Drug Paraphernalia
Release aims to amend section 9a of the Misuse of Drugs Act to include all drug paraphernalia so that these items can be distributed as part of the government’s public health and harm reduction strategy.
Section 9a of the Misuse of Drugs Act (1971) allows for certain resources for injecting drug use to be supplied by drug services, with the aim of reducing harm caused by injecting drug use such as blood-borne viruses. These items include sterile water, needles, spoons, citric acid wipes; but other items of apparatus which can enhance safer drug use, are not exempt and therefore cannot be legally provided by drug support teams. Regulating the supply of these items would contribute to the harm reduction strategy, while restricting their distribution contradicts the public health objective within drugs policy. Supplying tin foil for example has been shown to be particularly effective as a harm reduction measure by encouraging users to make a transition to smoking, rather than the much more harmful practice of injecting drugs.
Take Action
Release is currently lobbying MPs to sign Early Day Motion 1273. You can help by contacting your MP and asking them to sign it.
Release is looking for statements from people who benefit, or believe they would benefit from receiving drug paraphernalia from their drug support team or councillor. If you have any information regarding this, please contact Release.