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2nd May 2012
Comment on the Aberdeenshire Alcohol Drug Partnership (ADP) Strategy 2012-2015 and help guide the work of agencies working in the field of substance misuse in the area. 
The partnership consists of Aberdeenshire Council, Grampian Police, NHS Grampian, The Scottish Prison Service and a range of third sector organisations.
The closing date for comments is Friday, May 25 and the partnership will use the feedback to identify any gaps or concerns as well as incorporating new ideas within the strategy.
Initial consultation took place through a workshop in June last year with partners and key stakeholders and the next stage is to involve the wider public in the final stages of the strategy’s development.
Recent figures (2011) show that in Aberdeenshire at least 44,000 people consumed more alcohol than sensible limits allow with an increasing number of females drinking beyond what’s advisable. There are also an estimated 1,400 problematic drug users, representing 0.75% of Aberdeenshire (70% male, 30% female).
To create the new strategy and shape priorities for the next three years the ADP has reflected on the current situation, progress to date, range of services in the area and ideas from the national framework for alcohol and other drug issues in Scotland.
The national framework is contained in the Road to Recovery Drugs Strategy (which places the concept of recovery at the centre of drug treatment and rehabilitation services) and the Framework for Action on Alcohol (which promotes a whole population approach to reducing alcohol consumption).
Chair of Aberdeenshire Alcohol Drug Partnership and Grampian Police Superintendent John Cummings said: “The social and personal harm caused by the problematic use of alcohol and other drugs is an issue which impacts on our communities and citizens in Aberdeenshire and across Scotland.
“Whilst the majority of our citizens consume alcohol responsibly and do not misuse other drugs, some have a problematic relationship with these substances, which causes harm to themselves as well as others.
“We are committed to acting in partnership to help tackle and address the challenging issues which arise from this.
“The ADP is therefore looking to engage not only the relevant partners but the wider Aberdeenshire communities to help us fine tune the strategy which we have developed following earlier stakeholder engagement with partners and service users.”
The previous ADP strategy ‘Routes to Recovery’ served the Alcohol Drug Partnership and its stakeholders well over the last four years and was built following consultation from key partners and stakeholders.
Successful projects included diversionary activities such as the ActiveHub, a multiagency programme in Stonehaven, Fraserburgh and Inverurie on Friday evenings linking young people (age 10-16) at risk of engaging in alcohol or drug using behaviours with local sports and other activities.
During the 2010/11 school session every pupil in Aberdeenshire within nursery and primary education (22,731 pupils in 157 schools) received age appropriate alcohol and other drug education from the Aberdeenshire Life Education Centre.
Through further wide-reaching consultation to develop the new strategy ADP can ensure projects to reduce and address alcohol and drug misuse across Aberdeenshire continue and designs these with the communities it serves.
For more information on ADP and to view the draft plan, please visit the Aberdeenshire Drug and Alcohol webpage.
The consultation can be found on survey monkey.
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