Policy forum: The other half of the equation: employers' readiness to recruit problem drug users

The importance of employment as part of the recovery process for problem drug users has been increasingly recognised and the UK government is developing policies to encourage drug users on out‐of‐work benefits to engage with treatment and find work. There is slim evidence to support the use of welfare benefit sanctions for this group, although the government is committed to piloting such programmes and fully evaluating before any national roll‐out. However, more attention needs to be given to addressing employers' concerns about risks associated with hiring recovering drug users and challenging negative stereotypes and stigma if ambitions to get this group back to work are to be realised.