The Prison Services of Scotland, England and Wales are required to hold in custody those individuals sentenced to a period of imprisonment by the courts. They are also required to ‘look after them with humanity’ and provide a standard of care which will meet this objective. This article, based on extensive primary research in five women's prisons in England and Scotland, examines the experiences of women prisoners and the impact of policy initiatives designed to respond to the ever‐growing problems presented by the presence and use of illicit drugs in prisons.