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Widespread stigma threatens government plans to combat drug use, says policy commission

1 min read Health Social Care
The government's drug strategy is doomed to fail unless public attitudes towards drug use change, an independent analyst of drugs policy has warned.

The 2010 strategy, released this month, puts a greater emphasis on placing power and accountability in the hands of local communities to tackle the use of drugs and the harm they cause.

However, research by the UK Drug Policy Commission (UKDPC) found that widespread stigma surrounding drug use is a barrier to the recovery of users.

In a survey of close to 3,000 people from across the UK, almost a quarter (23 per cent) believed that most people would not become dependent on drugs if they had good parents.

Although 81 per cent said they thought that it was important for those recovering from drug dependency to be part of the community, 43 per cent didn’t want to live next to someone who had had a drug problem and 58 per cent agreed that one of the main causes of drug dependency is a lack of self-discipline.

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