This week, the government published its 10-year Drugs Strategy to tackle drugs and make our streets safer.
The strategy is designed to cut crime and reduce both the supply and demand for drugs by getting more people into treatment, breaking the cycle of crime driven by addiction and keeping drug-related violence out of communities across the country.
The strategy is backed by a new investment of almost £780 million for treatment - the largest ever increase - bringing total spending on drug enforcement and treatment to more than £3 billion over the next three years. A world-leading treatment system will be developed for those dependent on drugs to support them to kick their addictions, prioritising areas with the greatest need.
Over the next three years, all local authorities will receive new money for treatment and recovery with the 50 local authorities in greatest need receiving this first to ensure that better access to treatment is fast tracked for the poorest and most vulnerable.
Illegal drugs carry a cost to the taxpayer of nearly £20 billion every year and almost half of all burglaries and robberies are committed by the 300,000 heroin and cocaine addicts in England with whole communities forced to endure the misery these cause.
Richard Fuller, MP for North East Bedfordshire, said:
Drugs and drug dealing gangs destroy lives and communities.
Strong measures are required and I welcome the Home Secretary's announcement of a new 10-year Drugs Strategy to strengthen police programmes that crack down on drug gangs, give law enforcement new powers to expand drug testing and using innovative new methods to discourage drug taking.
The government is also investing a record amount into treatment services with money to break the cycle of drug use and to support communities by cutting the drug use which drives crime. Treatment services are just one part of the comprehensive strategy which includes helping people back to work, into permanent housing, and cracking down on supply.
This strategy also builds on the significant progress we have made already – with crimes rates falling, an extra 11,053 police officers on our streets and over 1,500 drugs lines closed since 2019.
Please visit this page to read the government's policy paper.
