'Time to change' - calls for revolutionary approach to drugs after club deaths rise

More needs to be done to protect people when they go out at night, according to a new report.

Night Lives: Reducing Drug-Related Harms, has found the number of deaths linked to cocaine or ecstasy at night clubs in the UK is at an all time high.

Now, those behind the report are calling for an urgent review of measures to prevent drug-related deaths.

• Drug safety testing services in night time districts

• An independent information service to reduce drug-related harm

• Drugs awareness training for night time staff

• The adoption of the UK festival drug policy of ‘3Ps: Prevent, Pursue,

Protect’ in licensed venues

Drug-related deaths due to ecstasy and cocaine are at their highest since

records began and, despite drug usage rates remaining broadly consistent,

hospital admissions due to these drugs have risen dramatically in recent years.

A refocusing of national drug policy and resources away from harm reduction has

left our night time environments more vulnerable than ever to drug-related harm.

Licensing fears and landmark closures have left venues obliged to harden their

‘zero tolerance’ rhetoric towards drugs, leaving them ill-equipped to deal with the

unavoidable realities of drug use.

The resulting economic, social and cultural damage to our night time economies

is substantial, increasing the burden on our police and health services, and

threatening the closure of licenced venues, along with the jobs and revenue they

provide.

Under embargo until Monday 19th March 2018

The report presents solutions to the perceived barriers to implementation of the

initiatives it proposes, including addressing licensing concerns through

communicating a greater understanding of the positive wider impact of these

initiatives on security staff, police and health services, and introducing initiatives

using a partnership approach, as advocated in the Night Time Economy

Strategies of many towns and cities.

The report is aimed at the night time industry, local authorities, police forces and

public health and is based on in-depth interviews with over 50 key stakeholders.

The Loop is in advanced discussions with authorities in several UK locations to

deliver drug safety testing to town and city centres in the near future and will be

offering forensic testing by chemists and brief interventions by healthcare

professionals at an increased number of UK festivals this summer