Experience of NPS Use in Prisons and Amongst Homeless …...Sunny Dhadley FRSA CMgr SUIT Manager Founder & Director of The Recovery Foundation CIC [email protected]

Experience of NPS Use in Prisons and Amongst Homeless People

Sunny Dhadley FRSA CMgr

Wednesday 25th January 2017

Who are SUIT?• Peer led Recovery/SUI/Citizenship/Advocacy organisation (est. 2007)

• 2.4% local budget allocation (D&A, Public Health - Wolverhampton) • 3 X Staff, 10 X Volunteers (Queens Award for Voluntary Service Recipients in June 2014)

• In 2015/16 SUIT supported 953 vulnerable individuals (inc. in-reach & outreach), delivering 4266 interventions across 63 areas of need (SM, Homelessness, Criminality, MH, Immigration, Debt etc..)

• Collaborated with 522 organisations/agencies to meet individual need

• Strategic Involvement and Influencing Role (122 Meetings/Events in 15/16)

NPS in Prison & Homelessness – Key Considerations

• Synthetic Cannabis is the most widely used NPS (Mamba/Spice)

• Substance use in often a symptom rather than cause

• Most people using NPS are historical users of some other form of substance(s)

• Black market acquisition – illicit product range extended to inc. NPS• Internet purchasing is much less prominent within these cohorts

• “While I was inside a guy made £79K selling NPS within 3 months”.15/01/2017

• NPS use is one of a range of barriers that those in prison & homeless people face – cumbersome service access/alignment, indebtedness, mental health, belief systems, societal prejudices, normalisation, low aspirations etc.

• Inability of treatment services to effectively understand/tackle NPS use

• Competence of staff

• Inconsistent community connection (particularly for prison releases)

Reclassification of Spice/Mamba (23/01/17)

The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 has been changed to include synthetic cannabinoids, a substance which mimics the effects of cannabis and are more commonly known as Spice and Mamba.

https://www.west-midlands.police.uk/latest-news/news.aspx?Id=5341

“The drugs are believed to be commonly used, particularly among young people and those who are vulnerable, and many people could

unwittingly be committing an offence, unaware of the change in legislation”.

“The reclassification follows expert advice from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs on the

harms associated with these substances which are similar to drugs already controlled under the Misuse of Drugs

Act 1971.”

Effects of NPS Use

• Synthetic Cannabinoid Effects -:• Rapid Heart Rate• Vomiting • Violent Behaviour• Suicidal Thoughts• Difficulty concentrating• Lack of emotional attachment• Psychotic episodes• Seizures

• Therefore it can be difficult to -:• Create an effective joint care plan• Impart harm reduction messages • Advocate for someone

• Offer a rapid follow up appointment

Physical and

Psychological

Within Prison, there are reports of -:• Used for entertainment purposes• ‘5 drag challenge’• Punishment• Initiations • Economy • ‘Mambulance’ Visits • Passing the time!• Withdrawal

Chills, Cravings, Headaches, InsomniaAnorexia, Inner Unrest, Nightmares,

Hallucinations

In/Effective Strategies

Holistic Approach/Ownership

Flexibility

Peer Support

Overpromise Criminalisation

Reliance Upon Others UnrealisticTimescales

Cross Cutting Issues

• Employability (& criminal records)

• Social Exclusion/Inequality

• Racism and Xenophobia

• Drug Laws

• Poverty/Hunger

• Substandard Living Conditions

• Violence & Corruption

• Media & Propaganda

• Austerity Measures

• Fractured Systems

• Exploitation

Key Agencies

Useful Resources

• Health Responses to NPS (EMCDDA) http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/rapid-communications/nps-responses

• PHE NPS Toolkit for Commissioners - http://www.nta.nhs.uk/uploads/nps-a-toolkit-for-substance-misuse-commissioners.pdf

• PHE Toolkit for Prison Staff - http://www.nta.nhs.uk/uploads/nps-manual-final.pdf

• Huck Article – ‘True Face of Drugs Crisis in UK Prisons’ (11th January 2017) -http://www.huckmagazine.com/perspectives/reportage-2/britains-prison-drug-crisis-ruining-lives/

• The Drugs Wheel - http://www.thedrugswheel.com/

• NPS Further Information - http://www.drugwise.org.uk/new-psychoactive-substances/

• Home Office NPS Resource Pack - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-psychoactive-substances-nps-resource-pack

• BBC Drugs Map of Britain – Episode One ‘Wolverhampton: Getting off Mamba’ -http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07tlxt4

Sunny Dhadley FRSA CMgr

SUIT Manager

Founder & Director of The Recovery Foundation CIC

[email protected]

@SUITeam

www.suiteam.com