BARROW'S MP has called on residents to take part after the Home Affairs Committee announced a new inquiry to examine illegal drug use in the UK and its effect on society.

The manufacture and trade of illegal drugs is a key driver of organised crime. A Home Affairs Committee report into violence against retail workers noted a strong relationship between substance misuse, shop theft and the use of violence and aggression by drug-affected offenders. The total drugs offences recorded by the police across the UK in 2020/21 was 253,875.

Drug misuse and addiction in the UK has a serious impact on public health and wider society. In 2020/21 there were 6,091 drug related deaths in the UK, having grown steadily over the previous decade. NHS England recorded 100,000 admissions for drug-related mental and behavioural disorders in 2019/20.

The inquiry will investigate the current impact of legislation designed to restrict the use of dangerous or harmful drugs. This will include the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, which prohibits the production, possession and supply of controlled substance, and gives the Home Secretary power to decide on where the use of controlled substances is permitted. The Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 was introduced to respond to the emergence of ‘legal highs’ that fell outside of existing legislation, and to better enable the Government to respond to the emergence of new drugs.

It will also examine how effective Government-led strategies to reduce drug use, drug related mortality and drug related criminality have been and what improvements could be made. This will include the recently published 10 Year Drug Strategy for England and Wales (published in December 2021), which sets out the Government’s three-pronged approach to drugs: to break drug supply chains, improve treatment and rehabilitation, and reduce demand for drugs.

Calling on Furness residents to have their say and contribute to the enquiry, MP for Barrow Simon Fell said: “Drug misuse and addiction cause a devastating impact to life in Furness. We’ve seen this first hand through the illegal county lines drugs trade.

ISSUE: MP Simon Fell

ISSUE: MP Simon Fell

“I’m pleased that the Home Affairs Select Committee, of which I am a member, is calling for evidence as part of this enquiry. I would urge as many Furness residents as possible to have their say by sharing their experiences and feelings about drug misuse in our community, and take part in the inquiry.”