Released on = December 15, 2006, 7:06 am

Press Release Author = Addiction Research and Theory Journal

Industry =

Press Release Summary = A radical shift in drug policy is being called for by a
leading expert on drug misuse.

In an article published in Addiction Research and Theory, Professor Neil McKeganey,
director of Glasgow University's Centre for Drug Misuse Research, examines the
extent to which drug use and HIV have harmed individuals and society. He argues
that harm reduction policies like methadone prescription have not been very
successful at getting users to stop taking drugs. McKeganey concludes that in the
face of continued problematic drug use it may now be appropriate to make drug
prevention, rather than harm reduction, the key aim of drug policy and practice.


Press Release Body = EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 1am local time, Sunday 17th November 2006

LEADING DRUGS EXPERT QUESTIONS 'SOFT' DRUGS POLICIES

A radical shift in drug policy is being called for by a leading expert on drug
misuse.

In an article published in Addiction Research and Theory, Professor Neil McKeganey,
director of Glasgow University's Centre for Drug Misuse Research, examines the
extent to which drug use and HIV have harmed individuals and society. He argues
that harm reduction policies like methadone prescription have not been very
successful at getting users to stop taking drugs. McKeganey concludes that in the
face of continued problematic drug use it may now be appropriate to make drug
prevention, rather than harm reduction, the key aim of drug policy and practice.

"The idea of harm reduction was introduced to drug policies as a result of fears of
an AIDS epidemic which did not materialize" says Professor McKeganey. "My analysis
suggests that these policies have done little to minimize the negative effects of
drugs on individuals, their families, and the wider community. It's time refocus
our efforts, get users off drugs, and concentrate on preventing drug use."

The analysis of Professor McKeganey has received a mixed response from other drugs
experts in a series of commentaries published alongside his article. Wayne Harding
from Harvard Medical School says "I strongly agree with Professor McKeganey's call
for a drug policy that emphasizes prevention as well as treatment. However, I don't
believe that Professor McKeganey has made a strong enough case against harm
reduction to shift away from it, and make prevention the dominant component of drug
policy."

Professor McKeganey contends that he is not calling for harm minimization to be
abandoned. "That would be irresponsible", he says. "Nonetheless, should the drug
problem in Britain increase further society may struggle to cope. There would then
be an urgent need to make drug prevention rather than harm reduction the major
thrust of policy and practice."

Backgrounder attached.

Media Contacts:

UK:
Neil McKeganey, Professor of Drug Misuse Research +44 (0)141-330-3615
(n.mckeganey@socsci.gla.ac.uk)
Mike Ashton, Editor of Drug and Alcohol Findings +44 (0)20 8888 6277
(da.findings@blueyonder.co.uk)

North America:
Wayne Harding, Lecturer on Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, USA +1 781-273-4206
(wharding@ssre.org)
Colin Mangham, Population Health Promotion Associates, Canada +1 604 882-1582
(colinm@psbc.ca)

Editorial Contact (Addiction Research & Theory) for PDFs:
Derek Heim +44 1772 89 3432 (sdheim@uclan.ac.uk)


Backgrounder

The idea of reducing the harm associated with continued drug use has been one of the
most influential developments in global drug policy within the last twenty years.
Despite this there have been very few attempts to gauge our success in actually
reducing drug related harm and thereby the real worth of this change in drug policy.


In the paper the Lure and Loss of Harm Reduction Neil McKeganey, Professor of Drug
Misuse Research, University of Glasgow, UK, considers the evidence for continuing
and in some cases escalating harm associated with illegal drug use over the period
within the UK that harm reduction ideas have been at their most influential.
Through assembling data in relation to such areas as drug prevalence drug deaths
drug related infections HIV and Hepatitis C crime and the impact of drug use on
families McKeganey makes the case that apart from the areas of HIV infection out
successes in reducing drug related harm have been few and far between. McKeganey
raises a number of possible explanations for the apparent failure to reduce drug
related harm in the U.K. including the possibility that the idea of harm reduction
may simply be incongruent with the reality of continued problematic drug use.

The conclusion that McKeganey comes to is not that there is a need for effective
harm reduction measures within the UK that the major achievements in reducing the
harm associated with illegal drug use will only come about with success in reducing
the numbers of people using illegal drugs. According to McKeganey it is now time to
make drug prevention rather than harm reduction the cornerstone of drug policy and
provision. This recommendation and the analysis upon which it is based are likely
to stir considerable controversy within the UK and beyond as we critically consider
the direction of drug policy.

The paper is accompanied by four commentaries by
Richard Velleman, Professor of Mental Health Research at the School for Health and
Department of Psychology, University of Bath.
Dr. Colin Mangham, Population Health Promotion Associates, Canada

Professor Wayne Harding, Lecturer on Psychiatry at the Cambridge Hospital, Harvard
Medical School at the Cambridge Hospital, USA

Mike Ashton, Editor of Drug and Alcohol Findings (a collaboration between the
National Addiction Centre, DrugScope and Alcohol Concern).


Web Site = http://

Contact Details = Dr Derek Heim
Department of Psychology
Darwin Building
University of Central Lancashire
Preston
PR1 2HE
Tel: +44 (0)1772 89 3432
Fax: +44 (0)1772 89 2925