In recent years, statistics have been published to show a demonstrable shift in age profile of individuals accessing treatment for drug use in the UK. In response to this the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) undertook this self-commissioned report to review the evidence of this trend and assess the implications of an ageing cohort on specialist drug treatment services.

In this report, the ACMD describes the changing age profile; provides an overview of the challenges faced by this ageing cohort in the UK; explains why current service regimen are not meeting the needs of this group and makes recommendations for practise and policy.

The ACMD concluded that this ageing cohort of drug users (those over the age of 35 years) now account for a significant proportion of patients in specialist community drug treatment services. Many substance misuse services in the UK do not adequately cater to the needs of this cohort and services will need to adapt to fit to this permitting trend.