George Charlton
Kaleidoscope Board Member with Lived Experience
“Behind every ‘addiction’ problem is a person deserving of love, compassion and support and this is at the heart of everything we aim to do through our work at Kaleidoscope.”
Media Guidelines
for reporting on
drugs and alcohol
drugs and alcohol
Foreward
“Language shapes how we see others and how we treat them. It doesn’t just reflect our beliefs, it reinforces them, often in ways that fuel stigma and discrimination. This is particularly true in healthcare, where language can shape access to care, public attitudes, and policy decisions.
“We’ve seen progress in how we talk about race, disability, and sexual orientation. Substance use must follow. Words like ‘addict’ or ‘junkie’ reduce people to a problem and suggest blame, criminality, or moral failure.
“That dehumanisation leads to less empathy, fewer resources, and worse outcomes.
“Changing how we speak about people who use substances isn’t just respectful, it’s clinically and socially necessary. Inclusive, accurate language can support recovery, reintegration, and public health.
“This guide challenges us all to think critically about our words and the impact they carry.”
Dr Danny Anteibi is Chair of Kaleidoscope’s Board and a psychiatrist with 30 years’ experience. He formerly served as Director of Mental Health in Gwent and now leads the Wales Mental Health and Wellbeing Forum.
“As Chair of Kaleidoscope’s Shadow Board, made up entirely of people with lived experience, I know how harmful language can be. The way the media talks about substance use often leaves us feeling ashamed, judged, and unworthy of support.
“Stigma isn’t just offensive, it drives people away from help. Words like ‘addict’ strip away our humanity. Headlines that reduce our lives to shock and pity deepen the hopelessness. They don’t help; they harm.
“But change is possible. Even small shifts, like saying ‘person who uses substances’, can challenge stigma and change minds.
“This guide is about recognising our full humanity, not reducing us to labels or past struggles.
“Language evolves. So should we. Use this guide to tell stories that are more accurate, respectful, and human. It’s not about political correctness. It’s about honesty, empathy, and change, one word at a time.”
Matt Jones is Chair of Kaleidoscope’s Shadow Board, representing people with lived experience of drug and alcohol use.
Introduction
The way we talk about substance use matters. Media coverage plays a powerful role in shaping public understanding, influencing stigma, policy, and whether people feel safe seeking help.
Too often, reporting includes sensationalised language or unnecessary detail that reinforces negative stereotypes. This can increase stigma, fuel discrimination, and discourage people from accessing support, especially those already marginalised.
At Kaleidoscope, we believe that problematic substance use is a public health issue, not a criminal or moral failing. We support a harm reduction approach and work with people at every stage of their journey.
This guide offers practical tips to help journalists, editors, and content creators report on drug and alcohol use with accuracy, compassion, and respect.
It’s about telling real stories – without reinforcing stigma or causing harm.
Together, we can shift the conversation and support a healthier, more informed dialogue about substance use and recovery.
Key Principles
1Use person-first language
2Avoid moral judgements
3Prioritise accuracy over sensationalism
4Be mindful of labels
5Recognise the role of trauma and equality
6Avoid glorifying and demonising
7Use images responsibly
8Understand the power of headlines
9Respect lived and living experience
10Be part of the solution
Best practice for reporting on Drugs and Alcohol
Best practice is to use language that is person-first
Where it is necessary to reference an individual, terms such as “person who uses drugs”, “person who uses alcohol”, or “person who uses substances” should be used as the standard. These are neutral, non-stigmatising, and person-centred.
Where possible, ask the individual how they would like to be described.
✅ Use person-first language
✅ Avoid sensationalism
❌ Don’t use outdated slang
✅ Talk about the system, not just the individual
Kaleidoscope’s
Communications Team are
always available to provide
support when covering
drugs and alcohol
Examples of stigmatising words and preferred alternatives
| Avoid Using | Try Using | Why? |
| Addict / Junkie |
Person who uses substances | Reduces a person to their condition and disrespectful |
| Clean / Dirty | Person who has stopped using substances / Person who is using substances |
“Clean” suggests moral judgement |
| Addict / Alcoholic | Person in recovery / Person with alcohol dependency |
Person-first reduces stigma |
| Substance Misuse |
Substance use / Harmful substance use |
Implies moral failure / wrongdoing |
| Drunk | Person who is intoxicated / Person who has consumed alcohol |
Ignores complexity of substance use |
| Reformed / Former Addict |
Person in Recovery | Carries a tone of shame and judgement |
This is not an
exhaustive list, but a
guide to current best
practice in respectful
and person-centred
language
Images
Using images of drugs and alcohol in media reporting can perpetuate stigma by reinforcing negative stereotypes. When visuals are included, they often focus on the drug or alcohol itself, which can contribute to the portrayal of individuals affected by substance use as “other” or as defined by their use of drugs and/or alcohol. This kind of imagery can oversimplify complex issues, reduce individuals to their struggles, and promote harmful generalisations about their identity or value.
Where possible, ask the individual how they would like to be described or presented visually.
Instead of focusing on the substance, it’s more helpful to use images that emphasise recovery, community, or personal stories. This shift can help create a more compassionate, nuanced narrative that encourages empathy and understanding, rather than further alienating those affected by substance use. It also helps move away from the sensationalised portrayals that can lead to increased stigma and isolation for those seeking help.
Key principles for use of images when reporting on drugs and alcohol
✅ Stay away from images of needles, spoons, people slumped in alleyways, or dramatic drug paraphernalia — these reinforce harmful stereotypes.
✅ Show people, not problems. Choose respectful, humanising images that reflect dignity – such as portraits, people in conversation, or community settings.
❌ Don’t use images without consent – always ask.
❌ Don’t reinforce moral judgement.
✅ If possible, show supportive environments: healthcare settings, peer support, harm reduction in action, or recovery stories.
Testimonials from those with lived and living experience
Danielle John
Team Lead for Cyfle Cymru Cardiff & The Vale
Lived experience
“The media has the power to shape how society sees us – but for too long, people with lived experience have been labelled, judged, or reduced to their past. Language matters. When we are spoken about with humanity and hope, it changes not only how the world sees us, but how we see ourselves.”
Micheal Mullins
Peer for GDAS
Lived experience
“People treat you different when you get termed an alcoholic and stigma plays a big part in that. Using stigmatised language has made me feel very low in the past, which makes it harder to stay on the right track.”
Rondine Molinaro
CEO at Kaleidoscope
Lived experience
“People who use drugs and alcohol face constant stigma and judgment. Reading disparaging terms about others only adds to the feelings of shame and guilt that push them further away from the communities that should welcome them with open arms.”
Contact Kaleidoscope’s Communications Team
media@kaleidoscope68.org
01633 811962
kaleidoscope68.org