Name: _________________________________________
Date: _________________
Year Group: _________
📊 Key Facts
- Drug-related deaths in England and Wales reached a record high in 2024
- An estimated 3.1 million people in England and Wales used an illicit drug in the past year
- Young people aged 16-24 have the highest rates of drug use of any age group
- The economic cost of drug-related crime, healthcare, and lost productivity is estimated at £20bn annually
- Portugal's decriminalisation model reduced drug-related deaths by over 80% over 20 years
⚖️ The Law
- Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 — classification, possession, supply, and production offences
- Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 — blanket ban on novel psychoactive substances
- Health and Social Care Act 2012 — duty to promote physical and mental health
- Children Act 1989/2004 — parental drug use as a child protection concern
- Serious Violence Duty — substance use as a driver of county lines and knife crime
- Equality Act 2010 — addiction as a disability in employment contexts (complex legal landscape)
✏️ Think About It: Scenarios
Scenario 1: A friend tells you something worrying about drug awareness. What do you do?
Scenario 2: You see something related to drug awareness that concerns you. What are your options?
Scenario 3: Someone you know seems to be in a situation involving drug awareness. How do you respond?
💡 Key Messages
- Addiction is a neurological condition, not a moral failure — this changes how we should respond to it
- Harm reduction saves lives in ways that abstinence-only approaches do not
- UK drug policy is contested — the evidence base and political reality are often in tension
- Every professional working with young people has a responsibility to be able to hold these conversations
- Non-judgmental, accurate information is more effective than fear-based approaches
🆘 Need Help?
Childline: 0800 1111 (free, 24/7, confidential)
Crimestoppers: 0800 555 111 (100% anonymous)
CEOP: ceop.police.uk (online exploitation)
Emergency: 999