31 Oct 2025
In a report published today (31st October), the Justice Committee calls on government to make urgent reforms to end the “endemic levels of drugs in our prisons.”
The cross-party group of MPs conducted the inquiry because they were shocked by “the unacceptable levels of drugs ingress into prisons and the damage that this is doing to our prison system.”
The Committee echoes calls from the Chief Inspector of Prisons, the Dame Carol Black Review, the Prison Governors Association, the Prison Officers Association, the Prison Reform Trust, and the Forward Trust, that prisons cannot be safe and rehabilitative environments if drug demand and supply are not significantly curtailed.
Mike Trace, CEO of the Forward Trust and as the government’s former drug czar oversaw the creation of the first national prison drug strategy. He gave evidence to the inquiry and has warned that the drug market is “worse in prisons than it ever has been”. He has called on the government to “take decisive action to turn things around.”
“People in prison can be treated and do recover from their addiction. We should not lose sight of this fact, regardless of how difficult the current situation may be.”
The report states;
Although almost half (49 per cent) of prisoners in England and Wales enter prison with an identified drug need, a significant number develop a drug habit whilst in prison.
High levels of drug use are intrinsically linked to violence within the closed prison estate, driven both by debt-related conflict and the increase in “drug-fuelled erratic” and unpredictable behaviour.
Circulation of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) in prisons, most notably synthetic cannabinoids and synthetic opioids, leads to a high risk of drug-related deaths and overdoses.
16% (136) of the 833 deaths investigated by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman between December 2022 and December 2024 were classified as drug-related.
The Committee concluded that “The system is failing, and the human cost is unacceptable.”
Referring to current prison treatment provision, the Committee says that the current provision is “wholly inadequate for driving sustainable recovery” - and is calling for every prison to have a dedicated unit that incentivises prisoners to opt out of the drug market and access rehabilitation and recovery support.
“When individuals leave prison with a drug habit, the subsequent cycle of re-offending is made more likely. The societal damage far exceeds any perceived savings. Our report highlights that the cost of failing to intervene is higher than the cost of advanced security technology or providing a continuous, coherent public health pathway designed for recovery. The human cost of lives damaged and lost to re-offending as a result of unaddressed drug issues is incalculable.”
The Forward Trust, a national charity that empowers people to break the cycles of addiction and crime has been sounding this alarm for many years. CEO Mike Trace said, “The dealing and consumption of drugs has become the predominant activity in some of our prisons. However hard we try to reduce the supply of drugs in prisons, we will not find a solution until we manage to suppress demand. As long as most prisoners want to get high most days, the market and all the associated intimidation, debts, violence and overdoses will continue.
“But there is some good news – we do have a proven model from the transformational recovery and rehabilitation work we undertake in prison, such as those highlighted by the Committee [HMP Cardiff and HMP The Mount] that reduces demand for drugs in prison and also helps prisoners to overcome addiction and avoid a return to crime on release.
“If we do not provide meaningful treatment, harm reduction and recovery then we are handing over drug market in prisons to those who do not care for the consequences drugs can bring to individuals, prison life, families and staff.”
Video
Mike Trace speaking after his appearance as a subject expert Witness at the Justice Committee.
Justice Committee official report 'Tackling the drug crisis in our prisons'
Press release by the Justice Committee
Mike Trace, CEO of The Forward Trust
Watch Mike's appearance at the Justice Committee (time-coded)
For further information and to arrange an interview with Mike Trace and people with lived experience of the drugs crisis in prison please contact: Fiona.mcdonald@forwardtrust.org.uk 07485315614
