June 2024

Setting the blueprint for a more equal and prosperous Wales for people who use substances

People who are affected by substance use are stigmatised against on a daily basis. People who use substances are often on the receiving end of discrimination, purely based on what they are doing. People who are affected by substance use are regularly shamed by the wider society. People who are affected by substance use face significant challenges. The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 demands public bodies work together to improve the social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being of Wales. People who are affected by substance use are being left behind.

Alcohol specific fatalities in Wales reached record levels for the third year running in 2022. Drug related deaths in Wales have hit record levels three times in the last five years. A new threat in the form of synthetic opioids, have entered the illegal drug market, significantly increasing the risk to life for those that unintentionally consume the substance. A total of 5.2million people across the UK are currently affected by a loved one’s substance use, yet there is no national protocol for support for concerned others, meaning support is often inconsistent and diverse in its level and quality, across Wales. Public bodies continue to use language that is outdated, derogatory and stigmatising towards people who use substances. We can go on.

People who are affected by substance use have specific needs and we believe we can all do better to meet those needs here in Wales.

Subsequently we have set out a blueprint that we believe we help develop a more equal and prosperous Wales for people who use substances. This blueprint contains ’10 asks’, coproduced with people who use our services and those who deliver our services, aimed at various public bodies who have the power to help implement and drive forward the innovation in policy and practice that will help reduce harm and save the lives of our citizens. We owe that to the many individuals, families, and communities in Wales that are impacted by substance use. 

Our 10 asks have been split into three main objectives:

1. Promoting Prosperity, Equality and Equity Across Wales for People Who Use Substances
2. Instilling a Health-Based and Human Rights Approach to Substance Use
3. Securing Funding and Service Delivery Improvements

You can download our blueprint, along with individual policy briefings for each ask, below.