Reducing demand for illicit substances in young people through co-production, skills training and early intervention

Despite the increasing use of recreational drugs such as cannabis, powdered cocaine, ecstasy and nitrous oxide in young people, there is currently little research around how to reduce demand for these substances. The Reducing Illicit Substance Use Project (RISUP) aimed to develop evidence-based interventions to reduce demand by targeting the important transition to high school and then throughout the teenage years.

We examined evidence around how to reduce substance use in young people and consulted with stakeholders including young people, parents/carers, teachers and social care. Based on this evidence we used a COM-B (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, Behaviour) diagnosis to determine the focus and content of three innovative interventions: (1) educational resources for 11–13-year-olds that focus on skills to enable young people to manage the transition into adolescence and exposure to illicit substances; (2) a 1–1 specialist intervention to guide therapeutic interventions with young people aged 11–16 who already use illicit substances; and (3) materials for a public health campaign to educate 11–14-year-olds about illicit drugs and their effects and signpost to trustworthy sources of information.

I will discuss the challenges we have faced during the project and our ongoing work to refine and evaluate the interventions.