Daily news - 13th October 2016 |
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UK news
Alcohol Consumption Guidelines
Simon Danczak asks If he will publish the full scientific evidential basis for his Department’s alcohol consumption guidelines; and what representations he has received on those guidelines | They Work for You, UK
Cannabis excess linked to bone thinning
People who regularly smoke large amounts of cannabis have reduced bone density and are more prone to fractures, research has found | University of Edinburgh, UK
Top 20 - Drugs: Education, Prevention & Policy
Top 20 open access articles from the journal | DEPP, UK
Dance Drug Contradictions
Key policy questions around the future of dance drugs in the UK have, this year, crystallised around two profoundly contrasting events: the closure of Fabric for what Islington Council deemed its failure to tackle the nightclub’s ‘culture of drugs’, and the introduction of drug testing for individual users as part of pragmatic drug harm reduction response at two UK festivals (Secret Garden Party and Kendal Calling) | Volte Face, UK
Decision on cannabis-based products "confused" warns expert
A leading neurologist has attacked confusion surrounding treatments which contain cannabis-based ingredients after they were classed as medicines by UK regulators | Herald, UK
The Child Victims of the CBD Ban
Sophia Davies, a five year old girl from Northern Ireland, suffers from a rare form of epilepsy called Dravet Syndrome. The only way that her mother, Danielle, has been able to treat her frequent seizures is with cannabidiols (CBD), a non-psychoactive compound found in the cannabis plant. Last week, Danielle shared their story with the national press | Volte face, UK
Hepatitis C Trust Loses Legal Challenge
Following a legal challenge, the Hepatitis C Trust has lost on the issue of NHS England’s decision to cap access to new drugs for the disease | Healthcare Times, UK
Tyson Fury vacates WBO and WBA world heavyweight titles to continue 'medical treatment and recovery'
Fury has relinquished his world heavyweight titles with the British Boxing Board of Control expected to strip him of his boxing licence on Thursday | Independent, UK
Caught in the act - airport swoop on £26m drug dealer
A bid to smuggle £26 million worth of heroin into Manchester has been foiled by Britain’s answer to the FBI | ITV, UK
International news
Leading US civil rights organizations call for decriminalization of personal drugs
The report, published by the American Civil Liberties Union and Human Rights Watch, concluded that last year someone was arrested every 25 seconds on drug use or possession charges | Guardian, UK
'Eradication has been close to zero' in the world's biggest producer of heroin
Opium production in Afghanistan has spiked to one of the highest levels registered since the UN began keeping track in 1994, the international body said earlier this month | Business Insider, UK
6 Balloons: Netflix drama about middle-class heroin epidemic to star Broad City's Abbi Jacobson and Easy’s Dave Franco
Netflix is set to release a feature film about the upper-middle-class heroin epidemic | Independent, UK
Minister Catherine Byrne announces additional funding of €3m in Budget 2017 for drugs and social inclusion measures
Catherine Byrne TD, Minister of State for Communities and the National Drugs Strategy, has announced the allocation of an additional €3m in Budget 2017 to support drugs and social inclusion measures | DoH, Ireland
Ketamine offers hope for recurrent depression sufferers
Ketamine, used as an anaesthetic for many years, may offer hope to people suffering from recurrent depression | Irish Examiner, Ireland
EMCDDA Director pays official visit to Europol
EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel is paying an official visit to Europol today where he will discuss with Director Rob Wainwright opportunities for further cooperation between the two agencies | EMCDDA, Portugal
Someone Is Arrested Every 25 Seconds for Drug Possession in the U.S.
Someone is arrested for drug possession or use every 25 seconds in the U.S., according to a strident joint report on the drug war by Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union | Reason.com, USA
Where does America's heroin come from? - video
From Poppies to People: Deborah Feyerick explores how heroin and fentanyl are made and brought into the U.S | CNN, USA
In Unprecedented Move, Drug Enforcement Administration Withdraws Emergency Kratom Ban
DEA Opens Public Comment Period, After Immense Pressure from Advocates and Prominent Members of Congress | DPA, USA
Think Twice Before Giving Medical Marijuana To Your Pet
Would a hit of marijuana help an epileptic dog or a cat with itchy skin? | Psychology Today, USA
Domestic assaults will increase if alcohol laws relaxed, medical experts warn
Experts have cautioned the Baird government against any relaxation of its controversial alcohol trading restrictions | Age, Australia
Minimum pricing of booze a dangerous move, warns Alcohol Beverages Australia
Putting a minimum price on alcohol will “demonise and denormalise” drinking and raise prices on all products, peak body Alcohol Beverages Australia has warned | Herald Sun, Australia
Medicinal cannabis: New laws allow access for Queensland patients of any age
The State Government said the Public Health (Medicinal Cannabis) Bill 2016 provided a legitimate pathway for Queensland patients of any age and with a range of conditions to access legal medicinal cannabis products | abc.net.au, Australia
Blogs, comment and opinion
No, enjoying a gin and tonic does not make you a psychopath
Research paper supposedly linking gin drinking to psychopathy does not actually even mention gin | Guardian Opinion, UK
When it comes to e-cigs, harm reduction must be the order of the day
E-cigarettes have become by far the most popular smoking cessation aid in the UK, helping hundreds of thousands of people – in Britain and further afield – to ditch cigarettes for good | IEA Blog, UK
The world is being overrun by 'vapers' – and it's not cool
OK look, we need to talk about vaping and its dangers. I’m not necessarily talking about the new damning reports detailing malfunctioning e-cigarettes that appear to be taking their cue from Westworld by turning on their masters and blowing up | Telegraph comment, UK
Elf help to ensure your research has digital impact #ResearchWales16
Today I’m in Cardiff for the Health and Care Research Wales Research with Impact conference (PDF). I’m giving a talk about new ways to engage with research and how digital impact is an increasingly important part of any research dissemination | Mental Elf, UK