What is a drugs policy?
- In its most basic form, a drugs policy is a simple statement of an organisation’s stance on drugs and drug use. In practice, most organisations will need to develop something that is more than this simple statement and produce a document that serves the following purposes:
- A statement of the organisation’s stance on drugs
- A series of rules governing different drug-related scenarios
- Guidance for staff on how to proceed when encountering drug-related situations.
Who needs a drugs policy?
All housing services should have a drugs policy. The scope of the policy will depend, to an extent, on the nature of the client group with whom you engage. But a drugs policy should not only cover situations that you have encountered or currently encounter but also potential situations that you may encounter.
Why have a drugs policy?
A good, well thought out drugs policy is not only essential, but can also be hugely beneficial:
- It can reduce the risks of prosecution by ensuring staff are aware of the correct, legal procedures within which they should work:
- It can increase safety for staff and clients by ensuring that policy and procedures that conform to best practice are both in place and adhered to
- Clear policy and procedures can avoid setting residents up for a fail, ensuring that residents are housed within an environment with an appropriate policy
- Policy and procedures can reduce avoidable evictions and exclusions
- A properly-formulated policy can ensure that an organisation has clarified its aims and in turn develops a policy commensurate with those aims
- Policy and procedures, with associated training, ensure staff are clear what they need to do in any given situation increasing both their competence and confidence to respond effectively
- A clear policy which is explained to residents and clients can help reduce friction within organisations, ensures services users are aware of their rights and responsibilities, and understand consequences of breaking rules
- Policy can help reduce discrimination by ensuring that people are treated equitably within the policy
- A policy ensures that workers know how they are expected to work, and by doing so will be protected by the principal of vicarious liability should things go wrong
- A clear policy is an asset to external agencies, and can improve quality of referrals
- Police may want to be sure that organisations are working in a legal manner
- Neighbours will be keen to ensure that the presence of a service working with drug users does not have a negative impact on their own quality of life and will want to know that there is an effective drugs policy in place.