Island project review as number of estimated illegal drug users revealed

Lucy Morgan
·1-min read
A project is target alcohol and drug use on the Isle of Wight. <i>(Image: Pixabay)</i>
A project is target alcohol and drug use on the Isle of Wight. (Image: Pixabay)

An estimated 740 people (around 9 in a 1,000) on the Isle of Wight are using illicit opiates and/or crack cocaine, according to government data published in October and being presented to the Isle of Wight Council's Health and Wellbeing Board today (Thursday, April 25).

In his report, director of public health, Simon Bryant, says the Island has a slightly lower proportion of opiate and/ or crack users who are not in treatment.

The data also shows the number of people who are alcohol dependent on Isle of Wight is similar to the England average and the problem affects around 1,580 adults here.

It is being presented as part of a discussion about how the National Drugs Strategy programme is being delivered on the Island, along with its successes so far - including improved mental health care and a complete testing programme for Hepatitis C.

The meeting will also decide the programme's focus for 2024.

Among its aims are to prevent both the use of drugs and alcohol dependency, to disrupt 'county lines' operations, where drugs are supplied across county borders, and to improve drug and alcohol treatment.

For users on the Isle of Wight, treatment is available through a Midlands Partnership NHS Trust-led Inclusion IOW project, in Newport and also at the Dame Carol Black Detoxification Centre, in Fareham, Hampshire, which manages detox programmes.

The Harm to Hope - National Drug Strategy was launched in December 2021.

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