COCAINE
FULLY ENGAGED
With Scotland ’ s opioid crisis seldom out of the headlines it ’ s easy to overlook the significant – and growing – problem of cocaine . A recent Change Grow Live conference explored the best approaches to tackling this worsening public health problem , says Simon Holmes
With drug-related deaths and the social impact of substances still a pressing concern across Scotland , the time has never been better for the sector to come together to share its knowledge and expertise .
At Change Grow Live we ’ re proud to have joined forces with Edinburgh Alcohol and Drug Partnership ( EADP ) to hold our first conference on the issue of crack cocaine and cocaine use across Scotland . By bringing together voices from the sector and beyond , we aim to begin an ongoing dialogue about the future of drug and alcohol support in Scotland .
In May of this year , the two organisations held our inaugural conference on the topic of cocaine and crack cocaine use . This event saw more than 120 individuals from the Scottish Parliament , NHS , councils and non-profit sectors gather to discuss how we can reduce the harmful effects of crack cocaine and cocaine use in Scotland .
INCREASING NUMBERS In 2021 , the Glasgow-based NHS WAND initiative – which provides wound care , harm reduction supplies and blood-borne virus testing – reported that around two thirds of the people presenting to them were injecting heroin , and around the same were injecting cocaine . Data from 2023 then showed a decrease to 57 per cent in injecting heroin , but an increase to 81 per cent of people injecting cocaine . This follows a pattern that we ’ ve also observed in Edinburgh and presents a distinct challenge to treatment providers .
The increase in the numbers injecting cocaine is especially significant , as injecting dramatically increases people ’ s risk of serious harm from overdoses , injuries , infections , and blood-borne viruses .
In holding this conference , we set out to promote engagement in services and explore how we can deliver the most effective treatment and harm reduction interventions to the people who need it . Topics covered included current trends and harms , and responses to crack cocaine and cocaine use in the region . Attendees heard both academic and practical learning , including data collected from the safe inhalation pipe provision pilot carried out by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine .
We were grateful to hear from several high-profile keynote speakers , including Scotland ’ s minister for drugs and alcohol policy Christina McKelvie MSP , and a wide range of expert voices . Magdalena Harris , professor of inclusion health sociology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine , shared research on the marginalisation of people who smoke crack cocaine , emphasising the links between crack use and poverty , homelessness , criminal justice involvement , and limited access to health and social care services . Professor Harris highlighted the current lack of crack-specific treatment and services , as well as resistance to safe inhalation methods that is holding back harm reduction efforts .
Andrew McAuley PhD , professor of public health at Glasgow Caledonian University , spoke on trends , harms and responses relating to cocaine use in Scotland . As well as sharing statistics on rising cocaine use and the growing complexity of associated harms , he also discussed the need for bold and innovative approaches to reducing harm .
We were also grateful to hear from Jim McVeigh , professor of substance use and associated behaviours , drug policy and social change at Manchester Metropolitan University . His talk addressed the risks associated
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