Does UK drug policy require reform? Engaging drug takers into the debate

英国毒品政策需要改革吗？

• 批准号: ES/R007225/1
• 负责人: Rebecca Askew
• 金额: $ 30.98万
• 依托单位: Manchester Metropolitan University
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2018 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FR007225%2F1
• 关键词: Does; UK; drug; policy; require

Drug policy reform is high on the global political agenda. Since the turn of the 21st century, several countries have shifted from prohibition policy. Academics, policy-makers, practitioners, and non-government organisations (NGOs) are discussing (and advocating for) drug policy reform in the UK focussing on the usefulness and relevance of the Misuse of Drugs (MDA) Act 1971 and the Psychoactive Substances Act (PSA) 2016. Yet the voices of drug takers are largely absent from such debate and there is now increasing acknowledgement that contribution from drug takers is required to improve both the policy legitimacy and outcomes (UKDPC, 2012; Lancaster et al., 2014; Lancaster et al, 2015). The proposed research builds on two research projects conducted by the PI that interviewed 60 drug takers. Interviewees from both projects were asked for their opinions on drug policy and the law. Most drug takers were unable to distinguish between different policy approaches and were unclear about the definitions of, 'legalisation', 'regulation' and 'decriminalisation. For example, most were aware that Portugal decriminalised drugs in 2001, but they needed further clarification about what this meant in practice. This research aims to actively involve various drug takers into the drug policy debate by educating them about alternative policy approaches and engaging them in workshop discussions. More investigation is required to understand drug takers' views on policy (specifically on the current prohibitionist framework and alternative models, such as decriminalisation, medicalisation and regulation), how these opinions are formulated and what components of drug policy are important to drug takers. Through the inclusion and analysis of drug takers' experiences and opinions, a drug policy action plan will be formulated. This is necessary to make policy debates more inclusive and facilitate a space to better connect policy to those that it affects. The project has 3 dualistic aims that both empower stigmatised groups (drug takers), whilst improving debates about drug policy reform 1: Improve debates about drug policy reform by involving drug takers' experiences and opinions2: Create a drug action plan using the 'discursive democracy' approach with a range of drug takers 3: Share the findings of the research to key stakeholders to facilitate future interactions about drug policy development These will be achieved through 5 practical objectives:Ob1: Capture the level of drug-takers' knowledge and opinions of law and policy and establish how these opinions have been formulated by undertaking a baseline survey.Ob2: Develop an educational video to outline different policy approaches to improve drug takers' knowledge and understanding. Ob3: Co-ordinate workshops using 'discursive democracy' to generate qualitative data revealing drug-taker's opinions of current and alternative policy and actively encourage their participation in debate.Ob4: Use the findings of the survey and workshops to formulate a comprehensive and informed drug policy action plan.Ob5: Disseminate the drug policy action plan through academic conferences and peer-reviewed articles, and through relevant drug policy NGOs who engage and interact with policy-makers.The potential applications and benefits are to:1. Broaden the debates about UK drug policy reform to include a wide range of people who are directly affected by drug law and policy.2. Help inform, educate and empower the public about political issues, in this instance drug policy.3. Contribute to broader debates about the opportunities and potential for drug policy reform both nationally and globally.4. Provide NGOs with academic research that can be used for evidence and lobbying to policy makers and government.5. The video explaining current and alternative drug policy approaches could be used to educate the general public.

毒品政策改革是全球政治议程上的优先事项。进入世纪以来，一些国家已经从禁止政策转向。学术界，政策制定者，从业人员和非政府组织（NGO）正在讨论（和倡导）药物政策改革在英国集中在药物滥用（MDA）法1971和精神活性物质法（PSA）2016的有用性和相关性。然而，吸毒者的声音在这种辩论中基本上是缺席的，现在越来越多的人认识到，吸毒者的贡献需要改善政策的合法性和结果（UKDPC，2012年;兰开斯特等人，2014;兰开斯特等人，2015）。拟议的研究建立在PI进行的两个研究项目的基础上，该项目采访了60名吸毒者。两个项目的受访者都被问及他们对毒品政策和法律的意见。大多数吸毒者无法区分不同的政策方针，也不清楚“合法化”、“监管”和“非刑事化”的定义。例如，大多数人知道葡萄牙在2001年将毒品合法化，但他们需要进一步澄清这在实践中意味着什么。这项研究的目的是通过教育各种吸毒者了解替代政策方法并使他们参与讲习班讨论，积极使他们参与毒品政策辩论。需要进行更多的调查，以了解吸毒者对政策的看法（特别是对目前的禁止主义框架和替代模式，如非刑事化，医疗化和监管），这些意见是如何形成的，以及毒品政策的哪些组成部分对吸毒者很重要。通过吸收和分析吸毒者的经验和意见，将制定一项药物政策行动计划。这对于使政策辩论更具包容性，并为更好地将政策与受其影响的人联系起来提供空间是必要的。该项目有三个双重目标，既赋予受歧视群体权力，1：通过吸收吸毒者的经验和意见来改善关于毒品政策改革的辩论2：使用“话语民主”方法与一系列吸毒者一起制定毒品行动计划3：与主要利益攸关方分享研究结果，以促进今后在药物政策制定方面的互动。通过开展基线调查，了解吸毒者对法律和政策的知识水平和意见，并确定这些意见是如何形成的。目标2：制作教育录像，概述提高吸毒者知识和理解的不同政策方法。观察3：利用“话语民主”协调讲习班，以生成定性数据，揭示吸毒者对现行政策和替代政策的看法，并积极鼓励他们参与辩论。目标4：利用调查和讲习班的结果制定全面和知情的毒品政策行动计划。目标5：通过学术会议和同行评审文章传播药物政策行动计划，并通过与政策制定者接触和互动的相关药物政策非政府组织。扩大关于英国毒品政策改革的辩论，使之包括广泛的直接受毒品法律和政策影响的人。帮助公众了解、教育和掌握政治问题，在这种情况下是毒品政策。促进就国家和全球毒品政策改革的机会和潜力进行更广泛的辩论。向非政府组织提供可用作证据和游说政策制定者和政府的学术研究。解释现行和替代性毒品政策办法的录像可用于教育公众。

项目成果

When self-direction meets conformity: Surfacing Schwartz's 10 basic human values in drug policy dialogue with lived/living experience participants.

当自我导向遇到整合：在与生活/生活经历参与者的毒品政策对话中展示施瓦茨的 10 项基本人类价值观。

• DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104257
• 发表时间: 2023
• 期刊: The International journal on drug policy
• 作者: Askew R

The importance of PEOPLE who use drugs within drug policy reform debates: Findings from the UK Drug Policy Voices online survey

毒品使用者在毒品政策改革辩论中的重要性：英国毒品政策之声在线调查的结果

• DOI: 10.21428/cb6ab371.661773f1
• 发表时间: 2022
• 期刊: CrimRxiv
• 作者: Askew R

The importance of PEOPLE who use drugs within drug policy reform debates: Findings from the UK Drug Policy Voices online survey.

毒品政策改革辩论中吸毒者的重要性：英国毒品政策之声在线调查的结果。

• DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103711
• 发表时间: 2022
• 期刊: The International journal on drug policy
• 作者: Askew R