UK. A post-pandemic spike in substance use amongst young people & barriers to accessing support

Following the ending of Covid-19 restrictions, illegal drug use has soared among young people. 1 in 3 young people have used an illegal drug in the past 12 months, and yet it still remains a taboo topic in our society.

1 in 5 substance users now take drugs or alcohol to escape problems in their life, and growing numbers experience challenges due to substance use and are in need of support. However, societal attitudes connected to substance use and addiction, lack of awareness of services available or belief that there are no suitable services available prevent many from seeking help. As a result, hundreds of thousands of young people are suffering in silence rather than reaching out for support. 

Moreover, official figures show that drug-related deaths have been rising across the UK population, reaching their peak in 2021. In England and Wales alone, there were 4,859 drug-related deaths, representing a 6.2% increase from the figures in 2020. (The Mix, UK, Oktober 2020)

https://cdn.themix.org.uk/uploads/2022/10/Drug-and-alcohol-usage-amongst-young-people-2022.pdf