We are delighted to have a chapter in the recently published book, ‘Drug Science and British Drug Policy‘, which explores the failure of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (MDA), the law which established drug prohibition and the criminalisation of people who use and sell drugs in the UK.

The experiences of Anyone’s Child family members and campaigners feature alongside chapters written by researchers, academics and other activists, in what has been described as a “once in an epoch review by experts from a range of disciplines”. Not only do their stories call attention to the human cost of maintaining the MDA, they also highlight the bravery and strength of those who call for change and who resist the repressive and stigmatising narratives created by drug prohibition.

“My life ended when I lost my two sons Torin and Jacques so unexpectedly in one night. I never wanted to join a group like Anyone’s Child – but having lost everything, I feel that it’s all I can do now – to try and stop others from having to go through what I’ve been through – and for me that means campaigning for the legal control and regulation of drugs.” Ray

For 50 years, the MDA has failed to reduce drug consumption. Instead, and as illustrated by the stories of our Anyone’s Child family members, it has increased harm, damaged public health and exacerbated social inequalities.

In 2021, on the Misuse of Drugs Act 50th anniversary, Transform and Anyone’s Child ran a campaign to draw attention to its failure, calling on MPs, Peers, organisations, and the public to support reform. This book, edited by Drug Science, now adds to the growing number of voices critiquing the UK’s drug laws and calling for change.

Our chapter, titled ‘Challenging stigma, changing minds: the role of families in drug policy reform’ explores the stigmatisation and discrimination towards people who use drugs and their families, as experienced by many of the Anyone’s Child members.

It is a reflective chapter which tells our story of the Anyone’s Child campaign and how families are leading the reform discussion in the UK. This reflection includes quotes from some of the Anyone’s Child campaigners which recount the stigma and discrimination they have suffered because of the MDA. These were collated over the course of the campaign, through first-hand stories provided by the family members, campaign activities and group meetings.

The chapter describes how the Anyone’s Child families draw on their lived experience to inform the wider public of the true human cost of the ‘drug war’ and to put pressure on politicians to reform the UK’s drug laws. We also talk about how Anyone’s Child seeks to accelerate public understanding of the failure of our current drug laws and highlight the potential benefits and opportunities of legal control and regulation of the drug trade, particularly in terms of addressing the stigma attached to people who use drugs.

The families’ relentless campaigning is actively challenging the stigma that exists around drug use and enabling conversations to start all over the country around this subject that has been taboo for so long. Our chapter also offers an insight into some of the personal impacts of drug policy activism following the suffering of a loved one.

“I came to Anyone’s Child and it was a big relief for me. I faced the truth I didn’t want to face. People said Daniel was unlucky, that he only did it once, but that wasn’t true. It was quite cathartic facing the truth. I am doing this for Daniel. I am doing it for him. I feel proud that he is helping to keep other children safe.” Marie

A copy of the book can be bought here.