1. Drugs the law & government responses

2. In groups discuss and take brief notes:
Starter
In groups discuss and take brief notes:
Why is the government concerned with reducing drug usage?

3. Learning Today Success
Identify current offences involving drugs in the UK
Describe what punishments can be given for drugs offences
Explain government responses to tackling drug offences, therefore reducing crime rates
Learning
Match-up various drugs into the appropriate offence categories
Describe the punishments that can be given to individuals for drugs related crimes
Explain Government responses to tackle drug offences
Success
Class discussion
Classification of drugs task
Note taking focussed on government responses
iPad research- drug crime statistics
KU question
Today

4. Long-term trauma/affects of drug usage on children:
The Scottish Government estimates that 40-60,000 children may be effected by parental drug misuse. The immediate effects of this can include children being at risk of neglect, but also of emotional and physical abuse. Long-term risks can also include poor physical and mental health. Growing up in a household where parents are using drugs and alcohol can seriously affect the life chances of a child.
Why respond to drug use?
Increase life chances of youths/reduce youth related crime:
Many young people experiment and take drugs- including tobacco, alcohol as well as illegal drugs for a variety of reasons. These young people come from all social backgrounds and all parts of the country and may engage in crime while under the influence of drugs. For example, breach of the peace.
To reduce drug related deaths-
In Scotland in 2009, there were 545 drug-related deaths. Of this total number, heroin and/or morphine were implicated in 322 deaths (59%), 76% were male and 68% aged 25 and older.

5. Drug Case Study
In the UK, illegal drugs are classified into three main categories. They can be Class A, B or C, with A attracting the most serious punishments and fines.
Drugs are classified under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
Drugs controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act are illegal to have, produce, give away or sell.
Not all drugs are illegal, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t harmful. For example, tobacco and alcohol can seriously damage your health. And recently new ‘legal highs’ have been developed to mimic the effects of illegal drugs like cocaine and ecstasy but are structurally different enough to avoid being classified as illegal substances under the Misuse of Drugs Act. However, they can still have dangerous side effects

6. Task 1:
5 mins
As a class we will speak through the following drugs and their classifications. Be ready to make an educated guess as to the class and punishment for possession! Fill out as we go through the answers!
Drug
Up to 7 yrs in prison, an unlimited fine or both
POSESSION
Up to 5 yrs in prison, an unlimited fine or both
POSSESSION
Production or supply
Class (A/B/C)
Cocaine
Heroin
Cannabis
Ecstasy
Ketamine
Chrystal Meth
Methadone

7. Drug A B Class (A/B/C) Production or supply Cocaine Heroin Cannabis
Up to 7 yrs in prison, an unlimited fine or both
POSESSION
Up to 5 yrs in prison, an unlimited fine or both
POSSESSION
Production or supply
Class (A/B/C)
Cocaine A
Heroin
Cannabis B
Ecstasy
Ketamine
Chrystal Meth
Methadone

8. So What is the Penalty?
The police have special powers to stop, detain, and search people under the “reasonable suspicion” that they are in possession of a controlled drug. One of the consequences of a drug conviction is that you may you find it difficult to travel to other countries
Classification
Possession
Production or supply
CLASS A
7 years or unlimited fine or both.
Life or unlimited fine or both.
CLASS B
5 years or unlimited fine or both.
14 years or unlimited fine or both.
CLASS C
2 years or unlimited fine or both.

9. Drug users-
The vast majority of drug possession offenders were male. The average age of an offender was 30 years old, with the majority (65%) being between 20 and 39 years old. 16% of offenders were under 20 years old and 19% were 40 years old or older.
Drug offences are the most common reason for young people being in trouble with the police.
Reasons young people take drugs
To escape from problems.
To calm nerves and be more confident
To “feel big and show off”
For fun, to feel good.
Peer Pressure.
Friends do it.
To see what it’s like.

10. Task 2: Government initiatives to tackle drugs
Over the next few slides you will take notes on various government initiatives which have been put in place to tackle drugs usage therefore, reducing crime rates.
You can either take notes in your notepads or collect an A3 piece of paper to fill out a mind map.

11. Government responses to tackle drugs
Like alcohol and smoking the government has encouraged services such as the National Health Service and Education Service to inform people about the dangers of drugs in a hope to reduce the misuse of drugs.
Talk to Frank
One service they have set up is “Talk to FRANK”. This is a national drugs education service where people can get confidential advice about drugs if they have any issues or worries. It tries to reduce the use of both legal and illegal drugs by providing targeted and accurate information on drugs and alcohol, particularly to school pupils. Talk to Frank has a phone number which can be called at any time for an individual to receive advice or information.

12. Misuse of Drugs act 1971 & the reclassification of drugs
Another response by the government has been to make the misuse of drugs a crime.
The classification for drugs was laid out in The Misuse of Drugs Act (1971) this made it illegal to:
Import or export drugs
Produce drugs
Supply/offer to supply drugs
Possess Drugs
Grow any part of Cannabis plant.
Under the Misuse of Drugs Act (1971) illegal drugs are placed into one of 3 classes - A, B or C.
This is based on the harms they cause either to the user or to society when they are misused. For example, Class A drugs attract the most severe penalty as they are considered likely to cause the most serious harm.
Reclassification of drugs can also take place (eg when Cannabis went from Class C to Class B) the punishments for possession, supply and production also increased. This potentially acts as a deterrent for future drug criminals.

13. The Rise of Legal Highs
Legal highs are psychoactive drugs that contain various chemical ingredients, some of which are illegal while others are not. They produce similar effects to illegal drugs like cocaine, cannabis and ecstasy.
The Psychoactive Substances Bill (2015) came into force in It is a blanket ban on legal highs sold online or on the high street. Both the Conservative party and the Labour party had the ban of legal highs in their 2016 manifestos.
Under the bill an offender if in possession of a psychoactive drug can receive a fine or up to 12 months in prison.

14. Task 3: Effectiveness of government responses to drugs
Using your phones/iPads research the current drug crime rate in Scotland and compare it to previous years to find the trend.
Record these statistics and make a conclusion on whether or not you think the government responses have been successful in tackling drug use in Scotland.

15. Task 4: Ku questions Answer the two KU questions below:
Describe, in detail, two government responses to drug related crime
Explain, in detail, why the government has made changes to laws around alcohol and/or drugs in Scotland. You should mention a maximum of three reasons in your answer