Weekly news - 22nd February 2013 |
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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
Underage youth drinking concentrated among small number of brands
A relatively small number of alcohol brands dominate underage youth alcohol consumption, according to a new report from researchers at the Boston University School of Public Health and the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health | Eureka Alerts, UK
Effectiveness Bank bulletin 15 February 2013
Latest additions to the Effectiveness Bank focus on treatment caseload and other statistics from the UK plus updated alcohol treatment guidelines, which seem fine in theory, but in practice treatment of whatever quality is accessed by few who might benefit from it | Drug and Alcohol Findings, UK
Outcomes matter - new recovery outcomes products available
At the heart of each individual's recovery journey is the process of planning, setting goals, reviewing progress and adapting approaches to enable them to achieve recovery. The Treatment Outcomes Profile (TOP) supports this cycle. To encourage key workers, managers, commissioners to use TOP to its full potential new resources have been released | NTA, UK
New Ipsos MORI poll shows 53% of GB public want cannabis legalised or decriminalised
A new poll by Ipsos MORI, commissioned by Transform Drug Policy Foundation, shows that over half of the public (53%) support cannabis legalisation (legal regulation of production and supply) or decriminalisation of possession of cannabis | Transform blog, 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
Ecstasy 'pink love' poison warning from police and doctors
Doctors have joined police in a renewed warning about the dangers of illegal drug taking after two people needed hospital treatment | BBC, UK
Riley Pettipierre methadone death: Parents jailed
The parents of a toddler who died after drinking methadone have been jailed for his manslaughter | BBC, 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
Oxford trust publishes alcohol-related foetus disorder guidelines
A charity has published recommendations for medical staff to tackle a foetal disorder caused by drinking alcohol during pregnancy | BBC, UK
Methadone may be an imperfect treatment, but it's a necessary one
The sad death of Riley Pettipierre should not overshadow the fact methadone saves lives and normalises users' lifestyles | Guardian, UK
Around 2% of people living with HIV in the UK are current or former injecting drugs users
In the UK, HIV is relatively uncommon among people who inject drugs (or have previously done so), with this group accounting for around two percent of all people living with HIV in this country. The Health Protection Agency estimates that in the UK 1 in 250 people who inject drugs is living with HIV, increasing to 1 in 111 in London | National Aids Trust, 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. Press release here | 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