DS Daily - 8th March 2010

Supplying foil at last

Some of us have been waiting a long time to be able to stock foil in our needle programmes, today's article is from Allison my co-host on the Hooked podcast who is now in a position to do this [Injecting Advice, UK]

Paying price of student days as 60% of Hep C sufferers unaware of infection

The Scottish Government is targeting groups such as those who may have tried drugs as students to come forward for testing for the blood-borne virus [The Scotsman, UK]

Crack to school

Three kids under ten are treated in hospital for drug abuse every day, shock figures show [The Sun, UK]

I do far worse things than take cocaine — drinking and smoking

Andy, who was privately educated, is blasé about using cocaine. This week he told The Times that the Class A drug was easily available, that he was unconcerned at the health risks and that he would find it hard to think of a friend or colleague who had not tried it [Times, UK]

Millionaire drug dealer jailed but Britain's cocaine explosion goes on

It is a rare victory in the war on drugs, which comes in the same week that the Home Affairs Select Committee said it was shocked that the authorities managed to intercept only a fraction — 12 to 14 per cent — of the estimated 25 to 30 tonnes of cocaine smuggled into Britain [Times, UK]

The fall of Steven Purcell

The cocaine confession; the blackmail warning; the cover-up attempt [The Herald, Scotland, UK]

Britain's love of cheap cocaine: the view from Latin America

While we regard the drug as socially acceptable, cocaine wreaks havoc in the countries that produce it [Observer, UK]

Cocaine, rehab and the long nose of the law

Three illustrations of the workings of the UK drugs policy this week, each very different yet all indicative of the dire state UK drugs policy is in [UKCIA]

Skunk Gang Had £62million Business

At the height of their business Terrence Bowler, a father of three from south-west London, and his associates were importing consignments of skunk worth £750,000 a week [Police Oracle, UK]

Cannabis is highly addictive too

Reclassifying Cannabis has given young people a message that it is safe [Letter - Times, UK]

Combat veteran criminals must be kept out of prison, says MSP

I don’t think prison is necessarily the best place to meet the needs of veterans, who may have post traumatic stress disorder, alcohol problems and drug problems, because they’ve been traumatised by combat [The Herald, Scotland, UK]

Newquay's alcohol disorder scheme praised

The aim of the Newquay Safe Partnership is to tackle anti-social behaviour and boost local confidence in the town [BBC, UK]

Storm over women drug addicts paid £200 to be made infertile

US campaigner Barbara Harris runs Project Prevention - a group which pays drug addicts $300 (about £200) to be sterilised so they cannot have any more children [The Sun, UK]

"Not acceptable"

Swedish Health Minister's position on safe injection rooms and heroin prescription [IHRA]

Medical marijuana users in substance abuse treatment

This exploratory study suggests that medical marijuana is consistent with participation in other forms of drug treatment and may not adversely affect positive treatment outcomes [Harm Reduction Journal]

Genetic Risk Factors for both Marijuana and Alcohol Misuse Similar

New research shows that the use and misuse of alcohol and marijuana are influenced by a common set of genes [ATTC, USA]

Meth recovery: Taking the fight to the streets

Statewide, the most recent data on meth labs show that the number of closures/incidents has declined from 151 in 2005 to 46 in 2007 Statewide, the most recent data on meth labs show that the number of closures/incidents has declined from 151 in 2005 to 46 in 2007 [The Tribune, USA]

Clinton admits US demand fuels drug war

Demand for illegal narcotics in the United States is fuelling drug violence in Central America, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says, acknowledging a measure of US responsibility for what she called a "terrible criminal scourge" [The Age, Australia]