Open letter to Home Office from 500 public health and criminal justice experts calling for a rethink of Drug Possession Proposals

Release has been very clear about its position towards the Government's latest White Paper "Swift, Certain, Tough: New Consequences for Drug Possession", setting out its harsh approach to so-called "recreational drug users" which we condemned in our consultation response.

Together with Transform Drug Policy Foundation, we have organised an open letter signed by more than 500 experts in public health and criminal justice condemning the proposed approach for the lack of evidence behind their decision-making. In a time where the rest of the world is moving forward, legalising cannabis and removing criminal sanctions for the possession and use of other substances, the UK is increasingly regressing, turning our drug policy into a draconian artifact. 

A copy of the letter can be found below.

Quotes from some of the authors of the letter:

Niamh Eastwood, Executive Director of Release said:

 "The Government states it wants to take an evidence-led approach to drug policy, however nearly 500 experts from public health and criminal justice disagree with their proposals. Rather than addressing drug-related harms, what the Home Office has proposed will exacerbate them, and result in the disproportionate impact of people living in deprived areas, as well as those from ethnic minority communities. Frankly, while many countries reform their drug laws and end criminal sanctions for possession and regulating cannabis, the UK is going backwards, with the two main parties still pursuing unhelpful and un-evidenced drug war rhetoric."

Alex Feis-Bryce, Transform Drug Policy Foundation CEO said:

 “This Government’s proposals are an unworkable dogs-dinner, driven by shallow political posturing to the diminishing band of people obsessed with punishing not helping people who use drugs. As a result they have united opposition across the drug policy, criminal justice, health, treatment and civil liberties sectors who can point to the health-led approaches already working in other countries, as well as an ever-growing number of police areas here in the UK. The Home Secretary is out of touch and at some point will have to put down her big stick, stop destroying the lives of the millions of, especially young and marginalised, people who use drugs, and instead follow the evidence of what actually works to create a safer society for us all.”

Dr. Adam Holland, Chair of the Faculty of Public Health’s (FPH) Drugs Special Interest Group said:

“The UK response to drugs requires an urgent overhaul. Whilst we welcome the Government’s recognition that things need to change, these proposals for escalating sanctions for drug possession are likely to increase levels of harm and exacerbate socioeconomic inequalities.

The Government should instead re-orientate its approach to drugs to be consistent with the way in which we manage other public health issues, focussing on evidence-based harm reduction interventions. Drug diversion schemes are a promising route to avoid criminalising people who use drugs. Instead of arresting, prosecuting or formally charging those caught in the possession of drugs, they are instead diverted from the criminal justice system to receive targeted education and support.  In contrast, these Government proposals continue to emphasise the use of un-evidenced and harmful punishments in an effort to deter drug use, which will only serve to exacerbate the stigma that deters people who use drugs from seeking support. Mandatory payments for drugs awareness courses, fines for non-attendance, and other sanctions will disproportionately impact those from socioeconomically deprived backgrounds and exacerbate inequalities, in conflict with the Government’s ‘Levelling up’ agenda.”

Jim McManus, President of the Association of Directors of Public Health said:

“The Government’s proposals are based on a principle of punishment as opposed to public health, with those caught having to pay fines and face increasing stigma. This means that the impact is likely to exacerbate already existing inequalities which in turn could increase levels of drug-related harm and deter people from seeking support. Furthermore, the plans, which also seek to target people who use drugs infrequently with measures that have not yet been proven to reduce harm, will not only be expensive to implement, but will also detract from already stretched services.”

We express our serious concerns over the proposals in The Home Office’s ‘Swift, Certain, Tough: New Consequences for Drug Possession’ White Paper released in July 2022. The proposed extension of punitive policing targeting people who use drugs runs contrary to the overwhelming body of evidence and threatens to draw limited resources into policies likely to exacerbate a range of social and health harms.

The proposals focus on punishing ‘so-called recreational users’ who are not dependent on drugs. Targeting this large population will require a dramatic scaling up of policing, including the use of stop and search. Stop and searches for drugs already account for two-thirds of all searches, disproportionately impacting marginalised and ethnic minority communities, particularly Black people. These proposals will further undermine trust in law enforcement and already-strained community police relations.

The Home Office’s own research has stated that the £1.6 billion a year spent on drug law enforcement has little impact on drug availability. Home Office research has also concluded there are no clear links between intensity of punitive enforcement and levels of use. But punishment and criminalisation of people who use drugs has repeatedly been shown to undermine health and life opportunities of the most vulnerable individuals and communities, fuelling stigma and discrimination, and creating obstacles to proven health and social interventions.

As drug related deaths reach new records, the Government should be targeting limited resources on health interventions proven to reduce harms. These proposals will do the opposite.

We urge the Government to instead develop a genuinely public health centred approach. and focus on evidence-based health interventions that target those in need, while avoiding harmful punishment and criminalisation of the very groups we are seeking to support. This process can usefully be informed by emerging UK and international best practice, not least the growing evidence base, and ongoing research, from existing Police diversion programmes already operating in 14 UK Police authorities.

Yours sincerely,

• Transform Drug Policy Foundation
• Release
• Faculty of Public Health
• Association of Directors of Public Health
• British Medical Association
• NHS Addictions Provider Alliance
• English Substance Use Commissioner's Group
• College of Mental Health Pharmacy
• The Police Foundation
• The Criminal Justice Alliance
• Liberty
• The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Drugs, Alcohol and Justice
• Blackpool Council
• Aberdeenshire Alcohol and Drug Partnership
• Addiction Professionals
• Alcohol and Drugs Action
• Andean Action (Bolivia)
• Anyone’s Child: Families for Safer Drug Control
• Asociación Costarricense para el Estudio e Intervención en Drogas (Costa Rica)
• Barod
• C Communications Agency
• Canadian Drug Policy Coalition
• Cardiff and the Vale Drug and Alcohol Service
• Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation (Canada)
• Change Grow Live
• Collectif Urgence Toxida (Mauritius)
• Commons Law CIC
• Correlation-European Harm Reduction Network
• Cranstoun
• Crew 2000
• Drug Policy Alliance (USA)
• Drug Policy and Harm Reduction Platform (Malawi)
• Drug Policy Australia
• Drug Policy Interdisciplinary Network
• Drug Policy Network Southeast Europe
• Drug Science
• É de Lei drop-in centre (Brazil)
• Early Break
• East Renfrewshire Alcohol and Drugs Partnership
• European Network of People who Use Drugs (EuroNPUD)
• Faculty of Public Health Drugs Special Interest Group
• Foreningen Tryggere Ruspolitikk/ Safer Drug Policies (Norway)
• Forum Akar Rumput Indonesia
• Forward Trust
• Fundación Latinoamérica Reforma (Chile)
• GAT- Grupo de Ativistas em Tratamentos (Portugal)
• Gay Men’s Health Collective
• Glasgow City Alcohol and Drug Partnership
• Global Law Enforcement and Public Health Association
• Green Leaf Party (Israel)
• Groupement Romand d'Etudes des Addictions - GREA (Switzerland)
• Harm Reduction Australia
• Harm Reduction International
• Harm Reduction Nurses Association
• Health Poverty Action
• HIT
• HIV Legal Network (Canada)
• Inquest
• Instituto RIA AC (Mexico)
• Intercambios Civil Association (Argentina)
• Intercambios Puerto Rico
• International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC)
• International Network of People Who Use Drugs (INPUD)
• Kaleidoscope
• Labour Campaign for Drug Policy Reform
• Mainline Foundation (Netherlands)
• Metzineres (Spain)
• MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit
• Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies. (MAPS). (USA)
• National AIDS Trust
• National Harm Reduction Coalition
• National Needle Exchange Forum
• Organisation for the Prevention of Intense Suffering (OPIS)
• Police Treatment and Community Collaborative (PTACC) UK
• Prisoners' Advice Service
• Project 6
• Public Health Action Support Team
• Scottish Centre for Policing and Public Health
• Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs
• Service Users Involvement Team, Wolverhampton
• Single Homeless Project
• Social Linkages for Youth Development and Child Link (Sierra Leone)
• Students for Sensible Drug Policies (UK)
• Students for Sensible Drug Policy International
• The Association for Humane Drug Policy (Norway)
• The Centre for Justice Innovation
• The Connection at St Martin's
• The Corbett Network for Prisoner Reintegration
• The Global Drug Survey
• The John Mordaunt Trust
• The Love Tank CIC
• The People's Recovery Project
• The Queen's Nursing Institute
• The Scottish Institute for Policing Research
• The Substance Use and Associated Behaviours Research Group
• The Wallich
• The Wilder Network
• Transform Justice
• Turning Point
• Turning Point Scotland
• UCL Collaborative Centre for Inclusion Health
• University College London Collaborative Centre for Inclusion Health
• UNJUST C.I.C
• Volteface
• Washington Office on Latin America (USA)
• West Africa Drug Policy Network (WADPN)
• With You
• Youth RISE

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• Adele Phillips, Senior Lecturer in Public Health, Middlesex University
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• Aiste Navickaite, Advanced Specialist Mental Health Pharmacist, Southwest London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust
• Aleister Adamson, Legal Adviser, Release
• Alex Feis-Bryce, CEO, Transform Drug Policy Foundation
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• Alkyoni Athanasiou-Fragkouli, Research Officer, Drug Science
• Amber Marks, Lecturer in Law, Queen Mary University London
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• Ann Sharpe
• Anna Brook, Public Health Specialty Registrar
• Anna Deane
• Anna Goulding, Public Health Specialty Registrar, Faculty of Public Health
• Anna Norton, Lecturer, Manchester Metropolitan University
• Arran Crawford, Mental Health Nurse, Turning Point Scotland
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• Dr Adam Westall, Lecturer in Criminology, Manchester Metropolitan University
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• Dr Alex Dymock, Senior Lecturer in Law, Dept of Law, Goldsmiths University of London
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• Dr Eldin Fahmy, Senior Lecturer, University of Bristol
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• Dr Emily Crick, University of Bristol
• Dr Eric Silverman, Research Fellow, Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow
• Dr Estelle Zinsstag, Lecturer in Criminology, Edinburgh Napier University
• Dr Ethan Nadelmann, Founder, Drug Policy Alliance
• Dr Gabrielle Nugent-Stephens, Lecturer in Criminology, Ulster University
• Dr Gernot Klantschnig, University of Bristol
• Dr Gillian W Shorter, Senior Lecturer, Queen's University Belfast
• Dr Giulia Zampini, Associate Professor in Criminology and Social Policy, University of Greenwich
• Dr Hannah Farrimond, Senior Lecturer, University of Exeter
• Dr Hannah Maiden, Public Health Specialty Registrar
• Dr Helen Rand, Senior Lecturer, University of Greenwich
• Dr Ian Marder, Assistant Professor in Criminology, Maynooth University
• Dr Iona Lyell, Public Health Doctor
• Dr Jack Spicer, University of Bath
• Dr James Morgan
• Dr James Nicholls, Senior Lecturer in Public Health, University of Stirling
• Dr Jamie Buchan, Lecturer in Criminology, Edinburgh Napier University
• Dr Jennifer Cook, Doctor in Addictions Medicine, CGL
• Dr Jennifer Fleetwood, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Goldsmiths University of London
• Dr Jennifer Randall, Senior Lecturer in Global Health, Queen Mary University of London
• Dr Jenny Scott, Pharmacist /Senior Lecturer, University of Bristol
• Dr Jo Kesten, Research Fellow, University of Bristol
• Dr João Martins, Public Health Specialty Registrar
• Dr Jonas von Hoffmann, Center for Research and Teaching in Economics (CIDE)
• Dr Jonathan Leighton, Executive Director, Organisation for the Prevention of Intense Suffering (OPIS)
• Dr Joseph Tay Wee Teck, Addictions Professional & GP of 15 years in areas of deprivation
• Dr Juan Francisco Palma, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol
• Dr Julie Harris, Lecturer in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Ulster University
• Dr Karenza Moore, Academic, Newcastle University
• Dr Kathryn Skivington, Research Fellow, University of Glasgow
• Dr Kirsten Rivelin, Public Health Specialty Registrar
• Dr Kirstin Anderson, Lecturer in Criminology, Edinburgh Napier UNiversity
• Dr Kojo Koram, Senior Lecturer, Birkbeck College, University of London
• Dr Laura Parker, Public Health Specialty Registrar
• Dr Leah Moyle, Lecturer in Criminology and Sociology, Royal Holloway, University of London
• Dr Lena Holzer, Lecturer in Law, Goldsmiths, University of London
• Dr Linda Moore, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Ulster University
• Dr Luke Johnson, Public Health Specialty Registrar & Doctor
• Dr Magdalena Harris, Associate Professor, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
• Dr Maria Fotopoulou
• Dr Marian Buhociu, Lecturer in Criminology, University of South Wales
• Dr Marisha Wickremsinhe, Research Fellow, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
• Dr Mark McCann, Research fellow, University of Glasgow
• Dr Mark Monaghan, Reader in Criminology, Loughborough University
• Dr Matthew Grundy-Bower, Consultant Nurse
• Dr Matthew Lariviere, Lecturer in Social Policy
• Dr Melissa Bone, Associate Professor, University of Leicester
• Dr Michael Alexander, Trainee in Public Health, Faculty of Public Health
• Dr Michael Lynskey, Chief Research Officer, Drug Science
• Dr Michelle Rouse, Lecturer, Criminology and Criminal Justice, Ulster University
• Dr Mike Salinas, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Manchester Metropolitan University
• Dr Miles Mack, General Practitioner, Dingwall Medical Group
• Dr Miranda Bevan, Lecturer in Law, Goldsmiths' University of London
• Dr Nataly Papadopoulou, Assistant Professor in Law
• Dr Paul Gray, Reader in Criminology, Manchester Metropolitan University
• Dr Phoebe Beedell, Senior Research Associate, University of Bristol
• Dr Rachel Barry, Researcher, University of Bath
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• Dr Rayyan Zafar, PhD Neuropsychopharmacology and Psychedelics, Imperial College London
• Dr Rebecca Askew, Reader in Criminology, Manchester Metropolitan University
• Dr Ricard Faura, University Professor and Cultural Bridge Weaver, ICEERS
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• Dr Ruth Fletcher, Reader in Medical Law, Queen Mary University London
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• Dr Sharon Greenwood, Programme Director for master’s in public health and Lecturer in Public Health, University of Glasgow
• Dr Tanzil Chowdhury, Senior Lecturer in Public Law, Queen Mary University London
• Dr Tim Wyatt OBE, Consultant Microbiologist, NI Public Health Agency
• Dr Timothy Godden
• Dr Tom Frost, Lecturer in Law, University of Leicester
• Dr Tom May, Research Fellow in Behavioural Science and Public Health, University of Bristol
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• Dr Una Convery, Lecturer in Criminology, Ulster University
• Dr Victoria Canning, Associate Professor of Criminology, University of Bristol
• Dr Victoria Carlisle, Senior Research Associate in Public Health, University of Bristol
• Dr William Turner, Senior Lecturer in Childhood Studies, University of Bristol
• Dr Zara Hansen, Public Health Specialty Registrar
• Dr. Tara Lai Quinlan, Lecturer in Law and Criminal Justice, University of Birmingham
• Eliot Charles Russell
• Emeritus Prof Margaret F Bassendine, Newcastle University
• Emma Crawshaw, CEO, Crew 2000
• Emma Makepeace, Barrister's clerk, 25 Bedford Row - Criminal Barristers
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• Emmanuelle Andrews, Policy and Campaigns Manager, Liberty
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• Georgia Threadgold, Senior Project Manager (Hepatitis C Elimination), NHS England
• Gloria Rose Marie Achá, Lawyer, Andean Action
• Graeme Henderson, Professor of Pharmacology, University of Bristol
• Graham Smyth, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Manchester Metropolitan University
• Gregg Chip, Managing Director, Drug Policy Australia
• Hanna Head, SSDP
• Hannah Goodwin-Sharman, Student Administrator, University of Bristol
• Henry Chuks, Public Health Manager, Youthrise Nigeria
• Huw Rowles, Substance Misuse Worker, CAVDAS
• Jamie Bridge, International Drug Policy Consortium
• Jamie Ross Breen, Chemist
• Jane Slater, Manager, Anyone's Child: Families for Safer Drug Control
• Jane Wilson, NHS
• Janet Ruth Mayor, Practice Lead for Alcohol and other Drugs
• Janine Day, Operations Director, Early Break
• Jason Kew, Innovative Practitioner, The Centre for Justice Innovation
• Jean Clot, Project Manager, GREA
• Jennifer Sinclair, Pharmacist
• Jeremy Luke Castle BSc (Hons), MSc Med Chem, R.N. Dip H.E., Dip Hyp, Clinical Nurse Specialist (HIV & Palliative Care), NMC, RCN, NHS
• Jessica Lever
• John Duncan Middleton, Freelance Consultant in Public Health
• John Fox, Substance Use Worker, The Hepatitis C Trust
• John Mooney FFPH, Consultant in Public Health, NHS Grampian
• Joseph Hancock, Research Communications Officer, University of Glasgow
• Joy Lewis, Barrister, 25 Bedford Row - Criminal Barristers
• Juan Fernández Ochoa
• Judy Crombie
• Julie Hunt
• Juliet Shepherd, Pharmacist, College of Mental Health Pharmacy
• Jun Pang, Policy and Campaigns Officer, Liberty
• Kate Halliday, Addictions Professionals
• Katie Evans, Mental Health Pharmacist, National Health Service
• Kerry Littleford, Public Health Specialty Registrar, Faculty of Public Health
• Kym Barlow, NHS
• Lana Adamou, Lawyer, Liberty
• Laura Bennett, Senior Research Associate
• Leila Reid, Director of Corporate Services, The Hepatitis C Trust
• Lidia Stoica
• Liz McCoy, Trust-wide Lead for Addictions, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
• Madeleine Proctor, Specialist Mental Health Pharmacist, NHS
• Madeline Petrillo, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, University of Greenwich
• Mahmoud El-Hiti, Mental Health Clinical Pharmacist
• Maria Goretti, IDPC and West Africa Drug Policy Network-Ghana chapter
• Maria Smith
• Marie Nougier, International Drug Policy Consortium
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• Martin Powell, Head of Partnerships, Transform Drug Policy Foundation
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• Mr Blaine Stothard, Co-Editor 2014 - 2021, Drugs and Alcohol Today
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• Ms Felicity Young, Consultant Nurse in Sexual and Reproductive Health, Solent NHS Trust
• Mx Kasparas Vasiliauskas, Harm Reduction Worker & Peer Educator, Youth Rise
• Mx Kat Petrilli, Phd Student, University of Bath
• Natalie Travis, National Head of Service – Public Health & Substance Misuse, Turning Point
• Naomi Miall, Public Health Researcher, University of Glasgow Social and Public Health Sciences Uni
• Niamh Eastwood, Executive Director, Release
• Nicholas John Wilson
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• Phillipa Gelland, Senior Legal Advisor, Release
• Prof Adam Winstock, Director, Global Drug Survey
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• Prof Barry John Everitt FRS, Emeritus Professor of Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Cambridge
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• Prof Laurence Moore, Director, MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, Glasgow University
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• Prof Margaret Malloch, Professor of Criminology, University of Stirling
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• Prof Ross Coomber, Professor of Criminology & Sociology, University of Liverpool
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• Shannon Kennedy, MPH, DFPH, Public Health Specialty Registrar, Yorkshire & Humber School of Public Health
• Shannon Murray, Researcher, University of South Wales
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• Shiva Fouladi-Nashta, Learning Disability Community Liaison Pharmacist, East London NHS Foundation Trust
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• Yeng Yeng Shang, Public Health Specialty Registrar, Faculty of Public Health
• Zara Snapp, Director, Instituto RIA AC
• Zehra Tahtakilic, Substance misuse worker, NHS