Drug and Alcohol Research Centre
The Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (DARC) is a multi-disciplinary centre engaging staff across the Schools and Faculties of Health and Education, Law, Business, and Science and Technology.
The Centre began in 2010 and aims to support high quality research relevant to policy, practice and teaching. It has established a wide network of associated members, independent researchers, NGOs, and service providers, and facilitates cross-national research and knowledge exchange.
DARC supports postgraduate research students and staff teach on a range of master programmes. Current co-directors are Betsy Thom, Karen Duke and Camille Alexis-Garsee. Follow us on X: @DARC_Mdx
National Institute of Health Research (NIHR): Innovation Fund to Reduce Demand for Illicit Substances, Phase 2: Realist evaluation of the feasibility of a school-based, multi-component Drug Education Programme (REAL-DEP), 1 September 2024-31 August 2025, Betsy Thom (PI), Karen Duke (Co-I), Camille Alexis-Garsee (Co-I)
National Institute of Health Research (NIHR): Innovation Fund to Reduce Demand for Illicit Substances, Phase I, Developing and refining a universal, multi-component drug education programme for 13-15 year olds, in collaboration with Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation (March-October 2023), Betsy Thom (PI), Karen Duke (Co-I), Camille Alexis-Garsee (Co-I)
National Institute of Health Research (NIHR): Innovation Fund to Reduce Demand for Illicit Substances, Phase I, Evaluation of 1625 Outreach Service for young people, in collaboration with Change, Grow, Live (March-October 2023), Karen Duke, Betsy Thom
Change, Grow, Live: Feasibility Study to Evaluate 1625 Outreach Service for young people in Derbyshire, (April 2024-April 2025), Karen Duke, Betsy Thom and Arun Sondhi
Internal: Approaches to MDMA-Assisted Couples Therapy Among “Underground” Practitioners: A Qualitative Study. Avruch, D., Allan, R., & Anderson, K. (August 2023, ongoing)
Internal: Association Between Lifetime Ecstasy Use and Social Support and Social Functioning. Anderson, K. (September 2023, ongoing).
HEIF Small Grants 2023-24: Co-create guidance/tools for developing harm reduction approaches in universities. In collaboration with Students Organising for Sustainability SOS-UK, Karen Duke, Betsy Thom, Camille Alexis-Garsee, Katie Anderson, Naomi Graham, Mike Dines
Ministry of Justice, Rapid Evidence Assessment: Understanding the Effectiveness of Substance Misuse Treatment in Prisons on Justice and Social Outcomes, Karen Duke and Arun Sondhi (August-November 2023)
Qatar Medical Research Council: The ethno-cultural, psychological and treatment profiles of people who use alcohol and drugs in Qatar, Consultancy Betsy Thom, Karen Duke, Arun Sondhi (June 2023-December 2027),
EU CHAFEA Health Programme: EPPIC (Exchanging Prevention Practices on Polydrug Use among Youth in Criminal Justice Systems): Project co-ordinator; involving partners from Denmark, Italy, Poland, Austria and Germany. Betsy Thom, Karen Duke, Helen Gleeson (2017-2020)
Foster J.H. and Thom B. (available Feb. 2025) Substance Use and Policy, a) Minimum unit pricing; b) Decriminalising, ch 9. In Morgan J. and La Placa V. (eds) Contemporary issues in Health and Social Care Policy and Practice. A comparative introduction. Routledge, London.
Duke, K. and MacGregor, S. (2024). Responding to ‘wicked problems’: policy and governance on drug-related deaths in English and Welsh prisons, 2015-2021. International Journal of Drug Policy. 126.
Lightowlers, C. and Duke, K. (2024). The framing of contemporary violence policy in England and Wales: an examination of the contributing roles of alcohol and illegal drugs. Nordic Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
Anderson, K., Elf, P., & Isham, A. (2024). Psychedelics as a tool for a more connected and sustainable world? Considering the importance of rituals, boundaries, and commitment. International Journal of Drug Policy, 133, 104571.
Neubert, J. J., Anderson, K., & Mason, N. L. (2024). Psychedelic intimacy: Altered states of consciousness in romantic relationships. Journal of Psychedelic Studies, 8(2), 219-232.
Duke, K., Gleeson, H., Dabrowska, K., Herold, M., Rolando, S. and Thom, B. (2023). Building cultures of participation: involving young people in contact with the criminal justice system in the development of drug interventions in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Italy and Poland. Youth Justice. 23 (1), pp. 97-116.
Duke, K., Gleeson, H., MacGregor, S. and Thom, B. (2023). The risk matrix : drug-related deaths in prisons in England and Wales, 2015-2020. Journal of Community Psychology. 2023.
Thom B., Annand F., Clancy C., Whittaker A., Janiszewska I. (2023). The role of UK alcohol and drug (AOD) nurses in a changing workforce. Drugs: Education Prevention and Policy DOI: 10.1080/09687637.2023.2266554
Kolind, T. and Duke, K. (2022). Exploring the motivations and social organisation of intoxication in prison settings. in: Hunt, G., Antin, T. and Asmussen Frank, V. (ed.) Routledge Handbook of Intoxicants and Intoxication Routledge. pp. 191-202
MacGregor S. and Thom B. (2022) Risk, intoxication and death: contemporary media framing of drug-related deaths. In: Hunt G., Antin T.M.J., and Frank V.A. (eds.) Handbook of Intoxicants and Intoxication
Foster J.H. and Thom B. (2022). Older Drinkers: Alcohol consumption, drinking context and “successful ageing.” In Alcohol, Age, Generation and the Life Course. Thurnell- Reid T and Fenton L (eds), Palgrave MacMillan.
Thom B. and Duke K. (2022). Exchanging Prevention practices on Polydrug use among youth In Criminal justice systems (EPPIC) Chapter 8 in: How to Manage International Multidisciplinary Research Projects. Hantrais L. (ed) Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.
Duke, K. and Trebilcock, J. (2022). ‘Keeping a lid on it’: exploring ‘problematisations’ of prescribed medication in prisons in the UK. International Journal of Drug Policy. 100, pp. 1-10.
Rolando, S., Beccaria, F. and Duke, K. (2021). Trajectories of drug involvement among young people in contact with criminal justice systems in six European countries. in: Chatwin, C., Potter, G. and Werse, B. (ed.) Who? Variation and distinction in the European drugs landscape Lengerich, Germany Pabst Publishers. pp. 127-145
Frank, V., Rolando, S., Thom, B., Beccaria, F., Duke, K. and Herold, M. (2021). Editorial DEPP: drug experienced young people in contact with the criminal justice system. Understanding the challenges and working towards solutions. Drugs: Education, Prevention, and Policy. 28 (1), pp. 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687637.2020.1825627
Duke, K., Gleeson, H., Dabrowska, K., Herold, M. and Rolando, S. (2021). The engagement of young people in drug interventions in coercive contexts: findings from a cross-national European study. Drugs: Education, Prevention, and Policy. 28 (1), pp. 26-35.
Rolando, S., Asmussen Frank, V., Duke, K., Kahlert, R., Pisarska, A., Graf, N. and Beccaria, F. (2021). 'I like money, I like many things'. The relationship between drugs and crime from the perspective of young people in contact with criminal justice systems. Drugs: Education, Prevention, and Policy. 28 (1), pp. 7-16.
Moskalewicz, J., Dabrowska, K., Herold, M. D., Beccaria, F., Rolando, S., Herring, R., Thom, B., Kahlert, R., Stummvoll, G., Moazen, B., Stöver, H. and Pisarska, A. (2021). Unintended consequences of drug policies experienced by young drug users in contact with the criminal justice systems. Drugs: Education, Prevention, and Policy, 28 (1) . pp. 36-47. ISSN 0968-7637 (doi:10.1080/09687637.2020.1823944).
Duke, K. and Kolind, T. (2020). Framing and reframing drug ‘problems’ in prison spaces and populations. in: MacGregor, S. and Thom, B. (ed.) Risk and substance use: framing dangerous people and dangerous places Routledge, Taylor & Francis. pp. 162-182
Moazen, B., Dolan, K., Moghaddam, S., Lotfizadeh, M., Duke, K., Neuhann, F., Stöver, H. and Jahn, A. (2020). Availability, accessibility, and coverage of needle and syringe programs in prisons in the European Union. Epidemiologic Reviews. 42 (1), pp. 19-26.
Hafford-Letchfield T., McQuarrie T., Clancy C., Thom B. and Jain B. (2020). Community Based Interventions for Problematic Substance Use in Later Life: A Systematic Review of Evaluated Studies and Their Outcomes. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, 7994; doi:10.3390/ijerph17217994
Somerfield L., Thom B. and Herring R. (2020). Public Health participation in alcohol licensing decisions in England: the importance of navigating ‘contested space’. Drugs and Alcohol Today Vol 20 (4): 323-335.
Asmussen-Frank V., Thom B., Herold M. (2020). “Some of us need to be taken care of”: Young adults’ perspectives on support and help in drug reducing interventions in coercive contexts. Drugs: education, prevention and policy.
- Jordan Soondar PhD: Joint funding with Alcohol Research UK. Peer mentors and volunteers within specialist alcohol treatment services: role development, wellbeing and career progression. Pass 2023 (supervisors Betsy Thom and Rachel Herring)
- Arun Sondhi PhD: Reconviction Rates and Factors associated with reconviction for prisoners receiving specialist alcohol treatment in prison and returning to the community in England: A Data Linkage Study. Pass 2020 (supervisors Betsy Thom and Karen Duke)
Linda Somerfield PhD: Public Health involvement in alcohol licensing decisions: policy, partnerships and professional ideology. Pass 2019 (supervisors Betsy Thom and Rachel Herring) - James O’Shea PhD by Public Works: Autoethnographic account of developing materials regarding responses to alcohol problems Pass 2019 (supervisors Margaret Volante and Betsy Thom)
- Stuart Linke PhD by public works: Development, evaluation and deployment of ‘Down your Drink’. Pass 2018 (supervisors Betsy Thom and Rachel Herring)
DARC staff teach on a range of master's programmes.
Betsy Thom and David Garcia: Leading ISSUP UK: UK chapter of ISSUP (International Society for Substance Use Professionals) 2021 – ongoing.
Karen Duke: Co-opted Member of the Standing Committee on Prevention, Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), May 2023-ongoing
Betsy Thom: Member, expert panel ‘A whole systems approach to substance use harm prevention amongst children and young people’ Public Health Scotland, 2022- ongoing
Helen Gleeson, Karen Duke, Betsy Thom: submitted written evidence to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs on ethnic minority groups and drug use Sept. 2023.
Karen Duke, Tim Weaver, Carmel Clancy and Rachel Herring: Presentations, study visit from UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) Central Asia group to Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, Middlesex University, 27 April 2023
Betsy Thom: Mentoring research team (Drug use in Syrian Universities) for Cara Syria, 2022-2023
Karen Duke: Invited member of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) Working Group on Prevention (Vulnerable Groups) - February-May 2022
Karen Duke and Betsy Thom: Written evidence to the House of Commons Committee for Public Accounts, Support for Vulnerable Adolescents, 2022
Karen Duke: Consultant Advisor to the Lung Theatre Company for the BBC Radio 4 documentary on the drug, Spice, 1 October 2022
Betsy Thom: Member of steering group Drug Research Network Scotland, and Drug Prevention theme leader, 2018-2021
Betsy Thom: Member of Steering Committee UNICRI (United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute) project: “What are the needs of families in preventing drug use among children and adolescents?” 2019-2020
Guardian, ‘Urgent action needed to curb rise in prison deaths linked to spice, say UK researchers’, 31 January 2023
Inside Time newspaper, ‘Spice linked to 62 prison deaths’, 16 January 2023
Russell Webster Blog, ‘New Psychoactive Substance and Prison Drug Deaths’, 9 January 2023,
Justice Gap, ‘New Data Shows Rise in Prison Deaths Linked with Spice', 2 February 2023
Drug Science Podcast, 'Prisons and Drugs', Karen Duke with Professor David Nutt and Professor Susanne MacGregor, June 2024
Duke, K. (2024) Policy and practice responses to drug-related deaths: governance in English and Welsh Prisons, 2015-2021. Lisbon Addictions Conference, 23-25 October 2024
Duke, K. (2023) Unpacking the risk matrix: drug related deaths in English and Welsh prisons, European Society of Criminology Conference, Florence, 6-9 September, 2023
Duke, K. (2022) Drug-related deaths in prisons in England and Wales, 2015-2020, Lisbon Addictions Conference, 23-25 November 2022
Duke, K. (2021) Building cultures of participation: the involvement of young people in contact with the criminal justice system in the development of drug interventions in the UK, Denmark, Italy and Poland, European Society for Social Drugs Research, Vienna (online).