Source · Select Committees · Home Affairs Committee
Recommendation 12
12
Accepted
Paragraph: 45
Increase monitoring of synthetic drug trafficking and prioritise heroin dependency treatment.
Recommendation
To mitigate this risk, we recommend the Government, in partnership with the devolved administrations, increase its monitoring of synthetic drugs being trafficked in, and around, the UK, and prioritise supporting people with a chronic heroin dependency into treatment and recovery.
Government Response Summary
The government states that UK agencies are highly alert to the threat, detailing existing monitoring efforts through NCA resources, Border Force seizures, and Combating Drugs Partnerships, and refers to a £900m investment that includes drug treatment services.
Paragraph Reference:
45
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
UK agencies are highly alert to the threat from synthetic drugs, including synthetic opioids like fentanyl, as well as synthetic cannabinoids and benzodiazepines, which have been linked to drug related deaths in the UK. Combating international drug and precursor chemical trafficking and securing our border are key elements of the Drug Strategy, which ensures there are established routes to share intelligence, guidance and promising practice at a local, regional and national level. This is underpinned by significant investment of nearly £900m over three years in both drug treatment services and in tackling the supply of illicit drugs. We have provided additional resources to the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Home Office international networks in key source and transit countries to work with other governments to identify and disrupt criminals who seek to bring illicit drugs to the UK. In the year to March 2022 Border Force seized 172kg and over 1.2m doses of new psychoactive substances. Along with law enforcement partners, the UK Government stands ready to respond to the threat from synthetic drugs. We have established a cross- Government taskforce to lead and co-ordinate the HMG response to the risk from synthetic opioids to the UK. The aim of the taskforce is to consider evidence-based policy, programmatic and legislative action against the risks of synthetic opioids to the UK, including enhancing our early warning systems. The taskforce is already delivering a set of key mitigations to alleviate the risk to the UK. Members include the Home Office, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), Ministry of Justice, NCA, HM Prisons and Probation Service, Border Force and the police. As part of the Drug Strategy, all areas in England have formed multi-agency Combating Drugs Partnerships that bring together all the relevant local partners across law enforcement, treatment and health, and prevention. These partnerships have been advised to review their local processes around sharing of data and intelligence and reviewing overdoses and deaths related to drugs, noting the context of increasing prevalence of synthetic substances. Regional networks are also being improved to ensure there is good communication and coordination between staff from relevant departments and organisations – including health partners and law enforcement. We believe firmly in the importance of engaging with experts and delivery partners to respond swiftly to the evidence of emerging drug threats, including learning from international partners through international fora such as the US- led Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats. The UK Government and Devolved Governments continue to engage on the issue of synthetic drugs.