Brexit threatens the UK’s ability to tackle illicit drugs and organised crime: What needs to happen now?

Román-Urrestarazu, Andrés; Yang, Justin; Robertson, Roy; McCallum, Alison; Gray, Christina; Middleton, John

doi:10.1016/j.healthpol.2019.04.005

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Considering the potential health and societal harms that may be associated with illicit cannabis [18][19][20][21][23][24][25][26], irrespective of potential medicinal value, it is important to consider policy interventions which may facilitate the transition of patients from illicit cannabis to legal CBMPs with clinical oversight. Despite rescheduling there may be many factors which mean participants continue to consume illicit cannabis.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Illicit Cannabis Use to Self-Treat Chronic Health Conditions in the United Kingdom: Cross-Sectional Study

Erridge,

Troup,

Sodergren

2024

JMIR Public Health Surveill

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Background In 2019, it was estimated that approximately 1.4 million adults in the United Kingdom purchased illicit cannabis to self-treat chronic physical and mental health conditions. This analysis was conducted following the rescheduling of cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) in the United Kingdom but before the first specialist clinics had started treating patients. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of illicit cannabis consumption to treat a medically diagnosed condition following the introduction of specialist clinics that could prescribe legal CBMPs in the United Kingdom. Methods Adults older than 18 years in the United Kingdom were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey through YouGov between September 22 and 29, 2022. A series of questions were asked about respondents’ medical diagnoses, illicit cannabis use, the cost of purchasing illicit cannabis per month, and basic demographics. The responding sample was weighted to generate a sample representative of the adult population of the United Kingdom. Modeling of population size was conducted based on an adult (18 years or older) population of 53,369,083 according to 2021 national census data. Results There were 10,965 respondents to the questionnaire, to which weighting was applied. A total of 5700 (51.98%) respondents indicated that they were affected by a chronic health condition. The most reported condition was anxiety (n=1588, 14.48%). Of those enduring health conditions, 364 (6.38%) purchased illicit cannabis to self-treat health conditions. Based on survey responses, it was modeled that 1,770,627 (95% CI 1,073,791‐2,467,001) individuals consume illicit cannabis for health conditions across the United Kingdom. In the multivariable logistic regression, the following were associated with an increased likelihood of reporting illicit cannabis use for health reasons—chronic pain, fibromyalgia, posttraumatic stress disorder, multiple sclerosis, other mental health disorders, male sex, younger age, living in London, being unemployed or not working for other reasons, and working part-time (P<.05). Conclusions This study highlights the scale of illicit cannabis use for health reasons in the United Kingdom and the potential barriers to accessing legally prescribed CBMPs. This is an important step in developing harm reduction policies to transition these individuals, where appropriate, to CBMPs. Such policies are particularly important considering the potential risks from harmful contaminants of illicit cannabis and self-treating a medical condition without clinical oversight. Moreover, it emphasizes the need for further funding of randomized controlled trials and the use of novel methodologies to determine the efficacy of CBMPs and their use in common chronic conditions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Over-policing of drug possession disproportionately affects Black communities [22]. Beyond harms to the individual, illicit drug markets, including cannabis, actively contribute to the sustenance of organised crime groups and their exploitation of vulnerable individuals, including women, children, and refugees [23][24][25][26].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Illicit Cannabis Use to Self-Treat Chronic Health Conditions in the United Kingdom: Cross-Sectional Study

Erridge,

Troup,

Sodergren

2024

JMIR Public Health Surveill

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“…The initial version of this paper argued that the NHS must prepare for the unexpected and ensure it was resilient in the face of potential threats, including a pandemic, 102 especially given the threat posed by the loss of links with European agencies such as the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. 103 , 104 The COVID-19 pandemic has, tragically, revealed that the UK was less prepared than it could have been.…”

Section: Immediate Threats To the Nhsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The changing health needs of the UK population

McKee

Dunnell²,

Anderson

et al. 2021

The Lancet

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“…The UK will lose access to the Schengen Information System and other information networks. The UK is part of an intricate web of collaborating crime and intelligence agencies across the EU, which serves a critical role in the management of illicit drugs trade and organised crime, for example 14. The UK’s future relationship with these institutions remains unclear, a situation made more concerning by the rise in drug related gun and knife crime in the UK.…”

Section: Brexit and Law And Ordermentioning

confidence: 99%