Substance Misuse Research Team (SMRT) - Introduction

The Substance Misuse research team co-ordinate the Scottish Executive Drug Misuse Research Programme. This is an applied research programme that aims to produce outcomes of practical value to DATs and other agencies involved in tackling drug misuse. There is also a commitment to disseminating research findings in an accessible and usable form. For more information about SMRT and our research.

SMRT Publications

6th November 2006 - Review of Choices for Life
19th September 2006 - Review of the evidence relating to volatile substance abuse in Scotland
11th September 2006 - Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
11th September 2006 - Process evaluation of Glasgow community addiction teams
17th July 2006 - "Looking Beyond Risk" : Parental Substance Misuse: Scoping Study
12th July 2006- Low-level Heroin Markets - A Case Study Approach
12th July 2006- Co-morbid Mental Health and Substance Misuse in Scotland
12th July 2006 - Evaluation and Description of Drug Projects Working with Young People and Families
10 February 2006 - Evaluation of the Scottish Prison Service Transitional Care Initiative
8 August 2005 - National Investigation into Drug Related Deaths in Scotland
29 July 2005 - Attitudes towards drinking and smoking in Scotland

About Our Research and Us

The current Drug Misuse Research Programme covers the period 2004-7. Our previous programme covers the period 2001-2004

Publications and ongoing research

Research commissioned and conducted so far has covered topics within all of the four areas of the drug misuse strategy, Tackling Drugs in Scotland: Action in Partnership: Young People, Communities, Availability, and Treatment and Rehabilitation. A full list of the research published under the Drug Misuse Research Programme can be found, and research reports and summaries can be downloaded, from the Research Publications page. We currently has a number of ongoing research projects. For information about our recent research activity please see the latest Research Update.

Commissioning research

We commission the majority of projects funded under the Drug Misuse Research Programme via the established 'selective competitive tendering' process used by Social Research in the Executive.

Information on other areas of Social Research in the Executive can be found on the Social Research web pages.

Contacting us

Queries about the Substance Misuse Research team should go to Becky Milne on 0131 244 2225 or e-mail smrt@scotland.gsi.gov.uk.

Disbandment of EIU and the Future of the Research Programme

From July 2005, the Scottish Executive's Effective Interventions Unit is to be disbanded. The Substance Misuse Division will assume responsibility for the identification and dissemination of effective practice for both drugs and alcohol. Early priorities include work on the links between substance misuse and homelessness and the development of strategies to help agencies to deliver integrated care. The Research Team will continue to administer the Drug Misuse Research Programme, and will be commissioning and publishing research accordingly as the Scottish Executive's Substance Misuse Research Team (SMRT).

Remit of the research programme

The Drug Misuse Research Programme sets out the programme of drug misuse research that the Scottish Executive will support and fund until 2007. It includes research projects that are currently underway and identifies topic areas where research may be required, under the four pillars of the Scottish Executive Drugs Strategy (Availability, Communities, Treatment and Rehabilitation and Young People).

The Research Programme is intended to produce practical and applied research for the drugs field. We do not have the capacity to fund large scale clinical trials. However we are prepared to consider co-funding such studies with other organisations.

Other relevant research is, of course, conducted and funded by other agencies, organisations and researchers, but we have not identified this work for inclusion in the programme. Some research on drug misuse is also currently funded and managed by other research units or branches within the Scottish Executive.

Future of the web pages & availability of publications

EIU publications will still be available but the web pages will be rebranded and taken over by the Substance Misuse Research Team. As well as the web pages, there will also be a rebranding of future Research publications which, while displaying a new identity, will also maintain a link with the Research publications produced under the EIU.