Sefton Tops Regional Youth Drug Use, Prompting Immediate Review

The close connection between drugs use and criminal behaviour is well documented and was underlined by the annual report of the local Youth Justice Partnership to Sefton Council. The partnership. which consists of many local agencies including the police and dedicated to turning young people from serial offending, reported that 74% of all young offenders in Sefton received support for substance abuse. That compares with 31% in the North West and 29% for the nation as a whole. 

The report says “regionally and nationally, Sefton is significantly high above these averages”  This aligns with other reports that have shown a 71% increases in alcohol-related admissions to hospital of under-16s in Sefton.  

Liberal Democrat leader on Sefton, John Pugh told the full Council meeting on Thursday , “ Locally we have a serious problem” and urged the Council and partner agencies review the efficacy of existing counter-measures, share good practice and report back. 

"Drug use and dependency,” he said." is one of the reasons young people persist in crime. It can undo all attempts at rehabilitation. Our problem in Sefton is magnified significantly by the ready availability of drugs with Merseyside awash with drugs like Ketamine. Alder Hey Children’s Hospital recently opened the first clinic in the UK for under-16 ketamine users."

It’s important, Cllr.Pugh told the Council that we identify and promote effective 'counter measures' because not every remedy works. "We can’t afford drugs education and counselling to be a tick box exercise. It has to deliver because the situation is deteriorating. To use every endeavour to save young offenders from the nightmare life of spiralling drug use and escalating criminal behaviour has to be a top priority”. 

The Council agreed unanimously with Cllr. Pugh to request all partnership agencies and the Youth Justice Partnership to give this matter additional and urgent focus, and working with schools and the Council review the efficacy of existing counter-measures, sharing good practice and reporting back.