The impact of drug related crime

Drug misuse gives rise to between £10 billion and £18 billion a year in social and economic costs, 99% of which are accounted for by problematic drug users.

Around 4 million people use at least one illicit drug each year and around 1 million people use at least one of the most dangerous drugs (such as ecstasy, heroin and cocaine) classified as Class A.  Many of these individuals will take drugs once, but for around 250,000 problematic drug users in England and Wales, drugs cause considerable harm to themselves and to others.

Nothing affects the well-being of local communities as much as drug misuse, drug-related crime and the fear of such crime. Where communities are strong, drugs do not take a hold. The highest incidences of drug-related crime, supply and drug-related nuisance occur in the communities that suffer most from social deprivation.

Treatment breaks the cycle of drug misuse and crime, and investing in treatment reduces the overall cost of drug misuse to society. It is the key to reducing the harm drugs cause to users, family and communities. Investing in treatment is cost effective – for each £1 spent, an estimated £3 is saved in criminal justice costs alone.

Drug misuse does not occur in isolation. It is associated with other problems such as the misuse of other substances (for example, alcohol and tobacco), youth offending, truancy and school exclusion, family problems and living in crime-ridden, deprived communities.

It is estimated that up to 30 metric tonnes of heroin and 40 metric tones of cocaine are used in the UK annually. Drug supply involves a wide range of people, from organised criminal groups trafficking in large quantities through to opportunistic criminals dealing in smaller amounts. The trade generates millions of pounds of profits each year for those in the business of supplying illegal drugs.
www.drugs.gov.uk/ReportsandPublications/NationalStrategy/1038840683/Updated_Drug_Strategy_2002.pdf