On 25 January 2016 Coolmine Therapeutic Community (CTC) published the results of a longitudinal outcomes study Pathways through treatment: a mixed-methods longitudinal outcomes study of Coolmine Therapeutic Community.¹  The key finding of the study is that, despite the many instances of relapse, the positive impact of all CTC programmes on clients is undeniable. Overall, substance use declined, physical and mental health improved, and clients demonstrated improvements with regard to housing, employment, education and family relationships.

Probably the most profound change in the market for illicit drugs over the past twenty years has been the proliferation of synthetic psychoactive substances, sometimes designed to mimic the effect of traditional plant-based drugs.  Alongside this emergence of a vast range of new drugs the mechanisms by which users obtain drugs is also being rapidly transformed.  While the deal on the street corner or supply by a friend still dominate exchange in illicit drug markets, online purchasing is becoming a more common form of transaction.