Submission on the development of the new National Drugs Strategy 2007 – 2016.

The Combat Poverty Agency is a state advisory agency developing and promoting evidence-based proposals and measures to combat poverty in Ireland. One of the functions of Combat Poverty is to advise the government on all aspects of social and economic policy pertaining to poverty. Combat Poverty welcomes the opportunity to comment on the development of the new National Drugs Strategy. Whilst we are no longer involved in direct work on the issue of drugs, the submission draws from previous work in this area, from written material available, from discussions with those involved in drugs work and from our experience in supporting the participation of disadvantaged communities and groups in inter-agency initiatives. The submission focuses on the following 4 areas: 1. The link between poverty and drug use 2. Community participation 3. Routes out of poverty –integrated services 4. Research and evaluatio