Reports February 2013 |
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Wasting billions on drug law enforcement
Whilst accurate figures are hard to come by, global spending on drug law enforcement certainly exceeds $100 billion each year. Download the new briefing here (PDF) | Count the costs, UK
EMCDDA–Europol Joint Report on a new psychoactive substance: 5-(2-aminopropyl)indole
At the end of September 2012, the EMCDDA and Europol examined the available information on a new psychoactive substance 5-(2-aminopropyl)indole (commonly known by the abbreviation ‘5-IT’), through a joint assessment. Download report (PDF) | EMCDDA & Europol
Work programme 2013
This is the first of the three annual work programmes required to implement the activities and commitments set out in the EMCDDA’s new strategy for the 2013–15 period. Download programme here (PDF) | EMCDDA, Portugal
Drug-related deaths and deaths among drug users in Ireland
This update (PDF) presents figures from the National Drug-Related Deaths Index (NDRDI) on deaths due to poisoning by alcohol and/or other drugs, and deaths among drug users, in the period 2004–2010 | Health Research Board, Ireland
Marking the government’s drug strategy from a children’s rights perspective
The Children’s Rights Alliance for England in their review of government action (PDF) on the meeting the Convention on the Rights of the Child mark the government as having overseen a “significant deterioration in law or policy in the past year” in two of the three sections on drugs and alcohol | MentorThinks, UK
Corruption in Afghanistan: recent patterns and trends (PDF)
This summary report highlights the major findings of a large-scale survey in 2012 on the extent of bribery and other forms of corruption in Afghanistan | UNODC, Austria
Impact Report
Blenheim launches Impact Report for 2012 showing the difference they have made to the communities and people that they work with | Blenheim Project, UK
Making recovery real - the public health future of drug and alcohol treatment (PDF)
In October last year, the NTA held a series of events for service providers, commissioners, service users and others on Making Recovery Real: the public health future of drug and alcohol treatment. Here are the key messages from these events | NTA, UK
ACMD further advice on foil (2013)
Read the ACMD's advice to the Home Secretary on foil (2013) (PDF) | ACMD, UK
Universal Credit Regulations Briefing (PDF)
The introduction of universal credit is driven by the Government’s desire to simplify the often bewilderingly complex benefits system, whilst simultaneously removing structural disincentives to entering the labour market | Homeless Link, UK
Service users’ experiences of recovery under the 2008 Care Programme Approach
This study was set up to explore how effective service users find the 2008 Care Programme Approach in promoting recovery as they understand it, to put forward their views and recommendations about the recovery role of the Approach and to produce a checklist of good practice for mental health professionals involved in this Approach | Mental Health Foundation, UK
General Practitioner Engagement with the Scottish National Naloxone Programme: A Needs Assessment Project
The Scottish National Naloxone Programme's aim is to reduce Scotland’s high number of drug-related deaths (DRDs) caused by opiate overdose. This needs assessment (PDF) was commissioned to ensure GPs’ views and knowledge are considered to maximise engagement of GPs in the Scottish National Naloxone Programme | Health Scotland, UK
The public health reforms: What they mean for drug and alcohol services (DrugScope) (PDF)
In April 2013, most of the current funding for drug and alcohol services will transfer to Directors of Public Health employed by local authorities, who will be statutory members of new Health and Wellbeing Boards. Important and far-reaching changes will impact on the planning, commissioning and delivery of services. This DrugScope briefing for the Recovery Partnership provides a summary of the public health reforms and aims to inform and guide thinking about how your organisation can most effectively prepare for this new environment | DrugScope, UK
ACMD advice on tramadol
Report (PDF) covering pharmacology, toxicology, dependence liability, deaths attributed to tramadol, conclusions and recommendations | ACMD, UK
ACMD advice on independent prescribing of controlled drugs
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) is pleased to provide
the advice (PDF) on the recommendations to extend independent prescribing
responsibilities to physiotherapists and chiropodist / podiatrists (allied health
professions)| ACMD, UK
ACMD advice on Sativex
Letter (PDF) outlining definition of cannabis based medicine | ACMD, UK
Child poverty consultation: joint Adfam, Alcohol Concern and DrugScope response (PDF)
Key messages include: Household income should be the central measure; We recognise public concerns, but opinion surveys should be interpreted and applied with caution; A fraction of the 2,300,000 children currently in poverty will be living with a parent with a drug or alcohol problem; There is a lack of reference to research on parental drug and alcohol problems and child poverty in the consultation document; The DWP should monitor the impact of welfare reforms (e.g., of Universal Credit) on people with histories of substance misuse and dependency | DrugScope, UK
Theme round up - Children & Families: Improving Support (PDF)
This summary presents more than 20 of your responses of best practice, ideas and information from across the UK, including the views of clients engaging in women's services | St Mungo's, UK
Primary Care Drug and Alcohol Treatment: Commissioning and Provision Against a Backdrop of Localism
The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and Substance Misuse Management in General Practice (SMMGP) have issued a joint paper (PDF) considering the future impact of the changing commissioning environment on primary care drug and alcohol treatment | SMMGP, UK
A losing bet - Alcohol and gambling: investigating parallels and shared solutions (PDF)
There is a great deal in common between alcohol and gambling problems, and the ways they can be prevented and treated. That’s the conclusion of a report jointly published today by Alcohol Concern Cymru and the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPysch) in Wales | Alcohol Concern, UK
European action plan to reduce the harmful use of alcohol 2012–2020 (PDF)
Countries that take stronger action on alcohol will reap considerable gains in terms of better population health and well-being, enhanced employment and productivity, increased health and social welfare savings, greater health and economic equality, and greater social cohesion and inclusion | WHO Europe
Transnational Organized Crime in West Africa: A Threat Assessment
This report (PDF) is one of several studies conducted by UNODC on organized crime threats around the world. These studies describe what is known about the mechanics of contraband trafficking - the what, who, how, and how much of illicit flows - and discuss their potential impact on governance and development. Their primary role is diagnostic, but they also explore the implications of these findings for policy | UNODC, USA
Ministry of Justice: ‘Transforming rehabilitation’ consultation – DrugScope response (PDF)
Extract: ‘…While the focus on improving resettlement for short-term prisoners is welcome, it is important that the role of community sentences as an alternative to short custodial sentences continues to be developed… If drug and alcohol services are commissioned through 16 Contract Package areas this will be one piece in a complex planning and commissioning ‘jigsaw’ .…We would welcome further work to consider the challenges of integrated commissioning with so many structural changes occurring simultaneously.’ | DrugScope, UK
Parental substance use through the eyes of the worker
Based on interviews with social workers, treatment providers and other support workers across the country, the report (PDF) assesses what has changed over the last 10 years since Hidden Harm was first published and highlights further areas for improvement. The report also assesses whether government policy is helping or hindering front line efforts to protect vulnerable children | Adfam, UK
Drug related deaths in the UK (PDF)
Drug-related deaths reported by Coroners in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man; Police forces in Scotland; & the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency | np SAD, UK
Barriers and facilitators to hepatitis C treatment for people who inject drugs. A qualitative study
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a significant global public health problem. The burden of HCV infection is concentrated among people who inject drugs (PWID), with an estimated five million PWID living with chronic HCV in the European Region. Download the report here (PDF) | WHO, Switzerland