‘Ups and Downs’ – Drug trends conference

Events

‘Ups and Downs’ – Drug trends conference

28 September 2018

‘Ups and Downs’ – Changes in Patterns of Drug Use in Scotland, Harms and Service Responses

Date: Wednesday 10th October 2018, 10.00-16.00 (registration 9.30)
Location: Radisson Blu, Royal Mile, Edinburgh

Member Rate – £95 (SDF Membership is free – sign up here)
Non-Member Rate – £120

Click here to secure your place using the booking form

‘Ups and Downs’ will explore changes in patterns of drug use in Scotland, associated harms and potential service responses.

The event will seek to address current concerns about growing trends, which include:

  • Changes in the use of cocaine and crack by opiate users
  • The use of Gabapentin & Pregabalin
  • The multiplicity of benzodiazepines – phenazepam, etizolam and Xanax
  • Complex polysubstance use

There has also been concern about particular groups of users

  • Vulnerable young people
  • ‘Recreational users’ encountering problems and experiencing harms
  • People using image and performance enhancing drugs

This conference will seek to describe these changes and the harms that users are facing, including increasing numbers of deaths.

Speakers include:

Andrew McAuley, Senior Research Fellow, Glasgow Caledonian University on national trends of substance use.

Dr Paul Cawood, Head of Toxicology, NHS Lothian on the analysis of the results of thousands of drug tests in Lothian.

Patricia Tracey, Manager, Glasgow Drugs Crisis Centre on the use of stimulants among heroin users in Glasgow.

Gareth Balmer, Service Manager, Addaction on recent trends in drug use in Fife.

Simon Pringle, Direct Access Services Manager, Alcohol and Drugs Action on recent trends in drug use in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.

Katy MacLeod, Director, Chill Welfare and Scottish Drugs Forum on trends in substance use amongst ‘recreational’ users and vulnerable young people.

Tony Knox, PhD Candidate, University of Birmingham on recent trends in the use of image and performance enhancing drugs in Scotland.

With Scotland’s new drugs policy due, the conference will close with a discussion on reducing harms, the policy implications and service developments required to meet Scotland’s emerging patterns of drug use.