HIV, drugs, and public health in England: new worlds, old tunes

Since 1986 there has been a major reconceptualization of drugs policy in England in response to HIV and AIDS with new ideas about risk behavior and risk reduction, and health behavior and harm minimization. The debate appears to have a new public health emphasis, but historical examination shows public health concerns have emerged in earlier periods. We examine three models of public health and their influence on drugs policy. The current drugs debate is informed by late twentieth century concern for the individual body and life-style choices. While drug policy has been given new purpose by these developments, this model of public health is essentially individualistic in focus and limited in practice.