Tackling Drugs Week, which ended last night with a spectacular city centre light show, turned the spotlight on a problem said to affect the lives of one in 50 people in Bristol.

Giant, hard-hitting images were beamed onto the Council House in College Green, to emphasise the risks in taking ketamine, a Class C drug becoming popular among young people.

GPs and nurses who specialise in helping people overcome addictions were also at College Green, speaking to young people on their way to clubs and pubs about all drugs.

The event was organised by the Safer Bristol Partnership, the group of local services working together to tackle crime and drug issues.

Alison Comley, Service Director at Safer Bristol, said: "Tackling Drugs Week provided a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate the level of support we draw on to get more drug users into effective treatment, to reduce substance misuse by our young people and reduce drug-related crime.

"Safer Bristol has an ambition to make Bristol one of the safest cities in the world so it is vital that we build community confidence by stemming the supply of drugs into the city.

"We were really pleased with what we achieved during the week – but it was just a starting point and there is still a lot of work to be done."

Drug treatment agencies and service providers showcased the treatment available and access to it.

Among the groups demonstrating their services were Hartcliffe & Withywood Kick Start (HAWKS), which provides support for parents and carers. The Bristol Specialist Drug and Alcohol Service held an open day, while the Salvation Army hosted an opening evening and photography exhibition exploring local issues around belonging, community and the stereotyping of drug users in recovery.

Police carried out raids across the city and closed down crack houses.

Pubs and clubs were visited by teams providing advice and information to raise awareness among licensees and staff about drugs.

An awareness operation was aimed at kerb crawlers to show the link between drug dependency and Bristol's street sex trade while treatment services available to sex workers through the Harm Reduction Service were also highlighted.

A dedicated, weekly drugs court was officially launched at Bristol Magistrates' Court to deal with people whose offences are linked to their Class A drug use and who are sentenced to a Community Order with a condition to undergo drug treatment.

National Tackling Drugs Week was staged against a backdrop of a reduction in the number of problematic drug users in Bristol – down from 8,000 to 7,100, over the past four years.

Safer Bristol would like to see this reduced by a further 50 per cent over the next three years.