A plan to combat drug and alcohol abuse in Brighton is being implemented. Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC) stated that the strategy aimed to reduce harm, save lives, and change attitudes.

This would be accomplished by reducing demand for drugs and alcohol, improving treatment and recovery services, and limiting drug availability, it said.

According to BHCC, just under half of all adults (44%) in the city consume alcohol at levels that are not considered low risk. Drug-related deaths and harmful alcohol use are “notably” higher than the England average, it added.

Stephen McCulloch, executive director of the charity WithYou, told the BBC that it was “great to see” local authorities such as BHCC taking the issue seriously.

“It is only by recognising the root causes of why people have challenges with drugs and alcohol, taking a compassionate and non-judgemental approach, and investing in treatment and recovery services, that we will tackle this public health crisis,” he added.

Oasis Project, a Brighton and Hove-based drug and alcohol treatment service, also praised the new strategy.

“As active members of Brighton & Hove’s Combatting Drugs Partnership, we are working hard with our partners to implement the strategy, particularly to ensure it meets the unique needs of women using alcohol and drugs – and their families,” a spokesperson for the charity said.

They added that the plan was a “vital step toward reducing the stigma and service barriers” people often face when seeking help with drugs and alcohol.

BHCC councillor Mitchie Alexander said the strategy was about understanding the “whole person, not just the symptoms”.

“We know that drugs and alcohol can and do devastate lives, but we also know that with the right support, people can and do recover,” according to him.

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