Memorandum submitted by The Greater London
Alcohol and Drug Alliance
INTRODUCTION
The Greater London Alcohol and Drug Alliance
(GLADA) is a strategic network of organisations that was established
in 2002. It aims to improve collective responses to alcohol and
drug problems, and to provide a mechanism to tackle London wide
priorities.
GLADA works in partnership to:
— Co-ordinate regional policy and approaches;
— Be a voice for London to ensure that
the city derives maximum benefit from all national and international
initiatives; and
— Collectively deliver a work programme
of agreed annual priorities that have a positive impact on the
health, safety and welfare of Londoners.
The Alliance is led by the Greater London Authority
and includes membership from a number of organisations working
in this area including the Metropolitan Police Service, NHS London,
Regional Public Health Group, The National Treatment Agency, the
London Drug and Alcohol Network and the London Drug Policy Forum.
GLADA welcomes this investigation hopes that
it will help develop the understanding of the issues around cocaine
in the UK and so help promote effective responses
ISSUES RAISED
BY THE
INQUIRY
Whether cocaine powder is now a street drug rather
than just one used recreationally by the relatively well-to-do
Evidence in London, drawn from the British Crime
Survey, indicates that overall use of cocaine in London has stabilised,
or indeed decreased compared to 2005-06. This is particularly
welcome amongst the younger (16-24) age group. However, it is
clear from both qualitative and quantative research that cocaine
is a well established drug in a number of environments and settings.
After cannabis it is the most commonly used drug and is certainly
not restricted to a narrow section of society. Cocaine has been
a "street drug" for sometime and this has been evidenced
prior to and now by the data from the Drug Interventions Programme.
The influence of "celebrity cocaine culture"
as criticised in the UNODC's critical report on the UK last year
There is little evidence that directly links
drug use by celebrities with trends amongst the general public.
However, the media coverage given to such cases, the often misleading
and simplistic descriptions of the problems associated with cocaine
use are clearly not helpful. The very real risks and potential
harms of cocaine use are generally poorly understood. Media coverage
has done little to address this, in particular the linkages with
alcohol use and the health risks that occur as a result.
The effectiveness of advertising campaigns in
deterring use
There is little evidence from across the social
policy and public health fields that advertising campaigns on
their own significantly alter behaviour of those already engaged
in a particular activity. However, there is some evidence that
well designed and delivered campaigns can reinforce the motivation
of those who not yet engaged in the activity. Campaigns can play
an important role in improving understanding of the issues around
a particular substance and in challenging the false perceptions
that often exist around substances such as cocaine. However, care
needs to be exercised as to how these campaigns are targeted as
evidence from the USA suggests that universal campaigns can "normalise"
drug use and make it seem more prevalent that it is (http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-06-818)
As previously mentioned there is a strong link
between cocaine use and the consumption of alcohol. There have
been some recent campaigns seeking to highlight the specific risks
associated with combining cocaine and alcohol. The health impacts
of cocaine use and its effects on behaviour are not fully recognised
by many users.
Any campaigns undertaken should be clear as
to their purposes and have an assessment and evaluation component
built in from the outset. There is a fundamental difference between
communication of an issue and education on an issue.
Trends in the use of crack cocaine
There is no evidence that the use of crack cocaine
is increasing in London. Indeed the evidence would suggest use
peaked in 2000. However, crack use and its associated problems
remains a major issue for areas affected. There are particular
challenges associated with those who inject crack cocaine (or
powder cocaine) in terms of health issues around Blood Borne Viruses
and Sexually Transmitted Infections. For example needle exchange
services are often geared towards the demands of opiate injectors
not stimulant injectors (who tend to inject far more frequently).
International collaboration: the responses of
the producer countries
Having a focus on London GLADA has had only
limited engagement with producer countries. The work of the Colombian
Government around the Shared Responsibility campaign has been
supported by GLADA partners and has allowed issues around cocaine
demand and production to be related to those of international
development, poverty and ecology.
International collaboration: the EU's external
borders
GLADA has had no involvement relating to EU
border controls.
International collaboration: effects on the transit
countries
While GLADA has no direct involvement with activity
in the transit countries it is clear that the cocaine trade is
a highly destabilising influence in many of these and the consequences
for both the states concerned and their citizens can be dire.
The police response: possession and dealing
Cocaine use poses a number of challenges to
policing. Many of those using powder cocaine would not view themselves
as otherwise engaged in criminal activity. There cocaine use is
part of their social activity. Without dedicating considerable
resources this group largely do not come to police attention.
More could be done to work with premises and venues to make cocaine
use less acceptable and more difficult, though by its nature it's
very difficult to totally prevent. Within London working under
the Best Bar None initiative licensing officers are promoting
links with the licensed trade to develop activities that exceed
narrow licensing requirements. This engagement with the night-time
economy includes the use of surrender/amnesty bins. These drugs
are then analysed to improve our understanding of drugs trends,
prevalence and purity.
There has been good work carried out around
dealing with "crack" houses, especially where there
has been good liaison with local authorities and drug services.
This activity is now conducted through Safer Neighbourhood Teams
(SNTs). "Crack" houses are now less likely to be strongholds
linked to guns and major supplies of drugs. Increasingly they
are premises often occupied by a vulnerable individual whose home
is taken over for periods of time for the use and lower level
supply of drugs. There has been real success in reducing the problems
caused by "crack" house in London. Likewise improvements
in the seizure of assets are tactics which can help limit the
profitability of the cocaine trade, while also providing potential
resources to invest in those communities most affected by drug
use.
OTHER ISSUES
Members of GLADA have concerns about the potential
risk associated with cocaine cutting agents for example phenacetin
and its links to cancer. More work could be done on not only identifying
these cutting agents, which has a clear law enforcement benefit,
but it would also lend itself to targeted information campaigns.
June 2009
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