Drugs research: an overview of evidence and questions for policy

Abstract

This report outlines the results of the largest independent programme of drugs research of its kind within the UK. In 2001 the Joseph Rowntree Foundation embarked upon a unique and challenging programme of research that explored the problem of illicit drugs in the UK. The research addressed many questions that were often too sensitive for the government to tackle. In many cases, these studies represented the first research on these issues and the policy implications have been far-reaching. The topics covered in the report include: • The policing of drug possession. • The domestic cultivation, purchasing and heavy use of cannabis. • Non-problematic heroin use, heroin prescription and Drug Consumption Rooms. • The impact of drugs on the family. • Drug testing in schools and in the workplac