Sheffield: Take Drugs Seriously

A Call for Connection and Compassion

“We don’t need to be commissioned to communicate”

Seminar Overview

Last night, my good friend Andy Kershaw invited me to attend a seminar organised by the Transform Drug Policy Foundation which was part of the Take Drugs Seriously campaign, bringing together activists, experts, and former law enforcement officers to critique current UK drug policies and advocate for evidence-based reform.

I had little to no knowledge of this issue, so was going in curious about the idea of decriminalising drugs, content to center myself on our core values of kindness, compassion and creativity and to listen with an open mind. The discussion centred on harm reduction, safe supply, overdose prevention, and the failures of punitive drug policies. This report will be in two parts, the first, my structured notes and analysis of the transcript of a recording I took, and the second my reflections last night and this morning.

The event featured speakers included:

• Jane Slater (Transform Drug Policy Foundation)

• Anne-Marie Cockburn (Founder, Anyone’s Child: Families for safer drug control)

• Chris Brady (The Loop)

• Becky Ramsay (Drug policy campaigner)

• Daniel Ahmed (Diamorphine-Assisted Treatment)

• Neil Woods (Former undercover officer, Law Enforcement Action Partnership)

• Vicky (Drug and alcohol service provider)

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Key Themes & Messages

1. The Failure of UK Drug Policy

• Drug-related deaths have reached record levels.

• The Misuse of Drugs Act (1971) has never been formally reviewed.

• Punitive policies increase harm, stigmatise users, and fuel organised crime.

• Criminalisation creates cycles of addiction, incarceration, and trauma.

Significant Quote:
"We've had drug policies in place for over 50 years. This approach has been a costly and catastrophic failure." – Jane Slater

2. The Human Cost of Prohibition

• Personal testimonies revealed devastating losses due to outdated drug policies.

• Anne-Marie Cockburn shared the tragic loss of her daughter, Martha, to an MDMA overdose.

• Becky Ramsay discussed childhood trauma as a precursor to substance use.

Significant Quote:
"A mum of one became a mum of none." – Anne-Marie Cockburn, reflecting on losing her daughter to drugs

3. The Rise of Harm Reduction Strategies

• Advocacy for safe consumption rooms, drug testing services, and legal regulation.

• The Loop and Chris Brady highlighted the benefits of drug-checking services.

• Diamorphine-Assisted Treatment (DAT) was shown to significantly improve quality of life.

Significant Quote:
"If we'd had safe supply, he wouldn’t have needed to do that. He’d be alive today." – Vicky, on a service user who died from an overdose

4. Policing & Organised Crime

• Neil Woods, a former undercover officer, exposed how the War on Drugs fuels organised crime.

• County Lines drug networks exploit children as couriers.

• Police interventions often increase violence and overdoses.

Significant Quote:
"There is no positive impact of any drugs policing in our community. At all." – Neil Woods

5. The Economic & Social Benefits of Reform

• Diamorphine-Assisted Treatment saved public funds by reducing crime, hospitalisations, and policing costs.

• The cost of punitive drug enforcement far outweighs the cost of treatment.

• Public opinion on drug policies is shifting, but political barriers remain.

Significant Quote:
"We’re spending millions on a failing system when we could be saving lives for a fraction of the cost." – Daniel Ahmed

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Significant Quotes & Reflections

1. "A mum of one became a mum of none." – The personal grief behind drug-related deaths.

2. "There is no positive impact of any drugs policing in our community. At all." – The futility of drug enforcement.

3. "If we'd had safe supply, he wouldn’t have needed to do that." – The tragedy of preventable overdoses.

4. "We’re spending millions on a failing system when we could be saving lives for a fraction of the cost." – The economic case for harm reduction.

5. "Drugs are controlled by criminals, not doctors. That has to change." – The call for regulated drug markets.

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Five Reflective Questions & Answers

1. Why has the UK's drug policy remained unchanged despite evidence of its failure?

• Political resistance, moralistic views on drugs, and media sensationalism.

• Fear of being seen as "soft on crime".

• Economic interests in maintaining prison and law enforcement industries.

2. How does criminalisation worsen drug-related harm?

• Stigma prevents access to healthcare.

• Users face higher risks of overdose due to unregulated supply.

• Incarceration fuels poverty, trauma, and reoffending.

3. What are the benefits of harm reduction approaches?

• Overdose prevention centres save lives by offering supervised drug use.

• Safe supply eliminates contaminated drugs.

• Drug-checking services educate users about purity and dosage.

4. How does law enforcement contribute to organised crime?

• Arresting high-level dealers creates power vacuums, leading to violent turf wars.

• County Lines networks exploit children to replace jailed dealers.

• Police crackdowns increase demand, raising drug prices and profits.

5. What are the key policy changes needed to reduce drug-related deaths?

• Decriminalisation of personal drug use.

• Regulated drug markets controlled by healthcare professionals.

• Expansion of harm reduction programmes like overdose prevention centres.

• Diamorphine-Assisted Treatment for chronic heroin users.

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Practical Applications & Advocacy

1. Engage with Policy Makers

• Write to MPs demanding evidence-based drug policy reform.

• Support Transform Drug Policy Foundation & Law Enforcement Action Partnership.

2. Raise Awareness

• Share personal stories and data on harm reduction.

• Challenge media narratives that promote punitive drug policies.

3. Support Harm Reduction Initiatives

• Advocate for overdose prevention centres.

• Encourage drug-checking services at festivals and clubs.

4. Challenge Stigma

• Speak out against criminalising language.

• Humanise drug users by sharing real-life stories.

5. Demand Economic Accountability

• Push for cost-effectiveness analysis of drug policies.

• Highlight how much taxpayers spend on failing enforcement strategies.

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Conclusion

The seminar underscored the urgent need to rethink drug policy. The War on Drugs has failed, and harm reduction is the only evidence-based path forward. Voices from grieving parents, former police officers, and medical experts made a compelling case: regulating drugs through healthcare, not criminal justice, will save lives.

The final call to action is clear: speak up, challenge the system, and demand humane, effective drug policies.

Reflection

This powerful and deeply moving seminar gave a dramatic insight into the ‘toxic fishtank’ we call our society today. It's clear that the current approach to drugs policy in the UK, much like in many other parts of the world, is not only failing but actively causing harm. The stories shared, the data presented, and the expert testimonies all point to a system desperately in need of transformation.

What struck me most profoundly, reading through this summary, was the pervasive disconnection at the heart of this issue. It's a disconnection that mirrors many of the broader societal challenges we explore in "Uniting Hearts, Igniting Change" and that Project Ignite seeks to address. And two phrases from the event really resonated: "You don't need to be commissioned to communicate," and, shockingly, Jane's observation that "Over the 20 years of working in this space, I've realised that nothing about decision making in this space is evidence based."

It's a stark illustration of how those closest to the problem, those with the lived experience and the intuitive understanding of what's needed, are often the furthest removed from the resources and the power to effect change. It seems the very system designed to address human needs has become a transactional, top-down structure, deaf to the voices screaming out to be heard. This is where my mind went immediately to the power of distributed intelligence.

Let's consider the key disconnections highlighted by the seminar:

• Disconnection from Humanity: The criminalisation and stigmatisation of drug use creates a chasm between "us" (those who don't use drugs, or whose use is socially acceptable) and "them" (those who use drugs, particularly those who struggle with addiction). This "othering" prevents us from seeing the shared humanity, the pain, and the often traumatic experiences that lie beneath the surface of substance use. As Anne-Marie Cockburn so heartbreakingly put it, "A mum of one became a mum of none." This isn't just a statistic; it's a devastating loss rooted in a system that dehumanises.

• Disconnection from Evidence: Current policies are demonstrably failing, yet they persist. This reflects a disconnection from evidence-based approaches, from the lived experiences of those most affected, and from the expertise of those advocating for harm reduction. As Jane Slater pointed out, the Misuse of Drugs Act has never been formally reviewed, despite the mounting evidence of its catastrophic consequences.

• Disconnection from Compassion: The punitive approach to drug use is fundamentally lacking in compassion. It prioritises punishment over healing, control over care, and judgement over understanding. This approach, as Neil Woods, the former undercover officer, so powerfully stated, has no positive impact on our communities.

• Disconnection from Responsibility: The "War on Drugs" allows society to abdicate responsibility for addressing the root causes of substance use – trauma, poverty, inequality, lack of opportunity, and disconnection itself. By framing drug use as a criminal issue, we avoid confronting the deeper societal failings that contribute to it.

• Disconnection from Potential: The current punitive system, and the war on drugs, creates cycles of addiction, trauma and harm. The system prevents people from having a chance to flourish, reach their potential, or contribute to the community.

• Disconnection from Local Wisdom: Those with "privileged access" to our shared resources often impose Key Performance Indicators and business models that fundamentally misunderstand the nature of the problem, treating human needs as transactions and overlooking the value of a locally led, flexible approach to fostering connection.

Project Ignite, and the principles outlined in "Uniting Hearts, Igniting Change," offer a different path, one rooted in connection, compassion, and a deep understanding of human needs. I believe the following principles are particularly relevant to this issue:

1. Kindness, Compassion, and Creativity: These must be the foundation of any new approach. We need to approach substance use with empathy, understanding, and a genuine desire to alleviate suffering, not exacerbate it. We need creative solutions, not outdated, punitive measures.

2. Authenticity and Vulnerability: We need to create spaces where people who use drugs feel safe to share their stories, their struggles, and their needs, without fear of judgement or punishment. This requires us to be vulnerable, to acknowledge our own biases, and to listen deeply to those with lived experience.

3. Community as a Source of Strength: We need to recognise that addiction is often a symptom of disconnection, and that recovery is best supported within a connected, caring community. This means investing in community-based services, peer support networks, and harm reduction initiatives. Any resources going into communities should be investments in strengthening those communities to meet their challenges in creative ways which they own for themselves. We should offer extra ideas, connect groups facing similar issues – sparking that collective wisdom – but acknowledge and support the community's need for flexibility to connect with the real world as they experience it.

4. Contributive Justice: Everyone has a right – and a desire – to contribute. The current system, which criminalises and marginalises people who use drugs, denies them this fundamental right. We need to create pathways for people to contribute, to find purpose and meaning, and to be valued members of society.

5. Ethical Influence: We need to use our influence – whether as individuals, organisations, or policymakers – to inspire positive change, not to control or punish. This means advocating for evidence-based policies, challenging stigma, and promoting understanding.

The seminar highlighted the economic absurdity of the current approach. As Daniel Ahmed pointed out, "We're spending millions on a failing system when we could be saving lives for a fraction of the cost." This isn't just a moral argument; it's a practical one. Investing in harm reduction, treatment, and support services is not only more humane, it's more economically sound.

The call to action is clear, as it was at the conclusion of the seminar. We must:

• Challenge the Narrative: Speak out against the stigmatising language and dehumanising narratives that surround drug use.

• Advocate for Change: Demand evidence-based policies rooted in compassion and connection.

• Support Harm Reduction: Champion initiatives that save lives and reduce harm.

• Build Community: Create spaces where people feel valued, connected, and empowered to heal.

• Listen to the distributed intelligence, including the science: The science is very clear, and widely supported; the current punitive system does not work.

This isn't just about drugs policy; it's about the kind of society we want to create. Do we want a society that punishes and marginalises those who struggle, or one that offers compassion, support, and opportunities for connection and growth? The answer, it seems to me, is self-evident.

And to echo that powerful sentiment from the activist: we don't need to be commissioned to communicate. We all have a voice, and we all have a responsibility to use it to create a more just and compassionate world.

Let's unite our hearts and ignite change, creating a future where every individual is valued, every life is cherished, and every voice is heard. This is a powerful example of how we, together, can tilt the floor towards a more connected and compassionate world.

With heartfelt concern,

Brian Mosley
Founder, Love Sheffield & Project Ignite
Author of "Uniting Hearts, Igniting Change"