The National Alliance of Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Recovery Charities has published ‘From Hope to Delivery: Five essential next steps for Government action on alcohol and other drugs.’
The opening statement sets out the reasons for the publication.

“Problematic use of alcohol and other drugs destroys lives and places considerable pressure on public services and society. The need for action on this fatal issue has never been more urgent. We are seeing the highest rates of drug-related deaths ever recorded, and with the emergence of synthetic opioids in the UK, the National Crime Agency has stated that ‘there has never been a more dangerous time to take drugs’.
Fortunately, we know that substance use treatment works to reduce harm and help people turn their lives around, delivering a good return on investment for public services and communities. Every £1 invested in drug treatment is estimated to yield a £4 return on investment.

However, over a year into the Government’s tenure, there remains a lack of clarity in how they plan to address deaths and harm related to alcohol and other drugs.
As Dame Carol Black explained in her 2021 independent review, ‘Government faces an unavoidable choice: invest in tackling the problem or keep paying for the consequences.’ This is an urgent call for the current Government to make the right choice and tackle the problems related to alcohol and other drugs head on. In the spirit of focusing on delivery, as the Prime Minister has advocated, we set out here five clear actions on drug and alcohol treatment that the Government should take without delay.
To see the 5 steps click here