Substance misuse
'Working Together to Reduce Harm' is the Welsh Assembly Government’s ten year plan to tackle the problems caused by drugs and alcohol in Wales.
The Strategy sets out our approach to tackling the full range of substances that are misused in Wales and covers:
- alcohol
- illegal drugs such as heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, amphetamines, LSD and cannabis
- prescription only medicines (POM) such as anabolic steroids and
benzodiazepines - over the counter medicines (OTC) such as preparations containing codeine
- volatile substances such as aerosol propellants, butane, solvents and glues.
The Strategy has four areas for action:
- Preventing harm - helping children, young people and adults resist or reduce substance misuse by providing information about the damage that substance misuse can cause to their health, their families and the wider community.
- Supporting substance misusers - to improve their health and aid and maintain recovery thereby reducing the harm they cause themselves, their families and their communities.
- Supporting families - reducing the risk of harm to children and adults as a consequence of the substance misusing behaviour of a family member.
- Tackling availability and protecting individuals and communities - reducing the harms caused by substance misuse related crime and anti-social behaviour, by tackling the availability of illegal drugs and the inappropriate availability of alcohol and other substances.
Related Links
“Working Together to Reduce Harm” the Welsh Assembly Government’s Strategy for tackling substance misuse in Wales was launched in 2008.
"Working Together to Reduce Harm” is our 10 year substance misuse strategy which aims to set out a clear national agenda for tackling and reducing the harms associated with substance misuse in Wales.
Guidelines intended for all clinicians, especially those providing pharmacological interventions for drug misusers as a component of drug misuse treatment.
A review of current arrangements for the commissioning, contracting, assessment and management of Tier 4 treatment services in Wales.
'Working Together to Reduce Harm' - Substance Misuse Annual Report 2009
Cannabis has been reclassified up from a Class C to a Class B drug.