Format
Book
Publication Date
Published by / Citation
Health Research Board
Original Language

English

Keywords
effectiveness
drug interventions
treatment
Prevention

The Effectiveness of Illegal Drug Interventions

This Health Research Board document reviews evidence on the effectiveness of interventions in the areas of prevention, harm reduction and long-term recovery from addiction to illegal drugs.

It asks which interventions are effective for:

  • Reducing the up-take or continued use of illegal drugs and their related harmful behaviours among those below the age of 25?
  • Reducing harmful behaviours related to the use of illegal drugs?
  • Treating drug abuse among addicts?
  • Supporting those who abuse illegal substances to recover fully and integrate back into society?

Below are the key conclusions reached:

Prevention:

  • Structured, comprehensive school-based programmes that teach such skills as refusal, decision-making and coping, and which raise awareness of the social influences on drug use alongside more general information, may be effective for preventing substance abuse.
  • School-based programmes that mainly focus on the risks of drug use appear to be ineffective for prevention.
  • Family interventions, in which both parent and child participate, may be effective for preventing the use of cannabis.
  • Programmes may be more effective when applied to a range of different domains – e.g. school, family, mentoring or media settings.
  • Brief interventions in a school or healthcare setting appear to be ineffective.

Treatment:

  • There is evidence to suggest that methadone and buprenorphine are effective for reducing the use of illegal opioids.
  • Detoxification treatments (such as the above) are most effective when combined with structured psychological interventions.
  • Naltrexone implants (as opposed to oral administration) may be effective for supporting continued abstinence among highly motivated individuals.
  • Pharmacological treatments used with or without psychological invention may not be effective for treating dependency on stimulants such as cocaine or amphetamines.
  • For the treatment of cannabis use, multidirectional family therapies appear to be more effective than psychological interventions among youth.
  • Couples-based programmes, in which a non-drug dependent partner is involved, seem to be effective for cocaine addiction.
  • Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or motivational interviews may be more effective than no treatment. And yet, they are no more or less effective than other psychological approaches.
  • Mindfulness may help to tackle drug use.
  • There is no consistent evidence on the effectiveness of 12-step group participation programmes in residential settings.
  • Peer coaching, recovery housing or mutual aid approaches may help to reduce drug use.
  • Physical activity programmes may support abstinence.
  • Acupuncture may enhance the effectiveness of pharmacological treatments for opioid addiction. However, it is not effective when delivered alone.
  • Opioid substitution therapy may work in prison and community settings to reduce opioid dependency among those convicted of committing crimes.
  • Therapeutic treatment in prison-based communities can help to reduce relapse of drug use and other criminal activity. Evidence on boot camps, drug courts and psychosocial interventions, on the other hand, was inconclusive.
  • Slow-release morphine may be more effective than methadone treatments for heroin addiction among pregnant women.

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