DS Daily - 23rd January 2012 |
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Deadline extended for drugs Inquiry written evidence
In response to the interest generated by the Home Affairs Select Committee’s inquiry into drugs policy, the committee has extended the deadline for written submissions. New deadline: 7 February 2012 | Parliament, UK
It’s time to end the failed war on drugs
Treating addicts as criminals has done absolutely nothing to address this crisis, writes Sir Richard Branson | Telegraph, UK
Richard Branson expected to tell MPs: it's time to end the war on drugs
Virgin boss heads the list of campaigners who are set to appear at select committee hearing | Guardian, UK
Drug strategy progress, and moving forward - the Home Office view
It is one year since the Drug Strategy was launched. Gus Jaspert, head of drugs and alcohol in the Home Office, recaps progress to date – and identifies some of the challenges to be faced in the year to come | Addiction Today, UK
Health Chiefs Failing Scots Drug Addicts
Scotland is struggling to cope with its soaring number of addicts, and experts have claimed NHS boards aren’t helping by choosing cheap methadone treatments over rehab which leaves addicts becoming hooked on another drug | Sunday Post via Castle Craig, UK
Injecting drug use via femoral vein puncture
Preliminary findings of a point-of-care ultrasound service for opioid-dependent groin injectors in treatment | Harm Reduction Journal
Opiates overdose App
This application is for people who use opiate drugs, their friends, family members, addiction workers, homelessness staff and others concerned with their welfare | Uturn Training via Android Market
Concern over drug-dealing pensioners
Dozens of pensioners have been charged with supplying drugs on Scottish streets over the past three years, including an 82-year-old who was allegedly dealing in heroin | The Herald, Scotland, UK
Scotland is the fake cocaine capital of the world
Scotland's major organised-crime groups are flooding the nation with "fake coke" – a product so diluted it contains just a fraction of a per cent of the drug. The fake cocaine scam is making gangsters and drug dealers richer than they ever imagined | The Herald, Scotland, UK
Alcohol and Drug Recovery Hub launched in the south east
The South East Recovery Hub will provide harm reduction advice, medical treatments, counselling and other support for those on their recovery journey | NHS Lothian, UK
Taxbeater!
Stella and Budweiser cut alcohol levels in bid to save millions of pounds in duty hikes | Daily Mail, UK
Drug purity ruling a blow for DPP
The DPP and gardai are considering the potential fallout from a legal ruling in a drug trafficking trial which last week saw charges dropped because the purity levels of the seized cocaine haul could not be proven | Independent, Ireland
Policy pitfalls could quickly kill buzz around Liberal pot proposal
Even some of the most passionate advocates of an end to pot prohibition acknowledge that legalization is a much more complicated public policy than the “just say no” criminalization model that critics say is such an abject failure | Globe and Mail, Canada
Northern Border Drug War Targets Tribal Lands In U.S., Canada
Federal law enforcement agencies will help tribal officers obtain equipment and training on Indian lands near the U.S.-Canadian border as part of the White House's newly released strategy for reducing the flow of illegal drugs and drug proceeds between the two countries | Huffington Post, Canada
Bolivia signs anti-drug deal with US and Brazil
Bolivia has signed an agreement with the US and Brazil to help reduce the production of illegal cocaine | BBC, UK
Vodka brand gets nod to add gloss to its marketing
An alcohol company has been given the green light to offer free lip gloss as a promotional tool because the make-up product does not appeal to young people, the alcohol industry's advertising complaints panel has determined | Sydney Morning Herald, Australia
Test for controversial synthetic cannabis products
Canterbury Health Laboratories (CHL) has become the first laboratory in New Zealand to be able to screen for synthetic cannabis products such as “Kronic” at its toxicology laboratory | Scoop, New Zealand
Alarming surge in Aids among addicts
A Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)-funded HIV/Aids Surveillance Project (HASP) has found an alarming surge in the prevalence level of HIV/Aids among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Pakistan | AHRN