Public Health Responses

In February 2008, the Government introduced a new Drug Strategy ‘Protecting families and communities’ which amongst other aims, intends by 2018 to improve the quality and effectiveness of treatment, to reduce drug related offending; increase the number of problem drug users in effective treatment; lower relapse rates following treatment; achieve a greater proportion of drug users becoming free from dependence; resulting in fewer drug related deaths; fewer blood borne virus transmissions; and fewer health harms.