Summary

Drugs: Policy and Politics is an accessible introduction to the links between drugs and social policy. Assessing current and recent policies and political responses, it considers the ways in which drugs policy is formulated and implemented in the UK and Europe.The book examines the dynamic context of drug policy through discussions of broader policy fields such as health and the criminal justice system. The contributors offer evidence-based insights into the social complexities of both drug use and drug users, as they examine those specific groups who are associated with particular patterns of drug use. Drug issues are linked with aspects of gender, race and social exclusion, all of which have a resonance in the current discourses of policy making.Drugs: Policy and Politics provides an important set of tools with which to rethink the diversity of drug use and drug users. It is important reading for social policy students and researchers, as well as trainee social workers, probation officers, police and prison officers.