Britain's "substance abuse policy": realities and regulation in the United Kingdom

The historical development of policy concerning drugs in Great Britain is described. A major feature of this is that it originated out of international agreement rather than being the result of a domestic need. Not until the 1960s was there an emergence of evidence of a growing number of drug users. This led to the removal of the right to prescribe drugs in treatment from doctors in general practice and the establishment of clinics for the treatment of addicts. It is noted that the policy is substantially punitive and that large numbers of people are dealt with by the courts for drug offenses. The statistical data on drugs and the current treatment practices are also discussed.