New strategy launched to tackle crack cocaine in the City for 2005-08

Birmingham’s Drug Action Team (DAT) who led the development of the strategy, describe the impact that crack cocaine has on crack users and the community and how future plans to improve responses that address crack use. The objectives of the strategy include:

• Increasing treatment initiatives providing the opportunity for communities and services to treat their own users
• Developing capacity for more structured, formal drug intervention treatment programmes
• Increasing the confidence of communities to deal with crack
• Reducing the supply of crack in communities
• Educating young people about the specific risks of taking crack

The strategy highlights the responsibility of key partners in delivering the strategy through working in partnership with the Voluntary Sector, Communities, Young People, Birmingham’s Treatment Agencies, The Criminal Justice System, Probation, Birmingham City Council, Youth Offending Teams, Social Services and Heath Services. The Birmingham Drug Action Team is committed to turning these visions into reality.

Since the early 1980’s, crack cocaine has firmly established itself as one of the world’s leading substances in terms of trafficking and use. The problems of crack lead to social degradation and moral panic - the strategy aims to bridge the gap between some of the myths and realities. Crack is a drug that affects a diverse range of people and this strategy aims to strengthen the ability of communities to resist the impact of crack.

Grantley Haynes, Crack Strategy Development Manager, comments on the relationship between crack and the community in which the strategies action points and targets outline this in a very specific way.

“Until we see crack as a problem which affects us all, we will see little change. However, should we decide to seek first to learn about say, one aspect of crack cocaine per month, we’ll stand a good chance to save our families, friends and the future of our City.”

Birmingham DAT played host to the national ‘Tackling Crack Cocaine’ conference for the first time in October which saw lead practitioners and pioneers in the drug action field delivering information to practitioners and community groups. The event allowed delegates the opportunity to network with fellow colleagues and explore today’s evidence based radical methods of embracing the community when working with cocaine.

DAT & BCSP have prioritised the crack cocaine strategy meaning that carers and users opinions are taken into account in order to create a safer place in Birmingham for all.