Fresh strategy aims to include alcohol

THE first action of the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016 is to set up a group to devise a replacement National Substance Misuse Strategy (NSMS).

This latter strategy, which will include alcohol, would not be published for another year and a half. This follows a government decision last March to include alcohol and illegal drugs in one strategy, rather than two separate strategies as has been the case.

The decision, recommended by drugs strategy minister John Curran, had the support of medical, voluntary and community sectors, but was opposed by the alcohol industry.