Tackling substance misuse costs Lincolnshire services a staggering £264 million each year, new reports have revealed.

This includes the demands placed on health, social care, prison, law enforcement and emergency services.

The figures underscore the significant economic burden of substance misuse on the county.

The report on the re-commissioning of Substance Misuse Treatment and Recovery services is due before Lincolnshire County Councillors on Wednesday 28 June.

The report highlights that: "Drug misuse costs society £20 billion a year which equates to £350 per person."

This totals a staggering £264m in Lincolnshire alone.

It continues: "In Lincolnshire, 83 people lose their lives to illicit drugs each year."

The figures are a stark reminder of the human and financial cost of substance misuse in the region.

The report also reveals that 3.7% of children in Lincolnshire live with an adult that misuses substances, leading to a higher likelihood of these children entering the criminal justice system and experiencing poor health.

Additionally, 19% of children who were living with people who entered substance misuse treatment during 2021/22 were also receiving some form of support or intervention from Children's Services.

MindSpace Stamford have created a wellbeing map to support those struggling with mental health, highlighting areas and attractions that cultivate wellness. Image credit: MindSpace Stamford.

The report also sheds light on the wider societal impact of substance misuse.

When parents are unable to care for their children due to substance use, the responsibility often falls to grandparents, known as kinship carers.

A national charity addressing the negative effects of drugs and alcohol on families reports that 57% of kinship carers have either given up work or reduced their working hours to care for a child.

The ripple effects of substance misuse extend beyond immediate family. One in three adults are affected by a relative's alcohol use, demonstrating the far-reaching impact of this issue.

Moreover, the health implications of alcohol consumption are significant. Not only is it a major risk factor for dementia, but it also led to 12,568 hospital admissions across Lincolnshire for alcohol-related conditions during 2021-22.

Tragically, there were 320 alcohol-related deaths in the county in the same year. These figures underscore the urgent need for effective substance misuse treatment and prevention strategies in Lincolnshire.

The documents further note that: "For every £1 spent on treatment there is a saving of £4 through reduced demands on health, social care, prison, law enforcement and emergency services.

"For Lincolnshire, a core budget of £5,437,652 will create an estimated £21,750,608 return on investment."

In response to these challenges, Lincolnshire County Council is set to re-commission a county-wide all-age Substance Misuse Treatment and Recovery service and a separate all-age Family and Affected Others support service.

The new contracts are set to commence from April 1 2024.

The council's approach is designed to provide maximum flexibility and responsiveness to potential demand fluctuations, legislative and external funding changes during the proposed contract term.

Bosses hope the reconfigured approach will place Lincolnshire in a good position to respond to the guidance from the government's 10-year National Drug Strategy, "From Harm to Hope".