• fear of other generations,
• racism,
• concerns about crime,
• trade,
• human rights,
• public health, harm reduction and the possibility of collusion,
• mental health,
• parenting,
• social exclusion and poverty,
• honesty about our own personal histories both disclosed and undisclosed,
• faith, creativity and spirituality.

There are a further set of issues about the morality of drug use itself and also societal responses:

• the differentiation between illegal and legal drug use,
• the acceptance of different forms of pleasure in society,
• non-prescribed drug use as a legitimate way of dealing with emotional and physical issues,
• the difference between the properties of a drug and a range of life styles associated with various patterns of use.

As trainers committed to developing our own anti-discriminatory practice, our role is to create a safe learning environment  where these issues can be explored in an honest and open way. This need for honesty requires transparency about the ethical basis and core beliefs under-pinning my own work.

We are working with users of drugs:-

• who are not stupid or inadequate – they do things for a reason. – we have to explore these reasons.
• No-one does anything just because they are told to - telling often reinforces the harmful behaviour.
• Everyone uses drugs – we are looking at a continuum of normal human behaviour as opposed to deviance.
• Problematic substance use may be acute or it may be a chronic relapsing condition – we must accept that one series of interventions will not be enough for many people - there must be no punishment for relapse.
• No-one is helpless or useless. The skills that led people into problematic usage or dealing can be used to get them out.
• Everyone who comes to our attention will have a constellation of complex needs.
• Treatment systems have the capacity to create more problems than they solve for many people who are caught up within them - true client centred care has the potential to minimise this.
• Treatment must be a partnership of equals where the worker and the client use their respective expertise to explore how problems may be solved. The solution itself is within the power of the client. This does not minimise the role of the worker who may have to offer a range of forms of assistance.
• Client work intrinsically is about change; this may be alarming as well as exhilarating - in a therapeutic relationship both client and worker must engage in the process. The quality of the relationship between client and worker (rather than any set of treatment techniques) is the essence of what brings about change.
• Any form of training or education about drug use must be honest - we cannot be in denial that the use of drugs can meet many personal needs and be rewarding - if we do not acknowledge this we cannot enter into rational debate about the harms of problematic drug use.
• Unconditional positive regard and empathy, rather than being attitudes, are a complex constellation of skills. These involve recognisisng the inevitable making of judgments about other people and their behaviour. These may be based on prejudice and stereotypes - these opinions must be recognised and addressed away from the client. Unconditional positive regard never involves collusion and does necessitate the challenging of certain forms of behaviour.
• Reflective practice to develop worker awareness of  how they impact on the client must be a primary focus for learning.

Our practice is evolving constantly. We welcome challenge and comment on the above. Contact us by clicking here.