Daily news - 16th July 2021 |
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UK news
Alcoholic liver deaths increased by 21% during year of the pandemic
Increased alcohol consumption during the pandemic, particularly amongst heavy drinkers, is likely driving an unprecedented acceleration in alcoholic liver disease deaths | PHE, UK
Alcohol consumption and harm during the COVID-19 pandemic
A report collating data on alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm in England during the COVID-19 pandemic and comparing it to data from previous years | PHE, UK
Surge in alcohol-related deaths during England lockdown, report finds
PHE suggests consumption at home in 2020 drove 20% increase in deaths from diseases caused by drinking | Guardian, UK
The Alcohol 'Problem' Podcast: Ep 7: Alcohol risk, guidelines and messaging with Tom Chivers & Colin Angus
In this episode I talk to two guests about the risks of alcohol use and attempts to communicate these via the UK's recommended guidelines of 14 units a week | The Alcohol Problem podcast, UK
Study title: Perceptions of drug-related crime - survey
This study investigates how people choose to describe crimes related to drug use. Anyone can take part as long as they live in the UK and are aged over 18 years old | LJMU, UK
Could CBD become 'like protein shakes' in rugby?
Will cannabis products be in every rugby player's kitchen cupboard or locker in the future in their battle to stay pain free? | BBC, UK
On the tenth anniversary of her death a new film about Amy Winehouse is being released
This month marks the tenth anniversary of the death of Amy Winehouse. She was 27 when she died | BBC, UK
Government purchase of wine increases by £26,000
The government's wine cellars were topped up to the tune of £73,000 last year - an increase of £26,000 on the year before, latest figures reveal | BBC, UK
Carrickfergus: Police seize drugs and £100,000 during searches
Class B and Class C drugs have been seized along with £100,000 in cash following searches at two houses in Carrickfergus, County Antrim | BBC, UK
International news
US drug overdoses soar to record number in 2020, fueled by pandemic
More than 93,000 people died from drug overdoses in the US last year, a record number that reflects a 30% rise from 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | Guardian, UK
Following Juul’s massive court settlement, will e-cigarette marketing get stubbed out?
E-cigarette giant Juul has agreed to a $40m settlement with the North Carolina Attorney General’s office over allegedly marketing to underage consumers. Now, the tobacco and e-cigarette industry is facing growing pressure to amend its marketing strategies | The Drum, UK
Permission for drug injection facility near school rejected
Planning permission for Ireland's first medically supervised heroin injection facility at Merchant's Quay in Dublin has been quashed by the High Court | Irish Examiner, Ireland
Revenue find 10.5 million illegal cigarettes in Dublin Port search operation
The tobacco products were found in a container which had come from Asia via the Netherlands | Journal, Ireland
New data reveal alcohol drinking patterns that most likely led to cancer in 2020
In 2020, more than 740 000 of new cases of cancer were associated with alcohol consumption. This is one of the highlights of the new global study carried out by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and published by The Lancet Oncology | WHO, Denmark
Meta-analysis finds cannabis may be linked to development of opioid use disorders
The idea that cannabis is a 'gateway drug' to more harmful substances such as opioids is controversial, yet has substantially impacted drug policy, education and how we conceptualize substance use | Medical Xpress, USA
Study shows joint effects of perceived risk and availability on cannabis use
Combined perceptions of the risk and availability of cannabis influence the risk of cannabis use more than perceived risk and perceived availability alone, according to a new study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health | News Medical, USA
High-Dose Buprenorphine Induction in the Emergency Department for Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder
In this case series of 579 cases, 54 clinicians followed a high-dose buprenorphine (monoproduct) protocol. There were no documented episodes of respiratory depression or excessive sedation, and precipitated withdrawal was rare (0.8% of cases) and was not associated with dosing | JAMA Network Open, USA
Why Ethan Nadelmann Has Unfinished Business With Drugs
Ethan Nadelmann founded—and for decades ran—the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), and is without question one of the most significant figures in the history of drug policy reform | Filter Magazine, USA
How Can We Improve COVID Vaccine Access for People Who Use Drugs?
Millions of Americans are happy to finally be venturing out of their quarantine cocoons, emboldened by newly minted COVID-19 vaccine cards and updated CDC mask guidance | Filter Magazine, USA
Vancouverites react to group handing out free cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine
City Councillor Jean Swanson, along with members of the Drug User Liberation Front (DULF) and the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU), distributed the free drugs outside the Vancouver Police Department | Vancouver is Awesome, Canada
Alcohol remains a national drug of concern
Alcohol continues to be the most common principal drug of concern for clients seeking treatment from publicly funded specialised alcohol and other drug treatment services, a new report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has found | AIHW, Australia
Alcohol and other drug treatment services in Australia annual report
In 2019–20, around 139,300 clients aged 10 and over received AOD treatment. The four most common drugs that led clients to seek treatment were alcohol (34%), amphetamines (28%), cannabis (18%) and heroin (5.1%). The median age of clients was 35 years | AIHW, Australia
Public drinking could be allowed in Melbourne’s inner-north
Daytime drinking in public could again be allowed in Melbourne’s inner-north, although Aboriginal legal advocates say more should be done to properly decriminalise public drunkenness in Victoria | The Age, Australia
Blogs, comment and opinion
Reducing liver death: a call to action
Our report on alcohol consumption and harm during the COVID-19 pandemic shows an unprecedented increase in alcoholic liver disease deaths. In 2020, 5,608 alcoholic liver deaths were recorded in England, a rise of almost 21% compared to 2019. This is substantially above pre-COVID trends - between 2018 and 2019 the increase was under 3% | PHE blog, UK
Minimum Unit Pricing in Scotland and Wales: what is the impact so far?
Could the very simple action of pricing alcohol at a minimum of 50p per unit save lives? | IAS blog, UK
‘I was diagnosed with cancer but I’m not giving up alcohol – life is about balancing risk’
[Limited number of free articles per week] As a new study finds a clear link between alcohol intake and various cancers, one survivor reveals why she won't be saying goodbye to booze | Telegraph, UK