Daily news - 10th July 2018 |
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UK news
DDN - July/ August issue out now
Tackling stigma is always a challenge, so we were interested to hear of Double Impact’s strategy to connect with business and employers (this month’s cover story). Looking at ways to raise funding, they worked hard to create productive partnerships with local businesses, which have not only opened up income streams but helped to bring about culture change. Their progress in creating meaningful employment opportunities and experience is heartening | DDN, UK
Secure setting drug and alcohol treatment business definitions
Business definitions for secure setting drug and alcohol treatment providers to input data onto the national drug treatment monitoring system (NDTMS) | PHE, UK
Policy Briefing: HIV Outbreak in Glasgow - more needs to be done (PDF)
This briefing, from NAT (National AIDS Trust), looks at the major outbreak of HIV amongst people who inject drugs in Glasgow and calls on the UK Government to allow a drug consumption room to open there, as well as making other recommendations in interventions that would support efforts to tackle the outbreak such as increased injecting equipment provision and heroin assisted therapy | NAT, UK
Call for drug-safety testing at all festivals and clubs
A Labour MP has called on all festivals and nightclubs to provide drug-testing facilities, or face losing their licences to operate, in order to prevent drug-related deaths | BBC, UK
Support unit for family drug and alcohol courts faces closure
The national unit that supports the work of family drug and alcohol courts is facing closure due to a lack of funding, with an "emergency" meeting due to be held this week in a bid to save it | CYPNow, UK
New Psychoactive Substances: A Guide for Pharmacists
Guide includes pictures, what to look out for, recommendations and further resources | RPS, UK
Alcohol: mandatory licensing conditions
This Library Briefing Paper describes the mandatory licensing conditions that apply to the sale of alcohol in England and Wales | Parliament.uk, UK
Britain’s vaping revolution: why this healthier alternative to smoking is under threat
The UK’s billion-pound vaping industry is a shining example of innovation and light-touch regulation. But now vested interests are hampering this method of harm reduction for smokers, argues Matt Ridley | Sunday Times, UK
Addaction is seeing people as young as 13 for cocaine use
Addaction - Scotland’s largest drug and alcohol charity - is seeing teenagers as young as 13 with cocaine dependency | Addaction, UK
The Medics Who Get High On Their Own Supply
In 2015, Julien Warshafsky was found collapsed on the floor after mainlining the powerful opioid fentanyl. But he was no unfortunate street heroin user or dark web psychonaut. A junior doctor, Warshafsky had overdosed at work, five minutes after anaesthetising a patient at Medway Hospital in Kent | VICE, UK
Drinking coffee doesn’t help you sober up when drunk, scientist reveal
As revealed on Monday’s Food Unwrapped on Channel 4, professor Tony Moss of London South Bank University tells presenter Jimmy Doherty that coffee doesn’t help decrease blood alcohol levels | Indy 100, UK
Shakira Pellow: Family's drug warning after girl's death
The family of a 15-year-old girl who died in Cornwall have warned other teenagers thinking of taking drugs: "They're not fun, they kill." | BBC, UK
Flying high: kids in the UK are wild about energy drinks - but how harmful are they?
UK children consume energy drinks at a higher rate than kids in any other country in Europe - with a fifth of three-10-year-olds having them regularly. Is this a health risk, or no worse than coffee? | Guardian, UK
Simon Pegg: ‘I was lost, unhappy and an alcoholic’
The actor’s tortuous depression led him to drink, then to rehab. He opens up about self-destruction, fatherhood – and his friend Tom Cruise | Guardian, UK
Prisoners overdosed on Spice after drones got through through broken nets
Use of the drug, which leaves users in a zombie-like state, at HMP The Mount in Hertfordshire rocketed after the netting came down | Metro, UK
Cannabis addict led police on 105mph Cumbria village chase
A drug addict who led police on a 105mph night-time car chase through several villages has been jailed | BBC, UK
International news
Needle Exchanges, Once Radical, Need An Update To Survive In Rural America
Rural areas face unique barriers when they try to adopt urban harm reduction methods from the ’80s and ’90s | Huffington Post, UK
Indiana Judge dismisses Cannabis Church's case defending weed as religious sacrament
Judge throws out claim that marijuana is 'our fountain of health, our love, curing us from illness and depression' | Independent, UK
The love drug: can marijuana improve our sex lives?
Claiming cannabis can do wonders in bed, the industry offers items ranging from lubricants to apparently sex-enhancing teas | Guardian, UK
Sydney restaurant 'dumped' drunk customers on street
The incident at the Korean BBQ diner in Sydney was one of the worst breaches of liquor laws in years, authorities said | BBC, UK
India trains delayed due to 'drunk' station master
According to local media, Mr Singh was found sleeping in his office with empty alcohol bottles under his cot | BBC, UK
Gardaí identify legal flaw with roadside impairment test
Shane Ross urged to correct error in Act limiting Garda power to take samples | Irish Times, Ireland
Two in five college students believe drunk sex is 'normal and harmless'
A landmark report on sexual consent among university students will lay bare the huge pressure on young people attending third level education institutions | Independent, Ireland
Annual accounts 2017
These are the EMCDDA's final annual accounts for the financial year 2017 | EMCDDA, Portugal
Amnesty International movement adopts new policy positions on abortion and drug control
Amnesty International has adopted new proposals to tackle the devastating human rights consequences of misguided attempts by countries to criminalise and restrict abortion and to punish people for using drugs | Amnesty International, USA
Leaders call restricting methadone treatment to clinic settings outdated
Leading voices in the addiction research and policy communities believe current limits on the delivery of methadone treatment are antiquated, and are suggesting that some clinicians be allowed to prescribe methadone in primary care office settings | Behavioral Healthcare, USA
New study finds that e-cigarettes increase cardiovascular risk as much as cigarettes
The usage of e-cigarettes containing nicotine has a significant impact on vascular functions claims new study. Research published in the SAGE journal, Vascular Medicine, has brought new research to light on the significant health risks of e-cigarettes with nicotine | Medical Xpress, USA
Study: Flavors play critical role in attracting and retaining smokers into vaping category
New peer-reviewed research published today in the Harm Reduction Journal shows that flavors play a critical role in attracting - and retaining - smokers into the vaping category, directly contributing to tobacco harm reduction | News Medical, USA
Alarming trend shows first-time smoking among young adults
Millennials living more dangerously and settling down later could be creating a new generation of addicted smokers and e-cigarette users, according to the surprising results of research by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) | Science Daily, USA
First of its kind database aims to reveal how FASD affects Canadians
The Canada FASD Research network has developed a first of its kind database to track FASD symptoms and necessary services, with the goal of better care | Global News, Canada
Toronto’s chief medical officer calls for decriminalization of all drugs for personal use
Toronto’s chief medical officer is calling for the decriminalization – and potential legalization – of all drugs for personal use as a way to curb rising opioid-related deaths and overdoses | Globe and Mail, Canada
Quebec shelter treating wounded animals with cannabis oil
Province's Order of Veterinarians says more research into effects of cannabis on animals is needed | CBC News, Canada
How Trinka broke free from a heroin addiction that began before she was born
She was born addicted to heroin. Her son was taken from her when she was 16. But Trinka Kent's story is one of hope — both for herself and for the former prisoners she now works with | abc.net.au, Australia
Calls for nationwide meth reduction programme
Taura Witehira knew he'd hit rock bottom when he had a 9mm gun sitting on his lap and he was wondering whether to use it on himself or on someone else | Stuff.co.nz, New Zealand
Blogs, comment and opinion
Children of dependent drinkers: your innovation fund questions answered
In England, there are 120,000 parents or carers who are potentially in need of specialist treatment for alcohol dependence | PHE blog, UK
We must resist the moral attack on women who use drugs during pregnancy
Andrew Selous MP recently asked the Secretary of State for the Home Office whether it is an aggravated offence for pregnant women to use cannabis, ecstasy, heroin and other illegal or street drugs | Blenheim blog, UK
Progress towards a tobacco-free world
Last week, global anti-smoking efforts made substantial progress. Australia won a landmark victory in a major trade dispute over its plain packaging for cigarettes, with the World Trade Organization panel rejecting complaints concerning its tobacco packaging law | Lancet editorial, UK
A revised checklist for writing up research reports
As a service to readers we present a checklist for writing upresearch reports in the field of Addiction. This is part of anongoing effort to improve the quality of initial submissions | Addiction editorial, UK
Duterte’s Beastly War on Drugs
Two more mayors in the Philippines were assassinated this month, bringing the total to at least 10 mayors killed since President Rodrigo Duterte took office in 2016 | NYTimes opinion, USA
Public health groups should be applauding Big Tobacco's harm reduction efforts
It’s been more than 50 years since the surgeon general issued a report linking smoking to health hazards such as lung cancer and heart disease | The Hill opinion, USA
How can Australia stop the opioid epidemic before it's too late?
Australia is currently facing a significant opioid epidemic, with a staggering amount of GPs (4,800) under significant pressure to prescribing opioids for pain management without adequate support from other medical specialists | AJP opinion, Australia