This book explores the complexities of drugs policy in Britain, contradicting the over simplified representation found in the public sphere. It focuses on developments in Britain since the Misuse of Drugs Act of 1971, covering debates at national level and local experiences set in international and European context, emphasizing the interconnectivity between people and countries in this global age. Several institutions and networks are examined to illustrate how they shape the policy process as vessels for ideas and interests and as spaces for individual action. MacGregor discusses arguments around drug policy reform, in particular the role of politicians, the media and advocacy organizations. Her aim is to encourage a more open and intelligent conversation on drugs policy and to question whether the institutional architecture in place is fit for purpose given the great increase of substances available and the underlying variety of conditions and interests currently competing for attention and resources. The is a must read for all scholars of Politics, Medicine and Social Science interested in the current debate raging around British Drug Policy.

Transforming Cities examines the profound changes that have characterised cities of the advanced capitalist societies in the final decades of the twentieth century. It analyses ways in which relationships of contest, conflict and co-operation are realised in and through the social and spatial forms of contemporary urban life. This book focuses on the impact of economic restructuring and changing forms of urban deprivation and social exclusion. It contends that these processes are creating new patterns of social division and new forms of regulation and control.

Contributors to this highly original book address the many questions raised by researchers and policymakers about the complex and often uneasy relationship between evidence and policy from an international and interdisciplinary perspective. They explore both the institutions acting as evidence brokers and the different methods used to collect, assess and use evidence in a variety of national and international settings, by drawing on their experience of working in international contexts and in different disciplinary and policy environments, and in some cases analysing their own involvement in the evidence-based policy process. The policy areas covered range from national and state level economic and social policies more generally to specific areas of intervention, such as EU bio-fuels targets, the Active Ageing Index, mental health and media, the construction of second-language learning policies, microfinance and alcohol policy. The authors highlight the strengths and weaknesses, the use and abuse, or successes and failures, of different institutional and methodological approaches to evidence-based policy. They consider what elements of the lessons learned might be transferable across national and cultural boundaries, and if so under what conditions. This book was originally published as a special issue of Contemporary Social Science.

Responding to Drug Misuse provides a unique insight into the current shape of the drugs treatment system in England. Reporting findings from research linked to the government's ten year drugs strategy Tackling Drugs to Build a Better Britain, the book places these in the context of policy, practice, and service development. It goes on to discuss the implications of these findings for the government's new strategy Drugs: Protecting Families and Communities. Throughout the book contributors reflect on current debates on drug strategies and social policy and consider the relevance of the findings for policy and practice. Topics discussed include: recent trends in drug policy and how these link to crime responses of dedicated drug treatment services service users' perceptions and suggestions for improvement the impact of drug misuse on children, families and communities. This timely addition to the literature on drug misuse will be essential for substance use practitioners, including social workers, psychiatrists, psychologists and nurses. It will also supply helpful guidance for health and social care commissioners and policy providers.

Contributors to this highly original book address the many questions raised by researchers and policymakers about the complex and often uneasy relationship between evidence and policy from an international and interdisciplinary perspective. They explore both the institutions acting as evidence brokers and the different methods used to collect, assess and use evidence in a variety of national and international settings, by drawing on their experience of working in international contexts and in different disciplinary and policy environments, and in some cases analysing their own involvement in the evidence-based policy process. The policy areas covered range from national and state level economic and social policies more generally to specific areas of intervention, such as EU bio-fuels targets, the Active Ageing Index, mental health and media, the construction of second-language learning policies, microfinance and alcohol policy. The authors highlight the strengths and weaknesses, the use and abuse, or successes and failures, of different institutional and methodological approaches to evidence-based policy. They consider what elements of the lessons learned might be transferable across national and cultural boundaries, and if so under what conditions. This book was originally published as a special issue of Contemporary Social Science.

This interdisciplinary collection examines the role that alcohol, tobacco and other drugs have played in framing certain groups and spaces as 'dangerous' and in influencing the nature of formal responses to the perceived threat. Taking a historical and cross-national perspective, it explores how such groups and spaces are defined and bounded as well as the processes by which they come to be seen as 'risky'. It discusses how issues of perceived danger highlight questions of control and the management of behaviours, people and environments, and it pays attention to the way in which sanctions and regulations have been implemented in a variety of often inconsistent ways that frequently impact differently on different sections of the population. Bringing together a range of case studies drawn from different countries and across different periods of time, the chapters collected here illustrate issues of marginalisation, stigmatisation, human rights and social expectations. It is of interest to a diverse audience of historians, philosophers, human geographers, anthropologists, sociologists and criminologists interested in substance use and misuse, deviance, risk and power among other topics.

After the landslide election of a new British Labour government in May 1997, what are the key social policy issues and problems which the new government needs to address? "Social Issues and Party Politics " looks at the manifestos of the main parties and the way social issues figured in the 1997 election campaign and the early days of the new government. Chapters discuss green issues, the management and financing of welfare in contemporary Britain, the delivery of key services in health, education, employment, criminal justice, housing, personal social services, pensions and other areas of social security. The particular circumstances of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are also examined. The volume takes social policy beyond the soundbite and provides a convincing and incisive analysis of current social policy approaches and inherited problems. It identifies the deep social questions which will need to be addressed if Labour is to deliver on its promise of a new Britain.

After the landslide election of a new British Labour government in May 1997, what are the key social policy issues and problems which the new government needs to address? "Social Issues and Party Politics " looks at the manifestos of the main parties and the way social issues figured in the 1997 election campaign and the early days of the new government. Chapters discuss green issues, the management and financing of welfare in contemporary Britain, the delivery of key services in health, education, employment, criminal justice, housing, personal social services, pensions and other areas of social security. The particular circumstances of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are also examined. The volume takes social policy beyond the soundbite and provides a convincing and incisive analysis of current social policy approaches and inherited problems. It identifies the deep social questions which will need to be addressed if Labour is to deliver on its promise of a new Britain.

This collection examines the profound transformations that have characterised cities of the advanced capitalist societies in the final decades of the 20th century. It analyses ways in which relationships of contest, conflict and cooperation are realised in and through the social and spatial forms of contemporary urban life. In particular, the essays focus on the impact of economic restructuring and changing forms of urban governance on patterns of urban deprivation and social exclusion. These processes, they contend, are creating new patterns of social division and new forms of regulation and control.

This collection examines the profound transformations that have characterised cities of the advanced capitalist societies in the final decades of the 20th century. It analyses ways in which relationships of contest, conflict and cooperation are realised in and through the social and spatial forms of contemporary urban life. In particular, the essays focus on the impact of economic restructuring and changing forms of urban governance on patterns of urban deprivation and social exclusion. These processes, they contend, are creating new patterns of social division and new forms of regulation and control.

This book explores the complexities of drugs policy in Britain, contradicting the over simplified representation found in the public sphere. It focuses on developments in Britain since the Misuse of Drugs Act of 1971, covering debates at national level and local experiences set in international and European context, emphasizing the interconnectivity between people and countries in this global age. Several institutions and networks are examined to illustrate how they shape the policy process as vessels for ideas and interests and as spaces for individual action. MacGregor discusses arguments around drug policy reform, in particular the role of politicians, the media and advocacy organizations. Her aim is to encourage a more open and intelligent conversation on drugs policy and to question whether the institutional architecture in place is fit for purpose given the great increase of substances available and the underlying variety of conditions and interests currently competing for attention and resources. The is a must read for all scholars of Politics, Medicine and Social Science interested in the current debate raging around British Drug Policy.

Transforming Cities examines the profound changes that have characterised cities of the advanced capitalist societies in the final decades of the twentieth century. It analyses ways in which relationships of contest, conflict and co-operation are realised in and through the social and spatial forms of contemporary urban life. This book focuses on the impact of economic restructuring and changing forms of urban deprivation and social exclusion. It contends that these processes are creating new patterns of social division and new forms of regulation and control.

Responding to Drug Misuse provides a unique insight into the current shape of the drugs treatment system in England.

Reporting findings from research linked to the government's ten year drugs strategy Tackling Drugs to Build a Better Britain, the book places these in the context of policy, practice, and service development. It goes on to discuss the implications of these findings for the government s new strategy Drugs: Protecting Families and Communities. Throughout the book contributors reflect on current debates on drug strategies and social policy and consider the relevance of the findings for policy and practice. Topics discussed include:

• recent trends in drug policy and how these link to crime
• responses of dedicated drug treatment services
• service users' perceptions and suggestions for improvement
• the impact of drug misuse on children, families and communities.

This timely addition to the literature on drug misuse will be essential for substance use practitioners, including social workers, psychiatrists, psychologists and nurses. It will also supply helpful guidance for health and social care commissioners and policy providers.

I trust as you are reading my poetry you will experience a combination of everything that love entails: Humor, pain, anger, happiness. These experiences are written in the forms of poems. You will discover that you feel the same way I do. You will be able to open up yourself more and be more receptive to your feelings and become in sync with my poems and we will connect on a higher level through my authentic words and the experience will be truly awesome

The field of drug and alcohol studies has expanded rapidly in recent years, with estimates of at least a doubling in the number of publications in the past decades. A feature of this wide and multidisciplinary field is the tendency of sub-groups of scholars to operate within their disciplinary silos, paying only token attention to the contributions of others. There are also, naturally, significant differences in approaches of different countries, reflecting different policy frameworks and cultural perspectives. When faced with these challenges to comprehensive study, a publication such as this new six-volume collection - which aims to bring together the various disparate strands of the topic, including key articles written by scholars from across the globe, disciplines and decades - truly proves itself to be a unique and valuable resource for specialist students and researchers in the field.

Volume One: Historical and Cultural studies

Volume Two: Theoretical Perspectives

Volume Three: Methods and Measurements

Volume Four: Policy Approaches

Volume Five: Interventions

Volume Six: Current Trends, Continuing Issues and New Challenges