A message from Durham Police and Crime Commissioner... Supporting young people to make safer choices about drugs.

As Police and Crime Commissioner for County Durham and Darlington, I hear directly from residents about the issues that matter most to them. One concern is raised time and again: the impact of drugs on our communities, particularly on our young people.

In my most recent public survey residents told that tackling drug use and its associated harms was one of their top priorities. They are right. Drugs do not just destroy individual lives, they drive crime, fuel exploitation, and place huge pressure on policing, health, and wider public services.

But if we are truly serious about addressing this, we must be honest: enforcement alone will never be enough.

That is why I have commissioned the powerful theatre-in-education production ‘I Love You Mum. I Promise I Won’t Die’ by the Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation to be delivered in pilot schools across County Durham and Darlington, who will also benefit from separate student and parent/carer workshops, raising awareness of ‘the need to know’ facts to keep young people safe around drugs. 

This is not abstract policy, it is real, human, and deeply impactful. The play tells the true story of a young life lost to drugs. It resonates because it is authentic, reflects real choices and consequences, and opens up conversations that too often happen too late.

Around seventy young people under the age of 25 lose their lives to drugs each year, but thousands more begin patterns of use that can lead to harm later in life. With over 15% of young adults reporting drug use, the case for early intervention and education has never been clearer.

This is particularly urgent in the Northeast. Our region has had the highest rate of drug-related deaths in the country for over a decade, with 429 lives lost in the latest year alone, almost double the national average and, in some communities, up to four times higher than elsewhere.

Crucially, this work is not just about young people. It is about parents, carers and trusted adults having the confidence to talk openly about drugs, risks, and pressures. Prevention starts with conversation, awareness, and education.

This approach sits at the heart of my Police, Crime and Justice Plan under the theme of “Safer People and Safer Places.” Prevention is not an optional extra, it is fundamental to building safer communities. If we equip young people with the knowledge and resilience to make informed choices, we reduce harm before it happens.

Yet too often, prevention is the poor relation in our national response to drugs. Most of the funding still goes towards enforcement and treatment, both essential, but too little is invested in early intervention.

This must change!

Every pound invested in prevention saves far more in the long term, reducing demand on policing, health, and the criminal justice system. More importantly, it saves lives.

Through my national role as APCC Joint Lead for Addictions and Substance Misuse, I will continue to make the case for prevention to be properly prioritised and funded. We cannot afford to wait until harm has already occurred.

Locally, I am committed to taking action now, protecting young people, supporting families, and responding to what our communities are telling us they need.

Because safer communities tomorrow depend on the choices we make today and go a long way to help us achieve safer, stronger and resilient communities!