12 Step Treatment Guide - Articles

Crack is transforming drug use in the UK.
This poses growing health and social care
challenges, which undermine family and
community life.
Since 2001, crack use has been more
widespread than heroin use. The most
recent statistics (British Crime Survey, 2003/04)
suggest that there are up to 79,000 crack
users compared to an estimated 64,000 heroin
users. More worryingly, there are twice as
many crack users as heroin users amongst
vulnerable young groups (Home Office, 2005).
Although this is not the epidemic that was
predicted in the early 1990s, the use of crack
is now steadily increasing in some parts of
the country. Crack use is challenging
established heroin cultures and more people
are misusing crack alongside heroin or
combining it with alcohol.
Despite these shifting patterns of drug use,
treatment provision in the UK is still largely
targeted at heroin users. There are 84,000
primary heroin users in treatment: twelve
times the number of primary crack users in
treatment (7,200). There are also a significant
number of people in treatment (16,300) using
both crack and heroin, with particular support
needs that place additional strains on health
services and the criminal justice system
(NTA, 2005).
The relatively small number of crack users in
treatment almost certainly reflects the limited
availability and accessibility of crack
treatment services rather than the scale of
problematic use. Current treatment services
effectively marginalize tens of thousands of
crack users, with serious consequences. The
Government has made some effort to
understand the issue, but without urgent
action we face an escalation of the crack
problem and a continued growth in the
number of crack users in future generations.
The reality of crack misuse is seen in its
damaging impact on users’ physical and
mental health, relationships with families,
and housing and employment. It can have a
devastating effect on individuals and their
communities and is often associated with
other criminal problems and drug-related
violence. Crack misuse drastically undermines
neighbourhood renewal and regeneration
initiatives, affecting areas of social exclusion
most acutely.
Turning Point’s experience tells us that crack
misuse can be successfully treated; but that
treatment needs to be more widely available
across the country both within the community
and the criminal justice system.
We need more government investment in
crack-specific services. More fundamentally,
all drug services need to respond adequately
to the needs of crack users. Unless their needs
are met, progress towards improving health
and reducing drug-related harm will be
seriously restricted.
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