Edinburgh Alcohol And Drugs Partnership & Change Grow Live Cocaine And Crack Cocaine Conference, 23rd May 2024

The conference was instigated because of the concerns of multiple EADP partners but organised and funded by CGL. The context is described below in terms of the increasing evidence of cocaine related harm. It was held at the Edinburgh City Chambers on the 23^rd May 2024 and attended by approximately 120 people. The aims of the conference were to

Explore the scale of cocaine related harm in Edinburgh, Scotland and the UK
raise local awareness of the harms and the challenges
explore potential responses based on research and on practice from elsewhere in the country

Keynote speakers included Christina McKelvie MSP for Drug and Alcohol Policy and a number of researchers

Prof. Andy McAuley of the Glasgow Caledonian University’s School of Health and Life Sciences,
Prof. Magdalena Harris of London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine,
Prof. Jim McVeigh of Manchester Metropolitan University (Substance Use and Associated Behaviours)

Other presenters were managers, clinicians and practitioners with experience of supporting users of cocaine and crack cocaine. These included Emma Crawshaw (CEO Crew2000) and a number of staff from CGL’s teams across the UK.

Please find report here: Cocaine and crack cocaine conference and draft action plan

The Edinburgh Alcohol and Drug Partnership are really pleased to have partnered in this key conference as part of our coproduction process to produce the city’s strategic plan for alcohol and drugs. The speakers and the participants shared a vast amount of experience and knowledge, concerns and hope. We will be using the learning and the inspiration from the event to inform how can we respond to those affected by their own or other’s use of cocaine in the city. There is a draft plan for responding to cocaine and crack cocaine related harm in Edinburgh in the paper and the EADP would like to hear people’s views on it (eadp@edinburgh.gov.uk)

Logos