DS Daily - 28th March 2013 |
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RecoveryWatch: Tell us what is happening in your area
For the Recovery Partnership, DrugScope is monitoring developments for drug and alcohol services in light of significant changes for the sector. We want to hear from you about your experience of what is happening locally (positive or negative) - in public health, criminal justice, services which support recovery and also young people. All responses will be treated in the strictest confidence. If it matters to you, it is relevant for us.Do get in touch | DrugScope, UK
Ministers aim to make Scotland 'tobacco free' by 2034
Plain cigarette packaging is to be introduced in Scotland under a plan to make the nation "tobacco free" by 2034 | BBC, UK
Ministers aim for fags in plain packs...and smoking rate of only 5%
Cigarettes and other tobacco products should be sold in plain packaging, the Scottish Government has said | Scottish Herald, UK
NHS 'ignoring smoking in mental health patients'
The NHS in England is not doing enough to help people with mental health conditions quit smoking, an influential group of doctors has warned | BBC, UK
New York smoking ban in public places marks 10 years
New York City is marking 10 years since its ban on smoking in indoor public places, with officials saying the move has prevented 10,000 premature deaths | BBC, UK
Greater London Authority to tackle health inequalities in ‘the capital of hepatitis C'
On 27.03.13 the Greater London Authority (GLA) convened a group of experts to look at hepatitis C and its associated health inequalities in London. Co-hosted with The Hepatitis C Trust, the roundtable event brought together senior stakeholders from the NHS, local authorities and the voluntary sector to discuss developing an effective response in the capital | Hepatitis C Trust, UK
NAT calls for urgent action from London Councils to address drug use amongst gay men
NAT (National AIDS Trust) yesterday published a letter written to the London Councils, calling for effective action to address a recent and rapid rise in the use of crystal meth, mephedrone and GHB/GBL on the London gay scene | NAT, UK
Alcohol and drug policy beyond 2012 - Webinar
The webinar was presented by Dr Marcus Roberts, Director of Policy and Membership at DrugScope | Homeless Link, UK
'One Punch Ruins Lives': Alcohol violence campaign
A campaign has been launched in a bid to reduce alcohol-fuelled violence across Swansea, Neath and Port Talbot | ITV.com, UK
Can Northern Ireland act as a template for Colombia?
Fifteen years on from the Good Friday Agreement, there may be scepticism at home about the weaknesses of the Stormont assembly and executive | BBC, UK
Kim Wolff: Drug driving limits
I am grateful to Jeremy Sare for his blog and the interest shown in the work of the expert panel on drug driving limits, but feel it is important to address some inaccuracies in his comments | BMJ Blogs, UK
Police seize 100 drugs suspects… but not on Bernard Hogan-Howe’s raid
Hundreds of Met police officers — including Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe — swooped on suspected drug dealers in mass raids across London today | London Evening Standard, UK
Police seize more than £1m drugs in week-long cannabis farm crackdown in Merseyside
More than £1m of drugs were seized by police during a week-long crackdown on cannabis farms in Merseyside | Liverpool Echo, UK
South Africans rush to harvest cannabis plantation
A large cannabis plantation discovered on the outskirts of a South African city reportedly sent locals rushing to the scene to harvest the banned drug | Telegraph, UK
Syringe Access Videos
A selection of videos related to syringe access – including program development, safety issues, program success, policy and advocacy | Harm reduction.org, UK
French weed users register 'cannabis clubs'
Cannabis users across France took a high-risk step on Tuesday by registering “Cannabis social clubs” with local authorities as official non-profit organizations. The stunt is a bid to win public backing but it could land them up to 30 years in jail | Local, France
'This Is Working': Portugal, 12 Years after Decriminalizing Drugs
Twelve years ago, Portugal eliminated criminal penalties for drug users. Since then, those caught with small amounts of marijuana, cocaine or heroin go unindicted and possession is a misdemeanor on par with illegal parking. Experts are pleased with the results | Spiegel.de, Germany
European exchange on Brief Interventions and Motivational Interviewing for people using drugs - messages from the meeting
Early intervention is repeatedly mentioned in EU drugs strategies and is supported by evidence especially for alcohol users, but little is known about how and for which target groups it is actually being used in member states | EMCDDA, Portugal
National strategy to address the harms associated with prescription drugs
The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA), in partnership with the National Advisory Council (NAC) on Prescription Drug Misuse, has released a comprehensive 10-year, pan-Canadian strategy, First Do No Harm: Responding to Canada’s Prescription Drug Crisis (PDF) | CCSA, Canada
Blueprint for tackling prescription drug abuse crisis in Canada unveiled
A national strategy to deal with the abuse and misuse of opioids and other potentially harmful prescription drugs is being unveiled in Ottawa today, a 10-year plan to tackle what's being called a public health crisis of epidemic proportions | Winnipeg Freepress, Canada
UNODC News
Update of the latest UNODC and international drugs and crime news | UNODC, USA
Texas And Kansas Approves Bills For Drug Testing Welfare Recipients
A Texas senate committee unanimously approved a bill Tuesday that will require drug screening for welfare recipients to make sure the money they receive won’t be used to buy drugs, AP reports | IBTimes, Australia
Lung damage warning for users who smoke injectable drugs
An Australian trend for drug users to smoke rather than inject drugs like crack cocaine, methamphetamines and heroin will lead to serious lung damage, a UK expert warns | Medical Observer, Australia
Service User Participation - A whole of organisation approach - video
It has been generally agreed that service user participation is a 'good thing' in theory, but has often been identified as being 'difficult' in practice. This presentation examines ReGen's commitment to building service user participation capacity and our efforts so far | Regen, Youtube, Australia
Buzzed, broke, but not busted (PDF)
How young Australians perceive the consequences of using illicit drugs | Youth Studies Australia, Australia
Conviction for sale of herbal smoking material containing a prescription medicine
In court Mr Shendi pleaded guilty to selling Wacky Backy Vivid Dreams, a product containing Zaleplon which had been mixed with herbal smoking material | Ministry of Health, New Zealand