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Daily news - 23rd August 2022 |
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UK news
Kent lab finds illegal substances in 'majority' of CBD products
Tests on more than 60 CBD products found the majority contained illegal substances, a council has found | BBC, UK
'It's saved my life' - Folkestone mum-of-three tackles stigma around medical cannabis
A mother from Folkestone says using medical cannabis to treat her endometriosis has saved her life, and believes it could save others | ITV, UK
Tory peer could be refused entry to US after cannabis revelation in the Times
Daniel Finkelstein may fall foul of legal anomaly despite using drug in state where it was allowed, says lawyer | Guardian, UK
Alcohol consumption on boats at Fireworks Championships sparks warning
It comes after "numerous cases of excessive alcohol consumption" on some boats watching the British Fireworks Championships this week | BBC, UK
Leeds’ drunken Otley Run goes from high spirits to public menace
Pub crawlers behaving badly could now be hit with a £1,000 fine for antisocial acts | Guardian, UK
Manchester Piccadilly Gardens considered for outdoor smoking ban
Residents, community groups and businesses are being asked if some outdoor spaces should be smoke-free | BBC, UK
SSA Annual Conference: Karen Megranahan on creative arts in recovery
At this year’s Annual Conference, Karen Megranahan is displaying a curated collection of recovery artwork. The SSA caught up with Karen to find out more | SSA, UK
What are LGBTQ+ people’s experiences of alcohol services in Scotland?
Wed, 24 August 2022, 13:00 – 14:00 BST. Dr Elena Dimova discusses the findings from a qualitative study of service users and service providers | GCU Gender Research and Equalities Network, UK
Ladbrokes owner Entain to pay £17m for breaching rules
A gambling giant has been ordered to pay a record £17m after it failed to put proper checks in place to support struggling customers | BBC, UK
West Bromwich: Cannabis 'factory' in ex-magistrates' court
Thousands of cannabis plants have been discovered by police in a former magistrates' court | BBC, UK
International news
International Overdose Awareness Day 2022
In recognition of the International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) campaign, celebrated every year on 31 August, Release staff have come together to honour the memory of all those that we have lost to drug overdoses, and that do not have the conditions to seek the help they require | Release, UK
Dublin: Man arrested after €3.2m cocaine seizure
Cocaine with an estimated value of €3.2m (£2.7m) has been seized by gardaí (Irish police) in Dublin on Sunday evening | BBC, UK
Sanna Marin: Finland PM's drugs test negative after party video
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin has tested negative for drugs, the government says, after she was seen dancing, singing and drinking at a recent party | BBC, UK
California Gov. Gavin Newsom VETOES bill allowing drug-injection sites citing 'unintended consequences' after San Francisco's pilot scheme became open air drug market plagued with crime
The idea of the bill was to provide drug addicts with controlled substances in a supervised environment, where they would receive sterile needles and could be connected with a rehabilitation center | Mail Online, UK
NSW attorney general ‘disappointed’ by own government’s lack of action over ice report
Mark Speakman says he’s spent ‘hundreds of hours’ trying to get cabinet support for reforms from Howard inquiry | Guardian, UK
Fentanyl seizure: experts warn potent drug could rapidly emerge as a problem in Australia
Experts say news of record haul of more than 11kg of the opioid drug, found in February, should have been announced sooner | Guardian, UK
Ukraine snapshots: Harm reduction services in action during the war in Ukraine (PDF)
According to the UNAIDS’ latest estimates, there are 258,000 people living with HIV in Ukraine (1% of total population), and 366,000 people who use drugs, of which only 20,000 have access to OAT (Opioid Agonist Treatment). Moreover, 80,000 people are estimated to be engaging in sex work, whilst 179,000 people belong to the LGBTQ group. Since the beginning of the invasion, several organizations have been working hard to try and cater for the needs of these populations. In this snapshot, we depict the current harm reduction services being offered, as well as the needs of key populations who are caught up in the conflict | CEHRN, The Netherlands
Marijuana, hallucinogen use at all-time high among young adults
Marijuana and hallucinogen use in the past year reported by young adults 19 to 30 years old increased significantly in 2021 compared to five and 10 years ago, reaching historic highs in this age group since 1988, according to the Monitoring the Future panel study | University of Michigan, USA
What is the impact of cannabis use in adolescence?
Cannabis is known to be one of the most common psychoactive substances used throughout the world. Previous studies have reported that the users of cannabis equate to approximately 4% of the global population,with most users aged between 15 to 64 years | News Medical, USA
Cannabis prescribed for pain linked with small risk of heart problems
Cannabis prescribed for chronic pain is associated with an elevated risk of heart rhythm disorders, according to research presented at ESC Congress 2022 | EurekAlert, USA
Researcher focuses on how racism and bias influence substance use and addiction treatment
Kicking a heroin or opioid use disorder through a methadone treatment program takes dedication and lots of time. Every morning, often before the sun is up, patients at public clinics stand in line, waiting for their turn to be watched as they swig a little cup of the powerful medicine | Medical Xpress, USA
Psychiatrists disagree with U.S. policy on psychoactive drugs
A new national survey reveals considerable differences between psychiatrists’ perceptions about the safety and therapeutic value of certain psychoactive drugs and how those same drugs are categorized under U.S. policy | Ohio State University, USA
Does Microdosing Actually Work? The Science Is Still Conflicted
It's been touted as a remedy for anxiety, depression and ADHD. But the anecdotal reports aren't quite matching up to the test results | VICE, USA
Schools install vape detectors as experts warn of new generation of smokers
Health experts warn a new generation could be enticed to start smoking through e-cigarettes as some schools move to install vaping detectors | Canberra Times, Australia
Smoking ban expands across Melbourne
Melbourne City Council is investigating how to extend smoke-free zones across train station entrances and council-owned buildings | Canberra Times, Australia
Naloxone saves lives, so where is it?
According to the Ministry of Health, we currently have enough Naloxone in hospitals and emergency services to keep us going for 60 weeks ‘at normal usage’. | Know Your Stuff, New Zealand
Blogs, comment and opinion
How do you know if you have a problem with drugs?
By itself, frequency of substance use isn’t an accurate way of determining whether an individual has a problem with alcohol or other drugs | Independent voices, UK
The Trip Report 22/08
Through the work of organisations such as WEDINOS, The Loop, and SaferParty, we know a little more about the drugs in circulation. The report provided below is a summary of their findings over the last week | Cameron Scally, UK
I knew I didn’t have a drinking problem – but I had a problem with drinking
Many of us don’t question daily alcohol use until we hit rock bottom. But I didn’t want this damaging habit, so I got ‘sober curious’ | Guardian, UK
Could the Crown Dependencies be the Key to UK Cannabis Reform?
As independent, self-governing jurisdictions, the Crown Dependencies each have their own Misuse of Drugs legislation, which largely mirrors that of the UK. Hypothetically, they could pass their own legislation to implement local, regulated cannabis markets | Volteface, UK
What Role does Philosophy Play in the Future of Psychedelics?
TalkingDrugs interviewed Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes, one of the leading philosophers connecting the thought and practice around psychedelics with philosophical understandings of today | Talking Drugs, UK
From tough love to interventions, what works when a loved one is struggling with addiction?
There’s some pretty bad advice out there for families impacted by alcohol and other drug use. Some of it not only doesn’t work but could actually make things worse | Conversation, Australia