuracy of statements made by contributors or advertisers. The contents of this magazine 12 14 are the copyright of CJ Wellings Ltd, but do not necessarily represent its views, or those of its partner organisations. PLEASE GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK! Every small change can ‘Some great articles and some signal success depressing statistics highlighting the The Dry January campaign reports significant success this year, need for change... I gain a lot of insight striking a loud chord in lockdown (p8). A characteristic of this from the magazine.’ success is its immediacy – website, Facebook page, app – as well as We love reading your feedback and the capacity for global reach, and its direction as a healthy lifestyle initiative rather than a competition with an expiry date chimes suggestions – please fill in our readers’ with everyone’s interest in cultivating a stronger immune system. survey at www.drinkanddrugsnews. What’s made it feel accessible to many is the celebration of com/ddn-readers-survey-2020/ behaviour change, however gradual; the fact that a totally ‘dry’ month is not the only indicator of success. The question in Mike DDN is a self-funded independent publication. Our bespoke partnership packages provide Ashton’s piece (p6) is can we ever contemplate gradual change – an opportunity to work closely with the magazine. Please get in touch to find out more. ‘controlled drinking’ – for dependent drinkers? For most of us, digital service options (and there are good ideas from Forward, p19) have given us innovative ways of reaching clients during and beyond COVID. But an equally important part of the narrative must include those who do not naturally live online. A survey of older adults receiving alcohol treatment found that many were struggling with the move to online or phone-based models (news, p5). The Drink Wise, Age Well programme (p16) also highlighted that loneliness and depression can loom large for those whose only buzz comes from reaching for the bottle. Claire Brown, editor Keep in touch at www.drinkanddrugsnews.com and @DDNmagazine WWW.DRINKANDDRUGSNEWS.COM FEBRUARY 2021 • DRINK AND DRUGS NEWS • 3 NEWS ROUND-UP Cash boost for services north and south of the border ubstantial cash ends up losing their life as a result reduction in treatment funding injections have been of drug addiction is not just failed since 2013. announced for drug at the time of their death – in most As well as helping offenders services in both Scotland cases, they will have been failed to access treatment on release, and England. The repeatedly throughout their whole the funding package will also SScottish Government has pledged life,’ said Sturgeon. ‘It is a reasonable enhance the RECONNECT service £250m to tackling its record rates of criticism to say that this government to support people with complex drug-related deaths, with £50m to should have done more earlier, and needs to engage with mental be allocated annually over the next I accept that. But I am determined health, substance and other services five years. Meanwhile £80m will be that we will provide this national for up to a year after leaving invested in drug treatment across mission with the leadership, focus, prison. A further £28m will go England as part of a larger overall and resources that it needs.’ towards Project ADDER (Addiction, package of £148m to cut drug- The announcement was a Diversion, Disruption, Enforcement related crime. ‘clear statement that the Scottish and Recovery), a pilot programme A ‘national mission’ was needed Government is serious about We hope this combining ‘enhanced’ treatment to address drug deaths in Scotland reducing drug-related deaths,’ and recovery services with ‘targeted to end ‘what is currently a national said We Are With You’s director in is ‘the start of and tougher’ policing which is disgrace’, said first minister Nicola Scotland, Andrew Horne. ‘This level scheduled to run for three years Sturgeon, adding that £5m had of investment will make a huge a longer-term in five areas with significant drug already been allocated for the impact and help more people access problems – Blackpool, Hastings, remainder of this financial year. The the support and treatment they commitment Middlesbrough, Norwich and funding will be spread between need. The fact that this funding is to increased Swansea Bay. Another £40m will go drug and alcohol partnerships, third stretched over the next five years towards tackling county lines gangs, sector and grass roots bodies to shows that there is a long-term funding’. bringing the total invested in this ‘improve work in communities’ and vision in place.’ since late 2019 to £65m. ‘substantially increase’ the number The £80m for England, NIC ADAMSON While the announcement of residential rehab beds. meanwhile, will partly be used to was welcome it was hoped it Money will also be used to increase the number of treatment would be ‘the start of a longer- widen naloxone distribution and places for people leaving prison in drug treatment funding for 15 term commitment to increased help tackle stigma, with the aim of as well as offenders diverted into years’. However, while money will go funding’, said executive director at increasing the numbers of people community sentences, and forms towards funding naloxone provision Change Grow Live Nic Adamson. in treatment. The government said part of an ‘overall system-wide for ‘every heroin user in the country ‘Fundamentally, we need a shift it would also be ‘reassessing how approach’ to cut drug-related crime that needs it’ as well as ‘ending in perspective so that substance overdose prevention facilities might by providing extra resources to the postcode lottery’ for inpatient misuse and addiction are primarily be established’ despite legal barriers law enforcement to tackle supply treatment, the £80m represents addressed as health issues, not as from Westminster. ‘Anyone who combined with ‘the largest increase just half of the £160m estimated criminal justice issues.’ Substance staff prioritised for vaccine has confirmed. A health and social care workers. letter to the chief However, the Joint Committee on ‘Immediate executives of all NHS Vaccination and Immunisation requirement’ trusts, foundation (JCVI) recommends that, within trusts and other this group, priority should be given to vaccinate organisations sets out to those ‘at high risk of acquiring operational guidance infection, at high individual risk frontline health for the ‘immediate of developing serious disease, or requirement’ to at risk of transmitting infection to staff, and ensure vaccinate frontline multiple vulnerable persons or other Steven Cornfield / unsplash.com Cornfield Steven ‘maximum health staff, and ensure staff in a healthcare environment’. PEOPLE WORKING in community- ‘maximum uptake’ of vaccinations. This includes those working in uptake’ of based addiction services will be NHS trusts are being established as ‘independent, voluntary and non- given high priority in the current ‘hospital hubs’ with a responsibility standard healthcare settings such vaccinations. rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations for vaccine delivery to everyone in as hospices, and community-based to healthcare staff, NHS England priority risk group 2b – frontline mental health or addiction services’. 4 • DRINK AND DRUGS NEWS • FEBRUARY 2021 WWW.DRINKANDDRUGSNEWS.COM News DDN EVERY DAY All the news, updated daily www.drinkanddrugsnews.com Scotland appoints minister Local News to tackle record drug deaths icola Sturgeon has and working with those appointed a minister in our communities and for drug policy public health teams to lead work on who are providing such tackling Scotland’s valuable support,’ said Nrecord rates of drug-related deaths. Constance. ‘Government / Dreamstime.com Auaumon Angela Constance, a former social can and will do more.’ Targeted support worker, takes over responsibility Barry Sheridan and Projects for South Asian from public health minister Joe Ian McPhee wrote women and people Fitzpatrick, who is no longer in post in a recent issue of who identify as Roma, following publication of the country’s DDN that the long- www.gov.scot Gypsies and Travellers long-delayed drug death figures for accepted narrative are among the recipients 2019. These recorded 1,264 fatalities, about Scotland’s high death rate 'I intend to get of Alcohol Change UK’s up 6 per cent on 2018’s previous being the result of an ageing 2021 New Horizons grants record figure and the highest since cohort of drug users was no longer straight down programme.