Drink and Drugs News DDN July_August 2019 | Page 12

Letters and Comment DDN welcomes your letters Please email the editor, [email protected], or post them to DDN, cJ wellings ltd, romney House, school road, Ashford, Kent tN27 0lt. letters may be edited for space or clarity. ‘Transform advocate for optimal legal drug regulation models that minimise social and health harms. In our view, legal regulation – for all its challenges – would achieve this far more effectively than prohibition...’ Welcome dialogue Molly Cochrane raises some challenging questions around legalisation and regulation in her letter 'Awkward Facts' (DDN, June, page 17). Coming up with models for the legal regulation of risky drugs is certainly difficult. My colleagues and I at Transform Drug Policy Foundation have worked for over two decades to try and meet this challenge in a series of detailed publications that outline a range of possible options. In considering how regulation might work, Molly rightly notes the delicate balance that would need to be struck between keeping prices high, and restricting availability, to dissuade use, and keeping prices low enough, and availability high enough, to dis- incentivise a parallel illegal trade. These are challenges facing both tobacco and alcohol policy and there is no perfect answer. Neither, however, is it beyond resolution: fiscal policy is based precisely on establishing taxation thresholds that achieve precisely this balance for a range of goods. Transform advocate for optimal legal drug regulation models that minimise social and health harms. In our view, legal regulation – for all its challenges – would achieve this far more effectively than prohibition, whose failures are evident all around us. But that is not to say the regulation of currently legal drugs, such as alcohol, is perfect. Far from it. Indeed, it is entirely consistent to call for better regulation of legal drugs (such alcohol MUP and plain packaging for cigarettes – both of which we support) as well as effective regulation of currently illegal drugs. The destination of optimal regulation is the same, even if the starting point is different. Finally, Molly cites the case of mephedrone. The unregulated legal NPS market (before the PSA 2016) was nothing like the strictly regulated model we advocate. Furthermore, mephedrone's emergence was not just because of its legal status (although that was, no doubt, a factor) but 12 | drinkanddrugsnews | July/August 2018 significantly due to an MDMA shortage following the 'successful' interdiction of almost the entire global supply of a key precursor in 2008. A new illegal MDMA production method was discovered in 2010 – coincidentally when mephedrone was banned in the UK – and by 2011-12 high purity MDMA pills and powder returned to the market. Following this, MDMA’s user base, many of whom were previously displaced to mephedrone, largely returned, both in the UK and elsewhere, even where mephedrone remained legal. Problems such as those identified by Ms Cochrane are difficult, but they become less awkward when, rather than ignoring or simplifying, we look at them more closely. I and Transform welcome the kinds of challenges that Molly raises in her letter and we look forward to further dialogue to help put in place measures that afford the highest level of protection to consumers using the best regulatory tools we have available. Steve Rolles, senior policy analyst, Transform Drug Policy Foundation counselling credentials It was a disappointing surprise to read the article on FDAP (DDN, June, page 10), which inaccurately stated that FDAP is the only professional registration body for drug and alcohol workers. This is incorrect. There is also IC&RC UK and Europe, a body that certifies drug and alcohol counsellors in the UK and has done so for over 20 years. It is a UK branch of the worldwide IC&RC 50,000-strong credentialing body and members may apply for reciprocity throughout the world. We can be contacted at: IC&RC UK, 33 Thurloe Place, South Kensington, London SW7 2H or at [email protected] IC&RC UK and Europe Board members /DDNMagazine @DDNMagazine www.drinkanddrugsnews.com BROADREACH HOUSE ANNOUNCES CLOSURE As DDN went to press it was announced that Broadreach House in Plymouth was to close due to lack of funding. The facility had launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £250,000 to ‘enable us to continue to provide excellent and effective support to those in greatest need facing addiction’, but had fallen short of the amount needed. A statement on the Broadreach House Facebook page read that ‘it is with the deepest regret that we write this post to inform you of the closure of Broadreach House, including Broadreach our male only detoxification and residential service and Longreach our female only detoxification and residential service.’ Broadreach House had ‘survived many years of turbulence due to underfunding’, it said, but had finally ’found ourselves in a situation where we have no other option but to close our services’. Staff had forfeited part of their salaries ‘in a concerted effort to continue trading’, it continued, with the added irony that the facility was currently at full capacity, with demand for its services greater than ever. Read a selection of the Facebook comments below: Rose Chitseko Very sad and also angry that such a valuable service, which literally saved my daughter's life, is having to close. What an enormous waste of extremely talented, compassionate staff and wonderful people generally, needed as much now as ever. Sally Pullyblank So sad to hear this news, Broadreach helped my family when we were in such a desperate time with my mum. Unfortunately she never recovered but I will never forget the place as a young teenager and the support that was offered to her – I felt it was our only chance at the time. What happens now to all those families who are desperately seeking help for their loved ones! So very very sad. Ivanna Bedani I’m absolutely heartbroken. This wonderful organisation saved my life, saved and healed my family’s pain and helped me make the best start possible to build a happy healthy and productive life. I am forever grateful for the hard work care support and effort of everyone who worked there. xxx Kelly Budd I honestly feel sick reading this – I can't believe that such an amazing service has fallen by the wayside this way. The staff are (and always have been) truly amazing, and the number of incredible individuals who took their steps on the path to recovery at this service should be proud of themselves and the changes they made. It is such a shame that no more clients will pass through its doors. Goodbye Broadreach! Mandy Lea So sad to hear this, you saved my life along with many others. Will never ever forget, so sad. xx www.drinkanddrugsnews.com