Young People want to know more about Drug and Alcohol Dangers
They told us they hadn’t understood enough about the dangers of drugs and alcohol and that campaigns targeted at children and young people were needed. They also said they needed more support from services, particularly during evenings and weekends.
Public Health at Hertfordshire County Council commissioned us to find out about substance use and the support available in Hertfordshire. The young people we spoke to were split into two groups – those aged 14-17 and those aged 18-24.
What did they tell us?
People from both age groups had accessed drug and alcohol support in the last three months and we spoke to them about their experiences. They said:
Those aged 14-17:
- More awareness of drug and alcohol dangers was their top priority.
- Reducing or stopping use was their lowest priority.
- They primarily used due to boredom, social pressure and liking how it felt.
- Most had been referred to support services by the Youth Justice system.
Those aged 18-24 said:
- Supportive, safe confidential spaces to help them reduce or stop using was their top priority.
- They felt uneducated about the danger and impact of drugs and alcohol.
- They struggled to access support because they didn’t realise they had a problem, or were in denial.
- Most were referred to support services by mental health or healthcare workers.
“Started smoking weed at a young age. I was very ignorant, what I’d been told and taught by our school system did not shed honest light on the drug, nor any drug for that matter.”
“The reason I refused to get help earlier was due to ignorance. I never thought my drug and alcohol usage was going to become a problem and thought I could continue using drugs for the rest of my life with no issue.”
What happens next?
Based on these responses, we have recommended that Public Health:
- Educate young people about the dangers of drug and alcohol use with up-to-date information that is widely available and relevant to them.
- Promote support services, so young people know where to access help.
- Ensure support services are available during evenings and weekends and that urgent appointments can be booked for those at risk.
- Provide individualised support, including regular contact with services, in a safe and confidential manner.
- Refer service users to other organisations for holistic support.
These recommendations have been shared with organisations working directly with children and young people, to ensure they get the care and support they need, and will feed into a review of Public Health’s Drug and Alcohol Strategy.
Downloads
You can read the full Report here.
