‘Hidden Harm, Silent Killer: time to take action on addiction’ (3rd October) – by Sally Benton

Forward at the 2023 Tory Party Conference

Addiction is rising across the UK and is one of the most serious mental health crises of our times. As part of our longstanding work to ensure that the subject of addiction is given the platform it so rightly deserves, we co-hosted a session with the Conservative Police and Crime Commissioners at this year’s Conservative Party Conference (3rd October 2023).

Our session, ‘‘Hidden Harm, Silent Killer: time to take action on addiction’ debated the impact of addiction on mental health and households living with addiction across communities. Besides the toll that it takes on the individual living with addiction, the ripple effect across can be devastating; there are long-lasting impacts on communities, friendships, employment and the criminal justice system.

There is also a continuing increase in gambling harm, drug and alcohol related deaths, addiction related deaths from suicide and county lines violence, increased prescription drug addiction, and more worryingly, growing rates of reported addictive behaviours in younger people.

A new addiction strategy has significant challenges to address. Whilst there has been progress in drug treatment investment, the addiction crisis is not simply a drug addiction crisis; and the long-term funding of treatment will be subject to another spending review process after an election.

Our participation in the Conservative Police and Crime Commissioners session (3rd October) has provided a welcome opportunity for Forward Trust and Taking Action on Addiction to facilitate new discussion and possible approaches to rethinking how we help people living with addiction in the UK, with long term policy solutions.

We were joined by leading representatives from health, policing, local authorities and charities to find solutions to reduce the harm and hidden harms of addiction.  

Any other treatable condition impacting society would be top of the policy agenda. It is time for policy to catch up, to connect with the public awareness, slowly shifting towards deeper understanding of addiction and end generations of hidden harm.

Addiction needs to be seen as a public health crisis and we will take this conversation to the Labour Party Conference next week. We must take action on addiction.

You can get involved in our new campaign, Addiction Awareness Week 2023 (#AAW2023), and our online event Let’s Talk About Addiction on 2nd November 2023.