Drug consumption in London - A city of diverse and changing scenes

A key government objective with respect to the illicit drugs problem in the Capital is to draw more drug users into health treatment services and consequently the number of people in contact with drugs treatment services has increased. London is a heavily populated, multi-cultural city and is a nexus of international and national migration and economic activity. To contain the vast difference in drug consumption patterns occurring across drug-using scenes in London, professionals differentiate them by "problematic" drug use styles such as heroin and/or crack cocaine dependence and injecting drug use, versus leisure time drug use styles. London is a city of highly contrasting drug use scenes, which differ by local area and by socio-economic and cultural and ethnic groupings. The use of the drugs associated with the rave dance culture has been declining, though a dynamic drug-using culture exists in London linked to the night-time leisure scene.

First published 2009 by Ashgate Publishing
Published 2017 by Routledge