Dame Carol Black's independent review of drugs

That this House thanks Professor Dame Carol Black for her comprehensive Independent Review of Drugs, Part 2 which outlines a clear way forward on drug treatment and recovery to bring hope and real change to the many individuals, families and communities whose lives are blighted by drug addiction and by the criminals who exploit it; welcomes her recommendations to achieve this, presented as concrete proposals deliverable within this Parliament; agrees with her analysis that the current situation is intolerable and that a whole-system approach, with cross-departmental co-ordination and commitment, is required; supports her view that substance misuse disproportionately affects our most deprived communities; acknowledges her call for improved pathways from criminal justice settings and for enabling the diversion of drug users into treatment; recognises that, although Part 1 of her review showed that the societal costs of drug misuse are £20 billion each year, in 2020 to 2021 only £650 million was spent on drug treatment; notes that every £1 currently spent on harm reduction and treatment saves £4 from reduced demands on health and justice; endorses her call for significantly increased investment in drug treatment and wider support; further notes her conclusion that ring-fenced, focused funding for treatment is absolutely necessary; notes that drug deaths are at record levels; and calls on the Government to adopt and implement the Review’s recommendations in their entirety.