Recommendation 24

Dame Carol and Ms Wiseman told us that there was little investment in research into the behaviours and factors that lead to substance misuse.80 The JCDU pointed to the £5 million investment in the ‘innovation fund’ which is looking at building evidence around the key area of reducing demand.81 However, departments have committed just £350,000 to research drivers of recreational drug use, which is equivalent to less than 0.03% of the strategy funding over 2022–23 to 2024–25.82