Substance misuse
Drugs (substance use)
In this section, you can find information about where to get help and advice around drugs. You might have heard this called substance misuse or substance use.
Substance use is when someone’s drug use becomes problematic, harmful, or dependent. By ‘problematic, harmful, or dependent’ we mean when someone is:
- putting themselves or others in danger
- continues to take drugs, even if it puts them at risk of illness (both mental or physical)
- craves drugs and continues to use them, even though it may be causing them health, social, or financial problems. Sometimes the craving can develop into a serious dependency.
Below is a list of some of the most common types of drugs than can be used
- illegal substances – like, cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, cannabis and ketamine
- misused household products – like gases, glues and aerosols
- some medicinal drugs – like gabapentin and codeine (which can be misused)
- psychoactive substances – still sometimes referred to as ‘legal highs’, such as spice, or monkey dust.
Substances such as cannabis and spice can sometimes be found in vapes that the user inhales.
There are many more substances that can be misused . The Drugs Wheel https://www.thedrugswheel.com/ has a really good A to Z list of drugs. This includes a really useful search option where you can type anything in. You may have overheard or seen a message and you are worried that something you have heard or seen is about a drug. You can type this in and have a look.
There can be times when people who are having an issue with drug use also become involved in gambling and sometimes use drugs and alcohol at the same time. There is support and advice around this too.
Remember that you can also call into one of the Community Lounges or Family Hubs who will try to help you or put you in touch with the right organisation. You can find where they are by clicking on the link below:
Community Lounges Community Lounge (stoke.gov.uk)
Family Hubs Family Hubs | Family Hubs | Stoke-on-Trent
Links to local organisations in Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire
The Community Drugs and Alcohol Service, (CDAS), provides local drug and alcohol support. Stoke-on-Trent Community Drug & Alcohol Service - Home (scdas.org.uk)
CDAS is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 09:30-16:30 and Tuesday 09:30-19:30 during that time anyone over the age of 18 can drop in and access the following support:
- Specialist prescribing
- Needle and syringe programme
- Criminal justice interventions
- Drug group support
- Naloxone provision and training
- Specialist advice and treatment for veterans
- Lived experience community
- One-to-one psychosocial interventions
- Testing for Blood Borne Viruses
- Individual Placement and Support
CDAS offers a range of groups that you can join, a team of nurses who can advise you how to improve your health and stay motivated, a keyworker who will work with you and develop a plan to get you back on track and a team of doctors who can talk to you about the different treatment and medication options available.
Below are some links to support offered by CDAS:
If you need advice for yourself: Advice for You | WithYou
If you need advice for someone else: Advice for Someone Else | WithYou
CDAS has an accessible confidential webchat service. The webchat is open: Monday - Friday 9-9 and Saturday and Sunday 10:00 – 16:00 and anyone can access this for support around drugs/alcohol
https://www.wearewithyou.org.uk/find-support/talk-to-a-trained-recovery-worker
Children and Young People
The service has a dedicated team who offer support and treatments for young people aged up to 18 (in certain circumstances up to age 25) who are experiencing challenges with drugs and alcohol. This includes:
- One-to-one recovery sessions, focusing on substance use, mental and physical wellbeing, and harm reduction support
- Solution focused sessions and structured goal setting
- Support with education/career paths
- Developing and working towards goals
- Group work sessions
- Brief interventions
The Young People’s Team can be contacted on: 01782221090 or 01782283113
Other local sources of support
Alcoholics Anonymous has local support groups. Find them here: Potteries & District Intergroup - Alcoholics Anonymous (alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk)
The Community Directory contains additional information and advice about local support. Click here: Stoke-on-Trent Community Directory
You can search for more for Substance misuse support services in the Community Directory by clicking the link here: Stoke-on-Trent Community Directory
Links to national websites
ADFAM, a national Charity which provides support with alcohol and substance misuse and gambling Home Page - ADFAM
Talk to Frank - prevention-focussed but non-judgemental. You can also contact them on their 24/7 drugs helpline on 0300 1236600
Drugwise provide useful monthly update email, see: Factsheets and infographics -
Turning Point | Homepage (turning-point.co.uk)
Release is a free and confidential drugs helpline that also provides free legal advice on drug issues for people who use drugs and their families.
Website: www.release.org.uk/
Helpline: 0207 324 2989
Email: ask@release.og.uk
Addaction provide a free, confidential webchat service to those in need of addiction support or for their families.
Website: https://www.addaction.org.uk/
Webchat: www.addaction.org.uk/webchat
Families Anonymous provide a telephone helpline and other support services for families and friends of drug users. Throughout UK there are around 50 groups offering help and support to members via a 12-step programme.
Website: www.famanon.org.uk
Helpline: 020 7498 4680
DrugFam provide telephone and email support for families, friends and partners affected by someone else’s drug or alcohol use.
Website: https://www.drugfam.co.uk/
Helpline: 0300 888 3853
Email: office@drugfam.co.uk
Tools
Substance use (taking drugs) is a problem for individuals when it has a negative impact on their mental or physical health, family organisation, job/learning or finances.
Heavy and habitual drug use causes the most serious problems, but occasional, intense use can also cause crises. There can be serious negative effects from brief, experimental or even first use. Substance misuse is also a problem within households, where it can cause disruption to childcare and neglect, as well as financial, housing and relationship problems.
Different drugs have different effects, and some are perceived as more serious than others. However, any substance which is causing damage to an individual or family is a serious problem, even if the drug is legal (alcohol), legal in some countries (Cannabis), or novel (synthetic highs).
NB Although occasional, experimental use of substances often occurs during adolescent and early adult years, regular drug use in teenagers is associated with disrupted development, school drop-out, criminal initiation and grooming, as well as accidents and violence. Wherever exclusion on grounds of substance misuse occurs, drugs grooming ("County Lines") should be considered.
The following tools may be useful:
CAFCASS: SCODA Risk Assessment with Parental Drug Misuse
The Family Workbook and pull-out guide to help families discuss substance misuse problems with their children
Criminal Exploitation of children and vulnerable adults: County Lines guidance – this Government guidance includes Case studies, screening, flow-chart and more