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Daily news - 22nd November 2022 |
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UK news
National Mission on Drugs: annual report 2021 to 2022
Sets out the progress made between January 2021 and 31 March 2022 by national government, local government and third sector partners towards reducing drug deaths and improving the lives of those impacted by drugs in Scotland | Scottish Government, UK
New family drugs treatment service
First Minister opens new facility to support parents and their children | Scottish Government, UK
Evaluating the impact of Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) on sales-based alcohol consumption in Scotland at three years post-implementation
Three full years after implementation, the impact of MUP was a net reduction of 3.0% (−4.2% to −1.8%) in the total volume of pure alcohol sold per adult in Scotland, when using a method that accounts for sales in England & Wales (best available geographical control) and after adjustment for other potentially confounding factors. This reflects a 1.1% fall in Scotland in contrast to a 2.4% increase in England & Wales | Public Health Scotland, UK
Drinkaware Monitor 2022
New research revealed from Drinkaware, the UK’s leading alcohol charity, shows that 41% of UK adults have been negatively affected by someone else’s drinking in the last year, with younger people and ethnic minority groups particularly impacted | Drinkaware, UK
Alcohol advertising ban could be 'grave' for Scottish football, SFA and SPFL warn
A ban on alcohol advertising could have "extremely grave" consequences for football and jeopardise the country's chances of hosting major events, the Scottish Government has been warned | BBC, UK
Guernsey alcohol advice awareness improving, survey finds
The Health Improvement Commission has run its Count 14 campaign for two years, promoting that people should drink a maximum of 14 units per week | BBC, UK
Peer-research, overdose prevention, safe supply and more at INHSU conference
In Early November Ben Scher joined an international group of policymakers, practitioners, community organisers, people with lived/living experience and academics at the 10th International Conference on Health and Hepatitis Care in Substance Users (INHSU) in Glasgow | SSA, UK
MAT Seminar: Standard 7: All people have the option of MAT shared with Primary Care
Friday 25th November 2022, 1.00pm - 2.20pm. People who choose to will be able to receive medication or support through primary care providers. These may include GPs and community pharmacy. Care provided will depend on the GP or community pharmacist as well as the specialist treatment service | SDF, UK
50 Years of Failed Drug Policy: Drug Science Book Launch
Mon, 12 December 2022, 18:30 – 22:00 GMT. An evening of expert panel discussions from the authors of our new book, Drug Science and British Drug Policy | Drug Science, UK
International news
Belgium needs more incinerators to burn seized cocaine
Authorities fear depots used to store drugs could become targets for robberies by gangs | Guardian, UK
‘It’s a community effort’: a look inside the campaign that discourages teen drinking
As many celebrate the holidays – which usually includes alcohol – Chris Swonger has launched We Don’t Serve Teens | Guardian, UK
Vaping product advertisements to be banned on public transport under new law
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly seeks to ban advertising of vaping products near schools, public transport and cinemas | Journal, Ireland
EMCDDA releases new findings on drug markets in the eastern and southern European Neighbourhood Policy regions
The emergence of new drug trafficking routes, the expansion of online markets, and the availability of a broader spectrum of substances, are among the findings highlighted in two new reports published today by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA). Released in the framework of the EU-funded EU4Monitoring Drugs project (EU4MD), the reports provide a picture of the drug market in the eastern and southern European Neighbourhood Policy regions (ENP-East and ENP-South) | EMCDDA, Portugal
How to Reverse an Overdose From Tranq, the Lethal Drug Spreading in the US
Narcan still works for tranq, a cocktail of fentanyl and the animal tranquilizer xylazine. Oxygen tanks can help, too | VICE, USA
New York issues first licenses for legal pot dispensaries
New York issued its first 36 cannabis dispensary licenses on Monday, taking a monumental step in establishing a legal—and lucrative—marketplace for recreational marijuana | Medical Xpress, USA
Oregon To Pardon 45,000 People With Marijuana Convictions
“No one deserves to be forever saddled with the impacts of a conviction for simple possession of marijuana," the outgoing governor said | Huffington Post, USA
Researchers find 2.8% of pregnancies were exposed to opioids
Opioid use during pregnancy may lead to adverse long-term infant and child outcomes. Targeted public health strategies have been employed to reduce opioid use in reproductive-aged persons, but there has been a lack of research that adequately describes the individuals in the United States who actually use opioids during pregnancy | Medical Xpress, USA
Providing naloxone to people who are prescribed opioids is a cost-effective way of preventing opioid overdose deaths
Much of the research on the effects of naloxone distribution has focused on people with opioid use disorder. This study investigated the public health impact and cost-effectiveness of naloxone access for individuals prescribed opioid medications, more generally, to help inform a comprehensive naloxone distribution strategy | Recovery Research Institute, USA
Internet-based interventions can help individuals manage heavy drinking, but do they save employers and society money?
Heavy alcohol use is associated with substantial economic costs to employers and society. Internet-based interventions can be helpful and low cost. This study explored whether they can also save employers and society money by increasing people’s productivity and reducing costs related to healthcare for alcohol-related problems | Recovery Research Institute, USA
People in Wider Harm Reduction Discuss Integrating Tobacco
The 13th National Harm Reduction Conference took place in San Juan, Puerto Rico in mid-October. It involved around 2,800 harm reductionists from across the United States and beyond, and its myriad important themes included overdose prevention, drug checking, racial justice, sex work and much more | Filter Magazine, USA
People Harmed by Drug War Get NY’s First Cannabis Retail Licenses
New York regulators have approved the state’s first-ever licenses for recreational marijuana retailers. Most of the businesses are owned by people who’ve been impacted by the drug war, while others are run by nonprofit organizations that have a history of helping people reenter society after incarceration | Filter Magazine, USA
Ontario to allow bars, restaurants to serve alcohol starting at 7 a.m. for World Cup
Temporary extension of liquor service only as long as tournament, ending Dec. 18 | CBC News, Canada
Blogs, comment and opinion
Guest blog: Alcohol intake and the risk of cancer
Alcohol consumption is linked to seven types of cancer, including breast and bowel cancer. As part of Alcohol Awareness Week, Rachel Clark from the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) looks at the scientific evidence on alcohol and cancer and comments on what can be done to support the population | RSPH blog, UK
Should we copy Qatar and ban alcohol at football matches?
There are many aspects of the Gulf state’s regime that are abhorrent, but that doesn’t mean everything they believe and do is wrong | Independent voices, UK
"Prison becomes your home": The Futility of Cannabis Incarcerations
Cannabis is subjected to condemnation, disapproval, and bad press. Whether this depiction is fair or not is contested; nonetheless, what is certain is that this notion and its criminal enforcement has justified the conviction and incarceration of thousands of individuals who consume and sell cannabis | Talking Drugs, UK
Altered States: Psychedelics and the US Midterms
Colorado voting to decriminalise psilocybin and other psychedelics shows the US continuing to open up its mind | Volteface, UK
A Dummies Guide to Scaremongering and Increasing Drug-Related Harms by the Sunday Times
On the 6th of November 2022, The Sunday Times ran an “exclusive” story that may well be used in future textbooks as an example of how to create a drug moral panic. The entire front page was dedicated to the story, with enormous lettering declaring “Drugs H-Bomb on our Streets” | AOD MediaWatch, Australia
Zombie Lobby: Politics ain’t chemistry
Hyperbola and other editorial acrobatics were out in force in a particularly ill-informed piece published on the 15th of November 2022 by The Community Advocacy Alliance (CAA) called Flakka – A New Zombie in Town… Take note that the CAA are a key lobby group for Victoria Police | AOD MediaWatch, Autralia