Reports March 2015 |
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INCB Annual Report 2014
This report provides an overview of the drug control situation in various parts of the world. As an impartial body, INCB tries to identify and predict dangerous trends and suggests necessary measures to be taken. In its Annual Report, the Board makes recommendations to Governments and international organizations for improving the global drug control situation | INCB, Austria
Concerned about cannabis (PDF)
The Centre for Social Justice has an Alliance of 300 poverty-fighting charities. A new poll has shown they are against political attempts to legalise or decriminalise cannabis. Seven out of ten charities are concerned about the effect it is having on their clients and families and more than twice as many are against legalisation than are for it | CSJ, UK
Parity in progress (PDF)
The All Party Parliamentary Group on Mental Health’s inquiry into parity of esteem for mental health | Mind, UK
A Measure of Change: The impact of the public health transfer on local alcohol provision (PDF)
New research released today shows that areas with the highest levels of alcohol harm, often in areas of high socio-economic deprivation, are most likely to be reducing funding for alcohol treatment. That is one of the findings from the final ‘Measure of Change’ report by Alcohol Concern – funded by Alcohol Research UK – looking at the effect that the transfer of public health responsibly to local authorities has had on alcohol services | Alcohol Concern, UK
Boxing Clever: exploring the impact of a substance use rehabilitation programme (PDF)
Over the past three years, Ballymun Youth Action Project (BYAP), in partnership with key statutory and community agencies, has developed and implemented the Boxing Clever Intervention Programme. This report presents the findings from this research project with a particular focus on the structure, impact and outcomes of the Boxing Clever programme | Youth Action Project, Ireland
EU Alcohol Strategy report published
The European Union must act to combat alcohol-related harm, a Lords report urges today. New action by the EU should focus on measures it can take itself rather than relying on Member State action alone. Report: A new EU Alcohol Strategy? (PDF) - Evidence: A new EU Alcohol Strategy (PDF) | Parliament.uk, UK
Benefit sanctions and homelessness: a scoping report (PDF)
Crisis has warned of a postcode lottery in the use of benefit sanctions as research by the charity reveals a map of 'hotspots' | Crisis, UK
Guidance: New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) resource pack
In response to the NPS expert paneI, the government committed to developing a NPS resource pack for informal educators and frontline practitioners to use to prevent drug taking amongst young people. The pack has been created alongside drug treatment partners. Written for those working with young people | Home Office, UK
The darknet and online anonymity
A very small proportion of websites use sophisticated anonymity systems, which allow their operators to conceal their identity if they wish to. This part of the web is commonly referred to as the darknet. The darknet helps citizens to protect their security and privacy and to circumvent censorship. It also facilitate organised crime, such as the billion dollar drug market known as Silk Road | Parliament.uk, UK
The cost of the cuts: the impact on local government and poorer communities (PDF)
As we stand at the half-way point of the government’s austerity programme, this timely report examines its impact on local government, with evidence from national data and local case studies | JRF, UK
Cocaine powder: review of its prevalence, patterns of use and harm
This report looks at the evidence in the prevalence, patterns of use and harm caused by cocaine powder. The review was initiated by the ACMD following concerns over increased consumption and a perception that the drug is safe to use. It includes a number of recommendations for police, government and health professionals | ACMD, UK
Guidelines for the prevention, care and treatment of persons with chronic hepatitis B infection
These are the first World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for the prevention, care and treatment of persons living with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection, and complement similar recently published guidance by WHO on the prevention, care and treatment of infection due to the hepatitis C virus (HCV) | WHO, Switzerland
Randomised evaluation of the In:tuition programme
This summary reports the findings from two cluster-randomised trials of Drinkaware’s school-based In:tuition life skills and alcohol education intervention: one trial of the programme for 10-11 year olds in primary schools, and another for 12-13 year olds in secondary schools | Alcohol Research UK, UK
Accuracy of alcohol use disorders identification test audit for detecting problem drinking in 18-35 year olds in England
The accuracy of screening tests for identifying problem drinkers in primary care settings has recently been evaluated in an International Cochrane Collaboration systematic review and meta-analysis | Alcohol Research UK, UK
Constructing alcohol identities (PDF)
The role of Social Network Sites (SNS) in young peoples’ drinking cultures | Alcohol Research UK, UK
Future in mind (PDF)
Promoting, protecting and improving our children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing | NHS, UK
Drug use and its consequences in the Western Balkans 2006–14
The result of the EMCDDA’s cooperation with countries in the Western Balkans over many years, this report is the first of its kind. It gives insight into the drug-related problems faced by six countries in the region, through the available data gathered by a range of partners and the EMCDDA | EMCDDA, Portugal
The Australian methylamphetamine market
The Australian Methylamphetamine Market provide a concise understanding of the nature of organised criminal involvement in the Australian methylamphetamine market. The report consolidates open source information with operational and strategic intelligence to inform the Australian public on what the Australian Crime Commission sees as a significant threat to the Australian community | ACC, Australia
Medicinal Cannabis - Issues Paper
The Victorian Government has asked the Victorian Law Reform Commission to review and report on options for legislative change to allow people to be treated with medicinal cannabis in exceptional circumstances | Victorian Law Reform Commission, Australia
Building Assets for Recovery (PDF)
This briefing was informed by a roundtable discussion held in January 2015 attended by drug and alcohol commissioners, substance misuse service managers, representatives from recovery communities, and academics, and it also draws upon published research and reports, to examine the assets that are important to people in recovery, and the challenges and opportunities for systems and services which support people to develop these assets | DrugScope, UK
Alcohol: preventing harmful alcohol use in the community
This quality standard covers a range of approaches at a population level to prevent harmful alcohol use in the community by children, young people and adults. These statements are particularly relevant to trading standards, other local authority teams, the police, and schools and colleges | NICE, UK
NICE redoubles efforts to reduce harm from alcohol, smoking and physical inactivity
Smoking, excessive drinking and being physically inactive are some of the biggest causes of disease and early death in England. They cause a mounting burden for the NHS | NICE, UK
Smoking: reducing tobacco use
his quality standard is relevant to anyone involved in protecting health and promoting healthy behaviour among children, young people and adults. This includes people working in the NHS, local authorities, education and the wider public, private, voluntary and community sectors | NICE, UK
Correspondence: Proposals to review and amend specific provisions under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001
Letter from Les Iversen, chair of the ACMD to the Minister for Crime Prevention on proposals to review and amend specific provisions under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 | ACMD, UK
Correspondence: Electronic prescribing service for schedules 2 and 3 controlled drugs
Letter from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, to the Minister for Crime Prevention and the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Quality, on the electronic prescribing service (EPS) for schedules 2 and 3 controlled drugs | ACMD, UK
Guidance: Counselling in schools
Departmental advice for schools about setting up and improving counselling services for pupils | DoE, UK
OSF drug courts report
Some countries have adopted drug treatment courts as a way to reduce drug-related incarceration. Drug treatment courts, also called “drug courts,” are meant to offer court-supervised treatment for drug dependence for some persons who would otherwise go to prison for a drug-related offense | IDPC, UK
Guidance: Revised guidance issued under section 182 of Licensing Act 2003
This guidance is provided to licensing authorities in relation to the carrying out of their functions under the 2003 Act. It also provides information to magistrates’ courts hearing appeals against licensing decisions and has been made widely available for the benefit of those who run licensed premises, their legal advisers and the general public | Home Office and The Rt Hon Lynne Featherstone MP, UK
Counselling in schools: a blueprint for the future (PDF)
Departmental advice for school leaders and counsellors | DoE, UK
Addressing complex needs: Improving services for vulnerable homeless people (PDF)
This report tells the story of the progress we have made in this parliament, increasing investment in homelessness services, providing strategic support to help authorities deliver effective prevention services, and testing innovative new approaches | Dept for Communities & Local Government, UK
Powdered alcohol (PDF)
The name ‘powdered alcohol’ is somewhat misleading and some reports that have come out regarding the product have been inaccurate. The powdered substance is not freeze-dried and is not always in a powdered form per se. Alcohol is absorbed by a sugar derivative and through the encapsulation process, capsules of powdered alcohol are created. The sugar derivate used, dextrin, can hold 60 percent of its own weight in alcohol | NABCA, USA
The Evidence of Effectiveness & Minimum Standards for IBA in Community Health Settings
A new document outlining the evidence for IBA and standards for delivery in a range of settings has been released. Commissioned by the Safe Sociable London Partnership, the document provides an overview of the evidence base for IBA as a short ‘brief intervention’, and suggests how it should be delivered in key community health settings | Safe Sociable London Partnership, UK
Guidance: Mental Health Act 1983: reference guide
This revised reference guide gives information and advice on how the 1983 Mental Health Act operates | DoH, UK