The Forum aims to represent and respond to the views of people affected by, or concerned about drugs, alcohol and blood borne viruses in Aberdeen.

It supports the Aberdeen City ADP (Alcohol & Drug Partnership) to provide contact with the service users, carers, practitioners and communities in issues or needs surrounding drugs, alcohol and blood borne viruses.

It provides a forum for networking and information sharing.

Aberdeen City Drug Strategy – How can we overcome stigma?

The ADP has recently begun work on developing a new local drug strategy for the City in line with the Road to Recovery. However, we know that it is not always easy to obtain a consensus on this, as demonstrated by recent media articles and interviews regarding drug problems.

In some cases there are many uses of unconstructive and derogatory language in discussion of these issues by community callers which only help to reinforce negative and stereotypical images of drug users. In developing the drug strategy, we therefore wonder, just how can we begin to help change this stigmatisation?

If you have any comments, ideas or potential solutions which could help in the development of the strategy, but in particular would assist the ADP's Drug Strategy Group tackle the above question, then please complete the online questionnaire.

Alternatively, please send your comments to Senga MacDonald or the ADP directly.