ACPOS Drugs Conference 2008

6-7 March 2008 Westin Turnberry Hotel Ayrshire

The 2008 ACPOS Scottish Drugs Conference over two days is ambitious and challenging and a great many issues will be considered around our theme of ensuring the effective delivery of the ACPOS Drugs Strategy. The focus will be on what has been learned from the past and looking towards what needs to be done to shape and secure a strong and safe future for our young people.

This year’s conference theme is

• “SCOTLAND’S FUTURE IS IN SAFE HANDS”

We are all acutely aware that the availability of drugs and drug dealing on our streets seriously affects the quality of life in our communities. It is often linked to disenfranchisement, fear, intimidation and violence. The social costs, including the suffering experienced by individuals and families, as well as the costs to our justice and health systems, are high. Those affected often remain silent until the activity reaches a level that is unbearable often only after drug dealers have an established foothold and are by then more difficult for law enforcement to act on directly. The damaging effects of drug dealing and drug use across Scotland and the protection of the most vulnerable must therefore remain at the heart of our thinking.

The police service relies heavily on our communities for information, but all too often only become aware when problems are manifest. We need to find ways of securing earlier intervention and this will only be achieved by building trust and ensuring effective engagement and communication with the people of Scotland.

Enforcement does work but it won’t work alone. Our efforts to interdict drugs have never been more co-ordinated or successful than they are today, but it is clear that no matter how good these efforts are they need to be supported by effective strategies to reduce harm and demand, particularly through early intervention and education amongst those most at risk.