ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the misconceptions of the idealised, problem-free, holistic nature of the rural idyll by focusing on illicit drug use in two rural settings. It provides some empirical detail on drug use in two predominantly rural counties, Herefordshire and Cornwall. Economic and social heterogeneity have created a multiplicity of overlapping social spheres within rural space. One of the most consistent sources on illicit drug use has been the British Crime Survey (BCS), now conducted on an annual basis with members of the public in England and Wales. The UK government's drugs strategy encompasses both efforts to reduce drug supply as well as the treatment of users and the education of the public, particularly younger people, about the problems of drug use. The problematic nature of illicit drug use in Herefordshire was recognised over 20 years ago through the creation of a drug advisory service.
