Drink and Drugs News DDN July_August 2019 | Page 3

Keep in touch with us via Facebook and Twitter! /DDNMagazine @DDNMagazine ContEnts ‘Social media has been a complete game changer.’ ON THE COVER Social media and stigma, p6 4 NEWS ‘Biased’ drug classification not fit for purpose; NPS threatening prison safety. 6 ANOTHER STORY We should be challenging stigmatising language on social media with powerful personal stories, says James Armstrong. 8 VITAL BONDS Peer educators can play a vital role in tackling hep C, says Ignatius Harling. 10 A TANGLED WEB Closure of the big ‘darkweb’ drugs supermarkets will have repercussions on the street, warns Kevin Flemen. 12 LETTERS AND COMMENT The legalisation debate continues; Broadreach House closes its doors. 13 FAMILY FORCE The loved ones of veterans with substance issues need help too, says Rob Stebbings. 13 THE BIGGER PICTURE Get involved in this year’s Recovery Street Film Festival, urges Junaid. 14 DEAR ED… Some friendly advice for the new recovery champion, from Roger Howard. 15 CZAR GAZING The next crop of ministers need a new vision for treatment, says Mike Trace. 16 READING FOR RECOVERY Mark Reid reviews two new titles that show the powerful role of reading. 18 FOR THE RECORD Make sure your record-keeping is thorough and accurate, advises Jenny Wilde. DDN is published by CJ Wellings Ltd, Romney House, School Road, Ashford, Kent TN27 0LT t: 0845 299 3429 www.drinkanddrugsnews.com Editor: Claire Brown e: [email protected] Subscriptions: e: [email protected] Advertising manager: Ian Ralph e: [email protected] website: www.drinkanddrugsnews.com Reporter: David Gilliver e: [email protected] Designer: Jez Tucker e: [email protected] Website support by wiredupwales.com Printed on environmentally friendly paper by the Manson Group Ltd B ack in 2010, the UK Drug Policy Commission analysed newspaper coverage and produced a report, Representations of Drug use and drug users in the British Press. It highlighted negative reporting, condemnatory attitudes and pejorative labelling, and contributed to some valuable work around stigma, including the guide for journalists that the UKDPC’s former CEO Roger Howard mentions in his piece on page 14. Since then, the presence of social media has been a complete game changer. As James Armstrong explores in our cover story (page 6), online stigma can all too often ‘go viral’ with the coveted social media reward of getting attention. While we can’t control the internet, what we can do is encourage those with first-hand experience to tell their stories, breaking down the polarisation of ‘us and them’. The internet is shaping every area of our work and Kevin Flemen gives invaluable insight to what’s happening on the ‘darknet’. International policing operations may be enjoying successes in closing down online market places – but have we thought about the impact on the UK drugs scene? Are such operations feeding customers to dealer networks and county lines gangs? And, crucially, will the quality of drugs suffer, with all the implications for compromised safety? We hope you have a good summer as we go into the break – the new issue will be out on 9 September. In the meantime keep in touch with your contributions and feedback – we’ll be here! Claire Brown, editor Keep in touch at www.drinkanddrugsnews.com and @DDNmagazine Cover by sam thomas / iStock DDN is an independent publication, entirely funded by advertising. Proud to work in partnership with: CJ Wellings Ltd does not accept respon si bility for the accuracy of state ments made by contri bu t ors or advertisers. The contents of this magazine are the copyright of CJ Wellings Ltd, but do not necess arily represent its views, or those of its partner organisations. July/August 2019 | drinkanddrugsnews | 3 Editor’s lEttEr