The lack of a drug strategy for Wales was one of the points highlighted during the latest Cross Party Group on Substance Use and Addiction.

The group, which is chaired by Peredur Owen Griffiths MS and run in conjunction with the drugs charity Kaleidoscope, heard about emerging trends in drugs as the main topic during the latest session.

Superintendent Mark Kavanagh, Head of Community & Safety Partnerships in the Swansea area for South Wales Police and Gavin Jones, who is the Head of Service at the Gwent Drug and Alcohol Service, gave presentations in this session.

They both outlined the rapidly changing picture for drug consumption, particularly among young people, and highlighted the growing dangers of new drugs such as medetodamnine, gabapentinoids, synthetic cathinones and nitazenes. The meeting heard how some of the new synthetic drugs are often a lot more powerful than previous substances and are responsible for an increasing number of deaths.

During the Q&A that followed the presentations, former Kaleidoscope Chief Executive Martin Blakebrough highlighted the absence of a national drugs strategy from the Welsh Government and said it was symptomatic of a lack of leadership on the topic.

In response to that point, Peredur said that the CPG could write to Sarah Murphy MS, the Labour Minister responsible for Mental Health and Wellbeing which covers ‘substance misuse’, to call for action.

Peredur said: “It was another thought-provoking CPG where we heard about the dangers of news drugs and the efforts to promote harm reduction.

“It is clear to me that officers like Superintendent Kavanagh - as well as everyone involved in treatment services - are trying to do the best they can within the legal framework they operate.

“In my view, their jobs would be made much easier if Wales has the criminal justice devolved so we could craft our own solutions to the disproportionate number of drug deaths in Wales.

“The Home Office seems to always take a draconian view whenever somebody tries to promote a progressive harm reduction scheme such as a safe consumption pilot programme or providing ‘safer inhalation devices.’

“Having legislation that is now well over 50 years in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 that still governs policing and treatment services is not fit for purpose for a drugs scene that is rapidly changing from year-to-year. 

“This legislation still presides over nations like Scotland and Northern Ireland where policing is devolved so the Labour Government in Westminster also needs to step up and come up with something fresher.

“If we are to protect our people and to make our communities safer, then a large-scale overhaul of policy in the first instance but also the devolution of the criminal justice to Wales is much needed.”

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