DS Daily - 4th May 2011

Discovering the hidden world of Leeds' street sleepers

Guest blogger Shireen Farkhoy is a volunteer for Leeds-based support group Simon on the Streets. Here, she posts on her experiences and those of some of society's hardest people to reach | Guardian, UK

Issy drug lecturer in suicide jump bid

The university academic arrested after the ecstasy death of Issy Reilly tried to kill himself yesterday by leaping off a bridge | The Sun, UK

Tribute video

Friends post touching tribute video online for 15-year-old girl who died after taking Ecstasy at a party at academic’s home | Daily Mail, UK

Light aircraft drug smugglers jailed

Three men who tried to smuggle drugs into the country have been jailed for a total of 42 years following a UK Border Agency investigation | Home Office, UK

Isle of Wight prison security lapse 'let drugs in'

A "serious" security breach allowed "huge quantities" of drugs and mobile phones to get into a prison on the Isle of Wight, a report has revealed | BBC, UK

Hooked 44: Interview with Allan Clear

We discuss, harm reduction history, the current situation in both the UK and the US as well as comparing how different the two have been over the years | Injecting Advice, UK

“Being clean is better, far better” - Hercules’ story of recovery

Losing his brother and worrying that his Mother might lose two sons, Hercules decided that he had to do something with his life and started his recovery | Inexcess TV, UK

Survey to find out what under 18s think about alcohol advertising

The Youth Policy team is running a survey to find out what under-18s think about alcohol advertising | Alcohol Concern, UK

NHS Future Forum

Letter from Professor Steve Field, Chairman NHS Future Forum PDF of letter | DoH, UK

Drug-related research: Member States

A better overview of ongoing research and existing research structures may assist researchers in Member States to avoid duplication, improve collaboration and help disseminate knowledge of funding opportunities | EMCDDA

Legalising the 'green fairy'

Green, incredibly alcoholic and some say mind-altering - these are the qualities that led to absinthe being banned in France almost 100 years ago. But all that's about to change, after the government voted to allow sales of the drink nicknamed the 'green fairy' | BBC, UK

First 'liquor liability' trial over hotel guest death

Two barmen from the Irish Republic are due to go on trial for the manslaughter of a British man who died from acute alcohol intoxication | BBC, UK

Limited passive smoking 'alters brain'

Exposure to secondhand smoke in an enclosed car has a direct measurable effect on the brain and this effect is similar to what happens in the brain of a smoker, the results of a new study indicate | Irish Health

Miami-Dade starts specialized drug court for military veterans

For the first time, drug-addicted veterans facing low-level drug charges will get coordinated assistance from the Veterans Affairs agency and the courts | Miami Herald, USA

Mexicans plead guilty in scheme of drugs for arms

Two Mexican nationals have pleaded guilty in a conspiracy to trade drugs and cash for military-grade weapons - including anti-aircraft missiles, anti-tank weapons, grenade launchers and M-60 machine guns - for use by the Sinaloa drug cartel, the largest drug-smuggling gang in Mexico | Washington Times, USA