Extreme social stigma holds back drug recovery
Posted on 24 August 2010
The evidence review was carried out by Charlie Lloyd, a Senior Lecturer in the University's Department of Health Sciences for the UK Drug Policy Commission. It reveals that the extreme stigma attached to drug addiction represents a massive obstacle to rehabilitation and recovery; hindering access to treatment, securing work and housing and rejoining society, and lasting for very long periods.
Use of heroin and crack, in particular, can be seen to come with a ‘stigma life sentence’ which is a crucial barrier to recovery and rejoining society
Charlie Lloyd
'Sinning & Sinned Against: The Stigmatisation of Problem Drug Users' is the first instalment of a four part research study, supported by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation with additional funding from the Scottish Drug Recovery Consortium, and led by Professor Colin Blakemore (Professor of Neuroscience, Oxford University and UKDPC Commissioner). The study asks why so much stigma is attached to drug addiction, how it may prevent social reintegration and whether society is ready for a shift towards a more compassionate approach, geared more towards care than punishment.
The Commission says that tackling the extreme prejudice about addiction in society will be essential if the Coalition Government is to succeed in getting people recovering from drug dependency off benefits, back into work and playing a full role in society.
Charlie Lloyd said: "There is no getting away from the fact that our current society is none too keen on drug users, and even former users, but such attitudes betray a lack of understanding about the nature of addiction which is having many profound effects. Use of heroin and crack, in particular, can be seen to come with a 'stigma life sentence' which is a crucial barrier to recovery and rejoining society.
"One way of moving towards greater compassion might be to learn lessons from the USA where every September the Governor of the State California (Arnold Schwarzenegger) holds a 'recovery month' to educate the public about addiction and the potential for people to overcome their drug problems."
Professor Colin Blakemore adds: "'Junkie' and 'addict' have become pejorative shorthand for perceived social decay, conveying a sense of anxiety out or proportion to reality, but such hostile attitudes only add to the barriers of escape from drug dependence. When drug use is so common in our society we need to inform the public about the true nature of addiction so that addiction is no longer a lifelong handicap."
The study highlights possible areas for action:
- Service user and advocacy groups becoming more active in challenging media reporting of drug addiction
- Education and information campaigns to help the public understand addiction problems
- Support for celebrities and iconic public figures to talk openly about their recovery from drug addiction
- Better training for professionals who come into contact with people with addiction problems
- Greater use of voluntary work placements schemes to get beyond the 'junkie' stereotypes and help people onto the employment ladder
Notes to editors:
- The UK Drug Policy Commission is an independent, non-aligned and time limited charitable body set up with funding from the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation to enhance political and public understanding of the effective of policies aimed at dealing with the harms caused by illegal drugs
- Charlie Lloyd is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Health Sciences, University of York. Prior to this he managed the alcohol and drugs research programme at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation having moved there following a period undertaking and managing a range of research at the Home Office.
- The Department of Health Sciences at the University of York is a large multi-disciplinary department, offering a broad range of taught and research programmes in the healthcare field, including nursing. It aims to develop the role of scientific evidence in health and health care through high quality research, teaching and other forms of dissemination.
- Professor Colin Blakemore FMedSci (Professor of Neuroscience, Oxford) is a member of the UK Drug Policy Commission.
Contact details
Keep up to date
Subscribe to news feeds
