Women as vulnerable subjects: A gendered reading of the English and Irish drug strategies

Highlights

• Both strategies use vulnerability to understand women's pathways into/out of drugs.

• The UK strategy concentrates on ‘victimized’ women who are vulnerable to drug use.

• The Irish strategy focuses on women's continuing drug use due poor service provision.

• Both strategies fall short of a gender-responsive approach to drug policy.

• Gender mainstreaming is needed to develop more inclusive drug policies.