A pioneering police and public health collaboration launched today (Thursday) aiming to cut drug deaths in York and North Yorkshire.
The North Yorkshire Drug Analysis Project (NYDAP) will help to better understand the substances that are in use across the county.
This will be achieved by sending 60 drug samples that have been found or seized by North Yorkshire Police – five per month – to the Mandrake Laboratory in Manchester.
Within 48 hours, each sample will undergo drug analysis to determine the:
- drug type
- contaminants
- purity.
If this shows a significant risk such as a suspected drug-related death or overdose, the analysis will be provided in under two hours to spark an emergency public health response aiming to reduce further harm.
The launch of the project marks International Overdose Awareness Day today.
Detective Chief Inspector Andy Simpson, from North Yorkshire crime command, said: “NYDAP provides, in partnership, that early intervention to identify heightened risk in the already risky environment of the illegal drug market.
“As a police and partner service, we can be more effective and efficient in protecting our communities where these risks arise.
“Knowing that these risks exist through this testing, we can focus police and partner resources specifically to protect those at risk and to target those presenting the risk.
“The programme will assist in informing our educational and awareness approaches to drugs in schools, colleges, universities and within night-time economy venues. Through the programme, we can trigger any necessary public health alerts when a serious risk has been identified by the scientists.
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“We’re very proud to be involved in this important and ambitious collaboration project that will help to reduce drug-related deaths, which reached a worrying 91 cases in 2021.
“This is the ultimate aim behind the project: reducing harm and saving lives.”
Detective Chief Inspector Andy Simpson, from the Crime Command, said: “This programme provides quick and accurate information to North Yorkshire Police and our Public Health partners to identify emerging harms from substances within the illegal drug market in the county of North Yorkshire.
‘’NYDAP provides, in partnership, that early intervention to identify heightened risk in the already risky environment of the illegal drug market.
“As a police and partner service, we can be more effective and efficient in protecting our communities where these risks arise.
“Knowing that these risks exist through this testing, we can focus police and partner resources specifically to protect those at risk and to target those presenting the risk.”
Harm reduction
The University of York has been involved in the development of the project and is being supported by the Mandrake Laboratory team to potentially take over the testing after the initial 12 months.
Public health teams from both City of York Council and North Yorkshire Council are involved too, along with the North Yorkshire Horizons Adult Alcohol and Drug Recovery Service.
Funding of £20,000 has been secured from the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe for the project.
Craig Bosomworth, harm reduction strategic lead North Yorkshire, said:“This project enhances our collective intelligence about the drug market operating in North Yorkshire and York, and therefore increases our ability to provide targeted harm reduction to the relevant groups, individuals and environments that will be evidence-based and most impactful.
“For example, if we identify contaminated or particularly potent substances through the drug analysis, we will be able to quickly issue a Local Drug Information System (LDIS) Alert to help prevent harm such as toxicity and overdose which can prove fatal.”