To reduce stigma Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol & Drugs in Scotland and Adfam recommend the use of terms such as drug use rather than abuse, for example.¹³ 

Avoiding the use of stigmatising language is an important part of service delivery, along with respecting people’s privacy and dignity. Resources that can help with the understanding of stigmatising language include:⁹

• Scottish Drugs Forum’s Moving beyond ‘people-first’ language¹⁴

• ‘Words Matter!’ language statement and reference guide from the International Network of People who Use Drugs¹⁵

• NHSinform. Challenging drug and alcohol stigma¹⁶ 

Authors of a study in Scotland that looked at student and newly qualified pharmacists’ observations of stigmatising behaviour in community pharmacies commented that: ‘The stigmatisation of people with substance dependency may affect their health-seeking behaviour and trust in healthcare professionals, contributing to medication non-adherence, the exacerbation of health conditions, the economic burden and a compounding of health inequalities.’¹⁷