UK substance use policy research should think local

Haydock, William

doi:10.1108/dat-02-2015-0006

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Similarly, the centralism of UK politics, despite more recent steps toward devolution and localism, is still predominant (Zampini, 2014). With the UK undergoing structural changes, devolving powers to its constituent parts, this discussion becomes even more relevant in drug policy (Duke and Thom, 2014;Haydock, 2015). This process entails the possibility of assessing propositions around the relative independence of localities to pursue policies which deviate from national and international directives or for the possibility of "bottom-up" initiatives to become established, which has been done elsewhere (Zampini, 2016).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence and morality in harm-reduction debates: can we use value-neutral arguments to achieve value-driven goals?

Zampini

2018

Palgrave Commun

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It is common to argue that politicians make selective use of evidence to tacitly reinforce their moral positions, but all stakeholders combine facts and values to produce and use research for policy. The drug policy debate has largely been characterised in terms of an opposition between evidence and politics. Focusing on harm reduction provides useful ground to discuss a further opposition proposed by evidence advocates, that between evidence and morality. Can evidence sway individuals from their existing moral positions, so as to "neutralise" morality? And if not, then should evidence advocates change the way in which they frame their arguments? To address these questions, analysis of N = 27 interviews with stakeholders actively involved in drug policy and harm reduction debates in England, UK and New South Wales, Australia, was conducted. Participants' accounts suggest that although evidence can help focus discussions away from values and principles, exposure to evidence does not necessarily change deeply held views. Whether stakeholders decide to go with the evidence or not seems contingent on whether they embrace a view of evidence as secular faith; a view that is shaped by experience, politics, training, and role. And yet, morality, values, and emotions underpin all stakeholders' views, motivating their commitment to drug policy and harm reduction. Evidence advocates might thus benefit from devising strategies to morally and emotionally engage audiences. This paper aims to develop better tools for analysing the role of morality in decision-making. Using tools from disciplines such as moral psychology is relevant to the study of the politics of evidence-based policymaking.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence and morality in harm-reduction debates: can we use value-neutral arguments to achieve value-driven goals?

Zampini

2018

Palgrave Commun

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“…Such an approach also affects political decision making. This is not a study of local policy-making processes, as recommended by Haydock (2015), and so we do not attempt to identify the effects of this affective response to the landscape or environment in depth here. However, such challenges are certainly perceived by service users within the local treatment system.…”

Section: Affective or Cultural Resourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Two buses and a short walk: the place of geography in recovery

Whiteford

Haydock

Cleave

2016

Drugs and Alcohol Today

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Purpose – As UK substance misuse policy has increasingly focused on the concept of recovery, policymakers, service providers and service users have found “recovery capital” a useful concept to understand the barriers to and facilitators of recovery from substance misuse. There is a rich strand of research that considers the composition of recovery capital in terms of the relevance of resources such as access to mutual aid, familial support and friendship networks, stable housing, structured psychosocial support and education, training and employment. However, such general accounts have tended not to engage with the potential spatial element of recovery capital; that is, how location contributes to the acquisition and management of recovery capital. The purpose of this paper is to add nuance to more generalised accounts through a critical interrogation, exploration and analysis of the role of geography in recovery. Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on in-depth interviews with service users and service providers in a predominantly rural county in the south-west of England. Findings – The ability to build and sustain recovery capital is shown to be marked by a complex web of social and spatial inclusions/exclusions. Originality/value – This paper makes three important contributions to prevailing understandings of recovery capital. First, it shows how narratives of recovery are intimately tied to perceptions and experiences of place. Second, it reveals some of the important challenges and complex dilemmas that local drug and alcohol commissioners face in designing and delivering recovery-orientated treatment systems. Third, and finally, it argues that there is a pressing need for a more nuanced appreciation of the social and spatial dynamics of recovery capital.

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UK substance use policy research should think local

Cited by 2 publications

References 22 publications

Evidence and morality in harm-reduction debates: can we use value-neutral arguments to achieve value-driven goals?

Evidence and morality in harm-reduction debates: can we use value-neutral arguments to achieve value-driven goals?

Two buses and a short walk: the place of geography in recovery

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