Category: Drugs & Substance Misuse

Ageing cohort of drug users

Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, June 2019

This report from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) explores the specific issues for older people with a drug problem focusing on those who have had a drug problem for an extended period of time. It describes the health and social care needs of this population, and identifies effective services responses and best practice. It finds that the past decade has seen a shift in the age profile of those seeking treatment for drug use. An ageing cohort, who have survived lengthy histories of heavy drug use, now account for an increasing portion of the treatment group in the UK and Europe.

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Social reintegration and employment: evidence and interventions for drug users in treatment

European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, September 2018
In order to help drug users become full members of society following treatment, measures are needed that address the issues of housing, education, vocational training and employment as part of their recovery. This report considers existing interventions targeting this vulnerable social group. It also provides a set of conclusions targeted at policymakers and drug practitioners, in order to help them develop coherent and comprehensive social integration strategies. Examples of ‘what works’ in practice are a vital first step in developing evidence-based guidelines for future interventions.
Click here to view the full report.