Drug Policy Constellations: The Role of Power and Morality in the Making of Drug Policy in the UK

How is UK drugs policy made, and why does it so often seem irrational when considering what works in reducing drug-related harms?

This book explains how the concept of drug policy constellations - the loosely concerted policy actors with shared moral commitments that influenced policy outcomes - explains why there is no such thing as ’evidence-based’ drug policy. Drawing on his participation in high-level policy discussions, and a novel approach to policy analysis, Stevens presents three recent cases involving key issues in UK illicit drug policy - medical cannabis, drug-related deaths and the government’s 10-year drug strategy.

Alex Stevens is Professor in Criminal Justice at the University of Kent.