Health Improvement - Alcohol and Drugs

• Alcohol and Drug Recovery Services – NHSGGC
• Murray’s Initiative – is a charity offering Alcohol Counselling, Group Work and Alcohol Brief Interventions in Glasgow & surrounding areas.
• With You – We provide free and confidential support to adults and young people facing challenges with alcohol, drugs and mental health.
• Alcoholics Anonymous – AA is a mutual support organisation for those who have a desire to stop drinking.

• Alcohol and Drug Recovery Services – NHSGGC
• With You – With You provides brief interventions, advice, referrals and emotional support.
• Know the Score Know the score is a website that provides information and support on drugs including a free helpline and webchat.
• The Thistle – Glasgow’s Safer Drug Consumption Facility is a supervised healthcare setting where you can consume your own drugs, obtained elsewhere, under the supervision of trained health and social care professionals, in clean, hygienic and safe environments reducing the risk of overdose.

• NHS Inform – Support for people affected by drugs.

• Routes – SFAD – Routes is a youth work programme delivered in East and West Dunbartonshire by Scottish families affected by alcohol and Drugs (SFAD). The service supports young people aged 12-26 years affected by alcohol and drugs within their family.
• Glasgow City Youth Health Service – NHSGGC – Glasgow City Youth Health Service (YHS) offers support for young people across 9 locations in Glasgow. The Multiple Risk programme, which is a 12 week programme will address individual risks, this includes drugs and alcohol.
• With You  – With You provides brief interventions, advice and emotional support via a Webchat service. Webchat is an accessible, free and anonymous service for anyone over the age of 13 who is in need of drug, alcohol or mental health support.

• Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol & Drugs – Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs is a national charity that supports anyone affected by someone else’s alcohol or drug use in Scotland.
• Family Addiction Support Service (FASS)  – FASS offers free confidential support, advice and information to family members across Glasgow who have been affected by a loved one’s drug or alcohol use.

• LGBT Youth Scotland – support young people aged 13-25 in all aspects of their lives through the provision of amazing youth work, and we support them to use their voice to create change in equality and human rights.
• Kinder Stronger Better – A website developed for and by members of the Glasgow LGBTQ+ community and professionals to provide information and advice to LGBTQ+ people about alcohol and drugs, as well as where to get help and support in Glasgow (and beyond).
• LGBT Health and Wellbeing – Scotland’s health and wellbeing charity for LGBTQ+ adults. Working to improve the physical, social, and mental health and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ adults (16+) in Scotland.

• Families Outside – Help, Information and support for families affected by imprisonment.
• Sacro – Sacro is a Scottish community justice organisation which works to deliver life-changing services that empower people, give hope and protection, and help to build safe communities.
• The Croft – Providing practical and emotional support, information and advice to the families impacted by a loved one’s imprisonment at HMP Barlinnie. 

• Glasgow Recovery Communities – Information for Recovery Communities across Glasgow City. 
• Inverclyde Recovery Community – Information for Recovery Communities across Inverclyde.

People who use drugs, people in recovery from drug use, families and communities experience stigma. 

Stigma is the social process of devaluing a person beginning with marking or labelling someone’s differences then attributing negative values to those differences. Stigma is closely linked to prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination. Stigma intersects with other ways people are disempowered and marginalised (ethnicity, gender and sexual identity among others) often increasing risk and harm.  

Tackling stigma and understanding how it connects to other ways people are disadvantaged, is vital to addressing drug related harm, including deaths.

Stigma is one of the biggest barriers people who use drugs can face when accessing any form of treatment and care. That matters a lot because engaging in treatment and care is the biggest protective factor from drug overdose and death.

Tackling stigma at all levels is essential to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for people who use drugs and helps people feel a greater connection to society, more included and more likely to access treatment and support for recovery. 

In 2020, the Drug Deaths Taskforce published A Strategy to Address the Stigmatisation of People and Communities Affected by Drug Use with the aim of helping to achieve a more informed and compassionate approach towards people with lived experience of drug use problems and their families.  

In 2022, the Scottish Government recognised tackling drug Stigma as a cross cutting priority in the National Mission on Drug Deaths and further to this published a cross government National Stigma Action Plan in January 2023.

A GGC Stigma Action Group was established in July 2023. The multi-agency group provides a coordinated approach to tackling the stigma associated with drugs across Greater Glasgow and Clyde. This group has links into the development of a National Stigma Action Plan and is working with local Alcohol and Drug Partnerships to:

• Encourage and facilitate open conversations across society to speak about drugs and stigma
• Co- produce anti-stigma work and campaigns with people with lived experience
• Provide opportunities for training and education including how to challenge stigma
• Underpin anti stigma engagement work with human rights and equalities approach
• Prevent stigma by addressing its perpetuation

Recognising stigma is the first step to tackling it. When you witness stigmatising behaviour, you have a choice about the action you take. Taking action shows that stigmatising behaviour is not acceptable.   We don’t all need to be experts, but we all have a role in tackling stigma.  Understanding stigma and approaching interactions with kindness and compassion is the key.

Please ensure that prior to using these resources that you have the most recent version downloaded.

“Tackling stigma is everyone’s business” – A tool for talking about drugs and tackling stigma.

This framing document has been developed to:

• Support staff across all sectors to frame conversations about drugs and stigma
• Support staff to reflect on their own practice, knowledge and attitudes
• Provide practical tools to manage difficult conversations and challenge stigma
• Provide education and raise public awareness of the devastating effects of stigma

This workshop has been designed to:

• Increase awareness of Drug Related Stigma and signposting to further resources, learning and tools.

Moving Beyond People First Language: A glossary of contested terms in Substance use developed by the Scottish Drugs Forum.

Drug and Alcohol Workforce: Learning Directory: Learning opportunities for those working with people affected by substance use

National Mission on Drug Deaths: The aim of the National Mission is to reduce drug deaths and improve the lives of those impacted by drugs. This document shows how this will be done.

National Stigma Action Plan:  Cross government response to the Drug Deaths Taskforce report, Changing Lives. It contains a cross government action plan, response to Taskforce recommendations and a stigma action plan.

A Strategy to Address the Stigmatisation of People and Communities Affected by Drug Use: The aim of this strategy is to lead a more informed and compassionate approach across society toward people with a drug problem, lived experience of drug use and their families. 

Charter of Rights for People Affected by Substance Use: In December 2024 The National Collaborative published a Charter of Rights for People Affected by Substance Use contributing to Scotland’s National Mission to reduce deaths and improve the lives of those impacted by substances. 

An independent advocacy service/advocate can:

• Listen to you
• Find information to help you make decisions
• Help you say what you think about your health care or treatment
• Help you understand the care and support process
• Challenge decisions about your care and support if you do not agree with them
• Stand up for your rights
• Write letters for you and attend meetings/appointments with you

If you or someone you know is affected by alcohol or drugs you can access independent advocacy in your local area:

• East Dunbartonshire – Ceartas
• East Renfrewshire – The Advocacy Project
• Glasgow City – The Advocacy Project
• Inverclyde – VoiceAbility | Advocacy and Involvement
• Renfrewshire – You First Advocacy Service
• West Dunbartonshire – Lomond and Argyll Advocacy Service

We acknowledge stigma does not exist in isolation. There are many overlapping factors that influence a person’s individual experience of stigma.    

These resources provide further guidance on how best to frame our language and communication to tackle stigma when discussing these topics.  

How to talk about alcohol – Framing recommendations to deepen understanding of harm and build support for action.

Talking about poverty – A framing toolkit to challenge and change the story about we tell about poverty.

Talking About Community Justice – A framing toolkit that aims to transform the current public narrative and perceptions around community justice 

End mental health discrimination – See Me is Scotland’s national programme to end mental health stigma and discrimination.

National Trauma Transformation Programme – This website provides access to evidence-based training, tools and guidance to support trauma-informed and responsive systems, organisations and workforces in Scotland.

Tackling the stigma of addiction – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Challenging drug and alcohol stigma | NHS inform

Please email the team at ggc.mhead@nhs.scot* with any questions about tackling drug related stigma.

*Please note that this is a generic admin inbox and not monitored immediately. If you, or someone you know are in distress and need an immediate response call the emergency services on 999 or NHS 24 on 111.

• October 2025 (Sober October)

• Trevor Lakey, Health Improvement and Inequalities Manager – Mental Health, Alcohol and Drugs
• Jo McManus, Health Improvement Lead, Drug Prevention and Harm Reduction
• Graeme Mathew, Health Improvement Senior, Alcohol Brief Intervention
• Claire Marie Blair, Health Improvement Senior – Drugs
• Business Support, Owen Breen and Donald Boyle
• Please note that these inboxes are not monitored immediately. If you, or someone you know are in distress and need an immediate response call the emergency services on 999 or NHS24 on 111.

• Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership Headquarters – Commonwealth House, 32 Albion Street, Glasgow, G1 1LH

• Alcohol Focus Scotland | Working to Reduce Alcohol Harm – Alcohol Focus Scotland (AFS) are the national alcohol charity working to reduce harm caused by alcohol, this is done by promoting evidence-based, cost-effective policy measures
• Alcohol Change UK Charity – Alcohol Change UK is a leading UK alcohol charity, formed from the merger of Alcohol Concern and Alcohol Research UK. Alcohol Change UK works for a society that is free from the harm caused by alcohol. Alcohol Change UK creates evidence-driven change by working towards five key changes: improved knowledge, better policies and regulation, shifted cultural norms, improved drinking behaviours, and more and better support and treatment.
• SAFER Initiative – The World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with international partners, launched the SAFER Initiative in 2018 alongside the United Nations third high-level meeting on prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). SAFER was developed to deliver health and development gains in order to meet global, regional and country health and development goals and targets and to reduce human suffering and pain caused by the harmful use of alcohol.
• WHO – European Region – The European framework for action on alcohol 2022–2025 draws on the latest evidence on alcohol attributable harm and the best evidence to reduce such harm. It reflects the context that Member States find themselves in, including dealing with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and highlights priority areas for action.

• Cocaine Toolkit – This toolkit provides guidance primarily for staff working with individuals currently in treatment with Opiate Substitution Therapy (OST) for opiate dependence and using cocaine but may also be relevant to individuals presenting with primary cocaine use.
• European Union Drug Agency (EUDA) – The EUDA mission focuses on contributing to EU preparedness on drugs through four main actions: anticipate, alert, respond and EUDA. The EUDA is a source of drug-related expertise in Europe sharing independent, scientifically validated knowledge, alerts and recommendations.
• GGC ADRS OST Prescribing Guideline – This guidance is aimed at all independent prescribers, doctors and staff involved in the community care of individuals who use opioid drugs and in particular new and inexperienced prescribers.
• Harm Reduction International (HRI) – The HRI use data and advocacy to promote harm reduction and drug policy reform. Rights-based, evidence-informed responses to drugs contribute to healthier, safer societies.
• Naloxone – Naloxone is a drug that can reverse the effects of opioid drugs like heroin, methadone, opium, codeine, morphine and buprenorphine. Naloxone is only effective for opioid overdoses and won’t work with on other drugs, however as most drug related deaths in Scotland involve more than one drug the use of naloxone is advised and may help keep the person someone alive until medical help arrives. Naloxone is available in two different forms, Prenoxad, which is a pre-filled syringe or Nyxoid, which is a nasal spray. Naloxone kits are available to anyone who may be supporting someone at risk or likely to witness an overdose. Scottish Families provide a ‘Click & Deliver’ take-home naloxone service to anyone living in Scotland who is over the age of 16 (for injection kit) and 14 (for nasal kit). Scottish Drugs Forum have also developed a short e-learning course that will show you how to respond to an overdose and administer Naloxone. Every pharmacy in Scotland also has Naloxone available for use in an emergency either within the premises or for anyone overdosing near the premises. The pharmacy can administer the Naloxone or provide the kit to a member of the public who has had training in Naloxone and allow them to administer.
  
  NHS Inform – Drug information and guidance.
  
• Nitazenes – Updated Nitazene Resource: Information on Nitazenes and Overdose Risk. The Scottish Drugs Forum (SDF) has published an updated resource on nitazenes, a group of synthetic opioids that have been increasingly detected in Scotland’s drug supply and are linked to rising numbers of overdoses, hospitalisations and deaths. You can access the updated resource here.
• WEDINOS – Welsh Emerging Drugs & Identification of Novel Substances Project – The Welsh Drug Checking Service WEDINOS provides a robust mechanism for the collection and testing of unknown / unidentified or new psychoactive substances and combinations of substances, and the production and dissemination of pragmatic harm reduction advice.