Gyms should highlight the risks of drug misuse, NICE says

Gyms should display posters and mount social media campaigns to highlight the risks of drug misuse, a new health guideline says.

The guideline, which has been published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), says that local authorities should work with venues, such as gyms, nightclubs and pubs, to target people who may use drugs, or are at risk from doing so.

The document, titled 'Drug misuse prevention: targeted interventions', says people in gyms "who are taking, or considering taking, image- and performance-enhancing drugs" should be targeted.

Around one in 12 adults had taken an illicit drug between 2015 and 2016, equating to 2.7 million people. For children and young people aged 11-15, statistics from 2014 show that 10 per cent of school children had taken drugs.

The new guideline, which covers illegal drugs as well as ‘legal highs’ and prescription medicines, says that information should make people aware of support services and how to access online tools to assess their own drug use.

Professor Gillian Leng, deputy chief executive at NICE, said: “We want to help prevent people at risk of drug misuse from taking drugs. We also want to prevent people who already use drugs from using them regularly and to excess.

“Local authorities, and public health teams in local government, will play an important role when helping to implement our recommendations on drug misuse prevention. We hope to see them bridging the gap and working together with venue owners, local health services and social care to help prevent drug misuse in people, including children and young people, who are at risk.”

Professor David Croisdale-Appleby, chair of the guideline committee, said: “This guideline identifies places where people use drugs, or are at risk of taking drugs. So we urge venue managers and healthcare services to make sure they consider our recommendations to help prevent people from misusing drugs.”

To read the guidline, click here