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Daily news - 12th August 2022 |
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UK news
What do Britons think of the current approach to drugs and addiction?
Drug deaths in England and Wales are at a record high, while figures in Scotland are the worst in Europe. In many parts of the world, drug policy is shifting, with some states in the US moving to decriminalise certain banned substances, and some European nations adopting so-called ‘harm reduction’ approaches to tackling the threat of substance abuse to both individuals and society | YouGov, UK
Implementing depot buprenorphine in England - webinar
Thu, 8 September 2022, 10:00 – 12:00 BST. OHID is organising a webinar for drug treatment providers on the practical implementation of models of delivery of depot buprenorphine as an alternative in opioid substitution treatment. The webinar will be on Microsoft Teams and will feature case studies showcasing different models, their implementation challenges and how they can be managed. Tickets from Eventbrite | OHID, UK
Research and analysis: People who inject drugs: HIV and viral hepatitis monitoring
Data tables and commentary for the unlinked anonymous monitoring surveys of infections and risk among people who inject drugs (PWID). Updated with 2012 to 2021 data and report | UK HSA, UK
Has laughing gas got more dangerous? | ITV News - video
Large canisters of nitrous oxide intended only for caterers appear to be driving an "exponential growth" of patients suffering from the gas' effects, experts have told ITV News | ITV, UK
Corner shops see cigarette sales fall by half over three years
The drop suggests small stores are becoming less reliant on tobacco sales | STV News, UK
Put ‘dry bars’ in every area, says Liverpool MP
Every area of Liverpool should have a ‘dry bar’ such as The Brink, says local MP Dan Carden who has fought his own battle with alcohol addiction. Tony McDonough reports | LBN, UK
Alcohol addiction: Rick embraced abstinence when his liver failed - video
Daughter Hannah said she had found bottles of spirits hidden under his bed and that her dad would cut orange juice with 60% vodka | BBC, UK
UK’s people trafficking referrals at record high, Home Office data shows
Government’s system for potential trafficking victims to access support had 4,171 referrals from April to June | Guardian, UK
Advice on how to help the homeless and most vulnerable during a heatwave
Vulnerable people, people sleeping on the streets and those exposed to the sun, are at greater risk of heat-related illnesses during the summer months | Change Grow Live, UK
Police seize more than £1m of cannabis at Cairnryan
Police Dog Gizmo and his handler made the discovery on a lorry during routine checks in the port's main terminal at about 03:00 on Wednesday | BBC, UK
HMP Manchester worker [arrested] after drugs investigation at jail
A prison worker has been arrested on suspicion of attempting to supply drugs and smuggling items into a high security jail | BBC, UK
International news
The socioeconomic gradient of alcohol use: an analysis of nationally representative survey data from 55 low-income and middle-income countries
Alcohol is a leading risk factor for over 200 conditions and an important contributor to socioeconomic health inequalities. However, little is known about the associations between individuals’ socioeconomic circumstances and alcohol consumption, especially heavy episodic drinking (HED; ≥5 drinks on one occasion) in low-income or middle-income countries. We investigated the association between individual and household level socioeconomic status, and alcohol drinking habits in these settings | Lancet, UK
QMJC August 2022: Life grid methods, “brave” discussions and ethics
This is the second Qualitative Methods Journal Club from Drexel University (Philadelphia, United States). This time, ten members of the Department of Community Health and Prevention at Drexel University’s Dornsife School of Public Health took part in a one-hour discussion via Zoom on June 28, 2022. This group included faculty and doctoral students with backgrounds and interest in substance use research and/or qualitative methods | SSA, UK
Fentanyl is the most dangerous drug in America – but panic over it isn’t helping
This synthetic opioid, 100 times stronger than morphine, is now the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-45. Kevin E G Perry investigates how misinformation and panic have exacerbated the crisis and what people can do to stay safe | Independent, UK
‘Very good for tourists’: Thailand aims for high season with U-turn on cannabis
The once-banned drug is now on sale at market stalls, beach clubs and even hotel receptions. But the laws in this ‘pot paradise’ are blurry | Guardian, UK
Why It Still Sucks To Get High in the Arab World's Biggest City
Egypt has been trying to eliminate drug use since the medieval era. But for just as long, people in Cairo have been finding ways around the clampdowns | VICE, UK
Jody Lukoki: Did laughing gas abuse spark former Ajax player's demise?
When Jody Lukoki died three months ago, the football community in the Netherlands was shocked by his death but an even greater surprise was to follow as the final days and months of the DR Congo international's life were laid bare | BBC, UK
Anne Heche ‘under the influence of cocaine’ at time of car crash, according to report
Actor was involved in a serious accident last week in Los Angeles | Independent, UK
Heineken taps into moderation culture for zero-alcohol promotions
Responsible consumption campaign with Free Now arrives at a time when more people are choosing not to drink | Irish Times, Ireland
Improving release process and treatment after incarceration may reduce opioid overdoses
People released from jail or prison are 120 times more likely to overdose on opioids than the general population in Massachusetts. A new jail-based opioid use disorder treatment program approved by the Massachusetts legislature and instituted in the state in 2019 at seven county jails is intended to decrease that risk | Medical Xpress, USA
Veterans are reluctant to seek help for sleep problems or substance use
American military veterans are least willing to seek treatment for the health conditions that are most prevalent in their communities—including sleep and alcohol use problems—according to a new study from the University of Missouri School of Medicine. The findings also show a link between willingness to seek help among veterans of color and incidence of discrimination | Medical Xpress, USA
Black adults' experiences with drug treatment charted in new study
Until now, few studies have included the voices of Black people and their experiences with treatment providers. Study authors hope it will inform changes to promote successful recovery and healing | Medical Xpress, USA
Vape wars: The fierce debate over the banning (and unbanning) of Juul e-cigarettes
Both e-cigarettes and combustible tobacco products fulfill one primary function: They’re incredibly efficient delivery systems for nicotine | Boston Globe, USA
International Overdose Awareness Day: 31st August
The world’s annual campaign to end overdose, remember without stigma those who have died, and acknowledge the grief of the family and friends left behind | Penington Institute, Australia
Criminal justice contact and health amongst people who inject drugs in Greater Brisbane, Queensland: Findings from the Illicit Drug Reporting System
This bulletin looks at self-reported contact with the criminal justice system among a sample of people who inject drugs in Greater Brisbane, Queensland, and the associations between past-year criminal justice contact, prison history, and self-reported physical and mental health, measures of psychological distress and indicators of socioeconomic disadvantage (receipt of a government pension or benefit, and unstable housing) that are also social determinants of health | NDARC, Australia
Blogs, comment and opinion
Harms of alcohol in different age groups
“Our message is simple: young people should not drink, but older people may benefit from drinking small amounts,” was the eye catching conclusion of a recent study from the Global Burden of Disease project. These results seem to have important implications for clinical practice: should we be advocating abstention in the under 40s while encouraging older teetotallers to take up drinking for health reasons? | BMJ editorial, UK
Red Wall Voters Want Drug Law Reform – New Polling Shows
New research commissioned by the cross-party Parliamentary Group for Drug Policy Reform and conducted by accredited pollsters Redfield and Wilton, has found that the public clearly support harm reduction measures like overdose prevention centres and drug testing services | Volteface, UK
The war on drugs has failed – when will the Tories and Labour accept this?
Britain’s backwards drug laws are causing avoidable deaths, and the public is demanding change | New Statesman, UK
The Interdependency of Narcotics Trafficking and the Global Market System
In the United States, as in any other capitalist market across the global market system, narcotics trafficking, and its expansive capitalist dynamics have become determinant engines of local economic development | Points blog, USA