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History & Background

Formed in March 2015 by service users and staff of the Bridge Project in Bradford,

The Cannabis, Spice and Legal Highs Group was born from a need to service past and

current users of cannabis, spice and legal highs and their families.

For the purpose of our group, we refer to Spice as all analogue cannabinoids that are

designed and distributed to closely mimic cannabis in a ready to smoke form. We use

the term 'legal highs' to cover all man made synthetic versions of street drugs that copy

the effects and appearance of drugs now known as Novel Psychoactive Substances.

For more information on the drugs we have specific recovery related experience in see our substance information page here.

Despite being the most commonly used illegal drug, cannabis has the lowest levels of specialist mutual aid support within user led addiction services. The recent advent of spice and legal highs use has left users even less well catered for.

Supported by the Bridge Project and The Change Programme, we are an adult, abstinence based self-help, user led, mutual aid support group sharing personal experience and best practice. As of October 2017 we have seen over 200 members attending our weekly meetings, with over 1500 individual instances of attendance.

We regularly see attendances between 15 –25 with approximately 90% cannabis, 8% spice and 2% legal high. The group is often the first port of call for many of our members. We regularly refer clients to the change programme, AIM group SMART and NA. We hold a number of events in addition to our regular and online meetings we also take the model out to local universities and health care establishments. We are well supported by the Change Programme both in the management and execution of the group’s activities. We have seen numerous examples of success in our diverse membership supporting members with serious lifelong addictions and watching them grow and develop into volunteering, employment and general health and happiness.

The clear majority of our members are abstinent of all street drugs; we do however have a small minority of members at the end of their addiction. We have a strict policy of not using on the day of attendance and we do not allow children, drugs or paraphernalia at the venue.

Latest statistics from the Home Office Crime Survey for England and Wales 2015/16

As in previous years, cannabis was the most commonly used drug, with 6.5% of adults aged 16 to 59 having used it in the last year (around 2.1 million people)

Among younger adults aged 16 to 24, cannabis was also the most commonly used drug, with 15.8% having used it in the last year (around 975,000 young adults).

We specialise in helping people to stop smoking weed. We provide cannabis addiction advice, information and support in an environment of rehab and confidentiality. Our support group is based on abstinence recovery, mutual aid and self help. We believe everyone has the power to overcome their addictions through commitment and hard work. We offer help and direction, there are no magic solutions, no quick fixes and no tablets, pills or scripts. It's not only about putting the drugs down, it's about change, growth and commitment. Ending addiction is difficult, but easier than you think.