One in Five People in UK Have Experience with Drug Addiction

A new UK study shows that almost one in five people have personally experienced drug addiction, either directly or among family or friends.

The poll, carried out by ICM on behalf of the charity DrugScope, found that more than one in ten adults had a friend who had experienced drug addiction; more than one in 20 had experienced drug addiction in their family; and one in 50 had personal experience with drug addiction.

Of 1,039 adults over age 18, 77 percent agreed that the government should invest in drug treatment.

The figures were much higher among the younger age groups surveyed, with 27 percent of respondents ages 18 to 34 admitting to direct or indirect experience with drug dependence.

DrugScope said that the figures did not indicate an increase in the number of people experiencing drug dependency, as evidence suggested that overall drug use was stabilizing. But they did show that drug dependency or misuse is a social problem that touches many people’s lives.

The findings also suggested that the public was sympathetic toward those experiencing drug addiction, with 80 percent of those surveyed agreeing that “people can become addicted to drugs because of other problems in their lives.” About 35 percent said that there is no excuse for drug addiction and that it is always the individual’s fault.

The majority of respondents (88 percent) said that people who are addicted to drugs need help and support to get their lives back on track.

Martin Barnes, chief executive of DrugScope, said, “Our research shows that drug dependency is something that’s close to home for many people. Every drug user is someone’s daughter or somebody’s son…It’s encouraging that the majority of respondents—regardless of their own experience—understood that someone’s drug dependence will often stem from a number of other problems in their life and agreed that drug treatment should be available to all those who need it.”

He continued, "DrugScope supports calls for continued investment in drug treatment on the basis of compassion and effectiveness, not fear. It is encouraging that the foundations for such a shift in perspective may already be in place. For many people trying to break free of addiction, stigma and discrimination remain a major barrier to recovery and may impact on their chances of getting into work, being housed appropriately, or accessing proper healthcare.”

“The government's commitment to supporting problem drug users to reintegrate into society requires action to tackle stigmatizing and discriminatory attitudes, in the media, among professionals and the public."