Drugs Strategy

Tackling drugs is one of the Government’s highest priorities. The total number of drug offenders brought before the courts has been rising since 2000. The number of drug trafficking groups dismantled or disrupted rose from 193 in 2002/03 to 268 in 2003/04 and 299 in 2004/05. Since 2000, there has been a downward trend in the proportion of people perceiving drug use or drug dealing as very or fairly serious problems: from 33% in 2000 to 25% in 2003/04.

The Strategy focuses on the most dangerous drugs, the most damaged communities, on problematic drug users and the most vulnerable young people. Drug action teams (DATs) are the partnerships responsible for delivering the drug strategy at a local level. They combineensure that the work of local agencies is brought together effectively and that cross-agency projects are co-ordinated successfully.

DATs take strategic decisions on expenditure and service delivery within four aims of the National Drugs Strategy; treatment, young people, communities and supply. The DAT coordinator for Bury is David Barrie.

The work of the DATs involves:

• Commissioning services, including supporting structures
• Monitoring and reporting on performance
• Communicating plans, activities and performance to stakeholders representatives from local authorities (education, social services, housing) health, probation, the prison service and the voluntary sector.

Record numbers of drug misusers are entering and staying in treatment. Treatment works and is cost-effective: for every £1 spent on treatment, at least £9.50 is saved in crime and health costs. The number of individuals entering drug treatment programmes in 2004/05 was 89% higher than in 1998.

75% of those entering treatment in 2004/05 were retained in or successfully completed treatment programmes - up by 20% from 2002. Drug-related deaths in England have fallen to their lowest level since 1998: from 1,571 in 1999 to 1,388 in 2003. Among young people under the age of 20, deaths from drug misuse fell by almost a third from 2002 to 2003.

Average national waiting times for treatment have fallen almost three-quarters since 2001 - from 9.1 weeks in December 2001, to 2.4 weeks in September 2005. More drugs workers are being recruited – up to 10,106 in September 2005; up by almost 50% from March 2002.

Drug-related crime is falling. Acquisitive crime – to which drug-related crime makes a significant contribution - fell by 12% in the year to April 2005. In November 2005, more than 2,000 drug-misusing offenders entered treatment through the Drug Interventions Programme.

Further information on drugs strategy can be found at the Government's drugs website.

Information on Bury MBC strategy and services for people misusing drugs or alcohol can be found on the Bury Council website.