DS Daily - 24th June 2009 |
 |
Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS)
The latest survey was carried out during the autumn term of 2008 with a sample of over 10,000 pupils from S2 and S4 classes from across Scotland 3.41MB PDF [DMIS, Scotland, UK]
Scottish teenagers smoke and drink less
Contrary to their reputation, fewer Scottish teenagers are smoking, drinking and - amongst boys at least - taking cannabis than they were two years ago, official figures released yesterday show [Times, UK]
Scots teens' drugs timebomb
A generation of young Scots could be risking a mental health “timebomb”, with new figures showing as many as one in five teenagers have used cannabis [Daily Express, UK]
Minister urged to ban party drug
A bereaved mother is meeting Home Secretary Alan Johnson as part of her campaign to force the Government to ban a liquid "party drug" linked to her daughter's death [Bearsden Herald, UK]
To the Home Affairs Select Committee Cocaine Trade Inquiry
This submission from the UK Drug Policy Commission raises a number of issues which the Committee might wish to consider, focusing on evidence relating to the cocaine market, with occasional reference to crack cocaine to make comparisons. 13-page PDF [UKDPC]
Compulsory treatment of drug users on benefits is pie in the sky, say Lib Dems
Government plan to treat 350,000 benefit claimants addicted to drugs is 'unworkable' [Guardian, UK]
Cocaine being cut down to five per cent purity as seizures rise
Drug dealers are becoming so frustrated by seizures of cocaine that they have resorted to adulterating the drug with up to 95 per cent cutting agents including boric acid and worming powders, the head of the Serious Organised Crime Agency said yesterday [Times, UK]
NHS hospitals to pilot proactive approach to smoking cessation
The Department of Health will this week launch a new proactive smoking cessation pilot scheme at 35 hospitals in England [Nursing Times, UK]
Discussion Forum: Supervised Injection Site Evaluative Research
Despite the wealth of research conducted to date, questions continue
to arise
regarding aspects of Insite’s operations and impact, the level of evidence
deemed
sufficient to support various courses of action, and the next steps and longer-term
plans necessary to best meet the needs of the target population. 11-page PDF
[CCSA, Canada]
Clearing the Smoke on Cannabis
Maternal Cannabis Use During Pregnancy. 8-page PDF [CCSA, Canada]
Campaigners launch bid to amend smoking ban
Campaign by pro-smoking group Forest gains cross-party support [The Publican, UK]
CQC publishes plans on how it will assess health and social care in 2009/10
Building on the work of predecessor regulators, the Commission is introducing an approach that assesses quality across health and social care as it moves towards a single registration system for providers of care in both sectors in 2010. Report download page [Care Quality Commission, UK]
"Forgetful Politicians" a deck of cards
Politicians from all over the world have consumed cannabis and other drugs for many years. Click on a card to see what they have to say about it [Nice People Take Drugs]
Are Mind-Enhancing Drugs a Dangerous Fad or a Great Way to Get Ahead?
Advocates say they are an irresistible way of improving students' performance. Critics argue they are a dangerous fad [AlterNet, USA]
Women's Harm Reduction International Network (WHRIN)
The Women’s Harm Reduction International Network (WHRIN) is a new global platform to reduce the harms associated with drug use by women and to develop an enabling environment for the implementation and expansion of harm reduction resources for women [Talking Drugs]
Afghanistan identifies cutting agents for heroin
Through improved forensic capacities and facilities, the laboratory of the Counter Narcotics Police of Afghanistan (CNPA) was able to identify several pharmacological substances that are typically used for mixing with heroin in 2008 [UNODC]