Reducing Drug Deaths in London
This report makes recommendations to the Mayor, Central Government and the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to help reduce the number of drug-related deaths across London and the UK.
Recommendations
- Recommendation 1
Drug checking services should be provided in London, including at clubs and music events. The Mayor should use his Drugs Commission to work with key delivery partners – including the Metropolitan Police Service, the Home Office, London boroughs and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities – to understand how to implement drug checking services in London; and should then introduce these services. - Recommendation 2
The Government should introduce a national naloxone programme in England to end the postcode lottery of provision, and to bring England in line with Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. - Recommendation 3
In the interim, the Mayor’s Drugs Commission should work with partners and service providers to assess the availability of naloxone in relevant settings in London, as well as the education and training levels of staff; and identify barriers and solutions to ensure adequate and consistent access across the capital. - Recommendation 4
The Mayor should work with the Metropolitan Police Service so that officers routinely carry nasal naloxone spray. - Recommendation 5
The Mayor should lead a public awareness campaign on naloxone and how it is used to save lives in the event of an overdose. - Recommendation 6
The Mayor’s Drugs Commission should work with partners including the Home Office to ensure London leads the way in reducing drug harm by piloting drug-consumption rooms. The pilots should determine the optimum location for the test sites by liaising with boroughs and local public health teams, who are best able to manage the relationship between these services and local communities. - Recommendation 7
The Mayor should run a campaign with partners to educate Londoners about how to reduce drug harm and deaths.