UK - Coalition slashes government spending on drugs education by 80%

[edgarshade]

Guardian

Toby Helm, political editor
The Observer, Sunday 25 March 2012

With reader comments

Experts condemn cuts and say the need for awareness about drugs among young people is greater than ever

Government spending on drugs education has been slashed by 80% since the coalition came to power despite claims by ministers that public information campaigns are central to their anti-drugs strategy. The figures from the Department of Health have been condemned by campaigners who say a vital public service is being eroded at a time when it has never been needed more. The figures show that spending on drugs education – including information services available to those desperate for help – has fallen from £3.9m in 2009-10 to £0.5m in 2010-11.

More...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/mar/25/drugs-education-coalition-cuts

 

[clubberdude]

Well they seem to want to cut everything (except for the big corporations which they will give every going concession to), so its inevitable that drug education will be cut as well. Its counter-intuitive as the level of drug use is likely to increase in such a gloomy environment (record job losses, benefit cuts and general unease about the future), not that the tories care...