Daily news - 23rd December 2021 |
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UK news
ACMD annual report 2017 to 2019
Provides a summary of the main issues the ACMD considered between January 2017 and December 2019 | ACMD, UK
ACMD annual report 2013 to 2016
Provides a summary of the main issues the ACMD considered between April 2013 and December 2016 | ACMD, UK
Tobacco Dependency Road Map
The resources in this section have been put together to help you, as a clinical tobacco dependency lead, navigate the processes involved in delivering a successful tobacco dependency programme within your trust in 7 simple steps | Respiratory Futures, UK
Ketamine therapy swiftly reduces depression and suicidal thoughts
Ketamine therapy has a swift short-term effect on reducing symptoms of depression and suicidal thoughts, according to a review of all the available evidence | University of Exeter, UK
'I realised all I was doing was killing myself': How former heroin addict found his road to recovery
Leo shared his story with ITV Meridian as addiction support charities sound the alarm that are seeing demand for their services triple as people struggle following lockdown | ITV, UK
Alcohol Alert 2021 : The Year in Review
As we near the end of another COVID-filled year, we reflect on the progression, stagnation and regression in the world of alcohol research, policy and harm | IAS, UK
The Drug Science Podcast | Episode 53 | Moral Panic with Cory Doctorow
If you want to find out how data surveillance, AI, and monopolization can be connected to drug policy, be sure to tune in to this episode! | Drug Science, UK
SABAA Survey
What are your questions about substance, alcohol, and behavioural addictions in autism? Please watch one of our 3 minute videos to learn more about our project and the survey | SSA, UK
Alcohol industry sustainability commitments - Sustainability Series sem 3
Wed, 12 January 2022, 14:00 – 15:30 GMT. Are alcohol industry sustainability commitments genuine or are they disingenuously used as CSR ploys? | IAS, UK
Tips For Coping At Christmas
When family and friends get together over Christmas our usual boundaries and coping mechanisms can go out of the window. If you are affected by a loved one’s substance use this Christmas, take a look at our tips and advice | Adfam, UK
Boost your chances of success – Stop Smoking London shares 12 top tips to help you quit this Christmas
Stopping smoking can be life changing, brings immediate health benefits and can add years to your life. To help smokers take the first step towards quitting this Christmas, Stop Smoking London has pulled together their guide to ‘12 Days of Christmas’ – top tips to help you quit | London Post, UK
Linlithgow campaigners fight against renaming of Black Bitch pub
Owners of 17th-century Scottish tavern to meet those who don’t want its name changed to the Black Hound | Guardian, UK
International news
Killed by a pill bought on Snapchat: the counterfeit drugs poisoning US teens
Accidental deaths soar among young people amid a proliferation of fentanyl-filled pharmaceuticals | Guardian, UK
Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy announces €2 million Community Services Enhancement Fund for drug and alcohol services
The Minister for State for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Frank Feighan TD, today announced a €2 million fund to enhance community-based drug and alcohol services. The fund is part of the strategic priority to enhance access to and delivery of drug and alcohol services in the community in the national drugs strategy 2021-2025 | Gov.ie, Ireland
In memoriam — Manina Terzidou
It is with great sadness that we hear of the passing of Manina Terzidou, Head of the Greek Reitox national focal point. Manina was a long-time colleague and friend of the EMCDDA and made a huge contribution to our work. She will always remain in our hearts. Our most sincere condolences to her family, friends and colleagues | EMCDDA, Portugal
Inflexible methadone regulations impede America’s efforts to reduce overdose deaths
Imagine if people who needed insulin to control their diabetes had to trek across town each day to receive this lifesaving drug at an insulin clinic — with no accommodations for work or family obligations — an approach justified because they can’t be trusted to administer insulin correctly and avoid life-threatening episodes of low-blood sugar | STAT News, USA
NYC’s Safe Consumption Sites Have Averted 63 Overdoses in Three Weeks
In the three weeks since the first authorized safe consumption sites (SCS) in the US began operating, the two New York City sites prevented at least 63 overdoses and been accessed more than 2,000 times | Filter Magazine, USA
B.C. doctors upset their ‘safe supply' of heroin going unprescribed during overdose crisis
The doctors are asking the Ministry of Health to fund heroin-assisted treatment for 200 British Columbians at an average cost of $25 a day | Vancouver Sun, Canada
People aren't overdosing, they're being poisoned by tainted drug supply, says former Calgary user
Harm reduction advocates sound alarm over dangerous mix of street drugs | CBC News, Canada
Edmonton fire stations to serve as a hub in accessing opioid addiction supports in partnership with Alberta government
Edmonton’s fire stations are poised to play a key role in the fight against the opioid crisis, serving as a hub for accessing addiction supports and treatment options | Edmonton Journal, Canada
Fired For Using Medicinal Cannabis: Australia’s First Federal Case
While medicinal cannabis has been legal since 2016, most employers have not kept up with the times. Patients are regularly discriminated against in the workplace. Patient Mitchell Rice was fired for being a medicinal cannabis patient. Alongside his legal team at Chamberlains, Mitch is taking his case to Federal Court | Honahlee, Australia
Blogs, comment and opinion
Respecting autonomy in altered states: Navigating ethical quandaries in psychedelic therapy
Research into psychedelic-assisted therapy has grown in the past ten years as non-profits, academic institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and even venture capitalists race to develop protocols for using MDMA, psilocybin, ketamine, and other psychedelic substances to treat mental ill | BMJ Journal of Medical Ethics, UK
Misrepresentations of cannabis regulation are damaging
The UK Government’s public position on cannabis legalisation has barely changed in 50 years, essentially that cannabis is a dangerous drug and should remain illegal to prevent or deter its use. This emphasis on health risks, particularly for youth, has been a continuous thread in the history of global prohibition | Transform blog, UK
CDC Issues Guidance for Employers to Address Possible Marijuana Use by Drivers
Last month, the Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, issued a bulletin directed to employers with workers who drive as part of their jobs. The bulletin, “Marijuana Driving: How to Keep Your Fleet’s Drivers Safe,” recognizes that marijuana use is on the rise due to the explosion of medical and recreational marijuana laws passed in most states | Lexology blog, USA
And finally...
Cat burglar: New Zealand pet steals bong, bag of white powder and lacy underwear
Keith the cat is known locally for making off with everything from live eels to tradesmen’s boots | Guardian, UK
See you tomorrow for the last DrugWise Daily of the year!