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Daily news - 30th November 2022 |
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UK news
Government to use Vaccine Taskforce model to tackle health challenges
Addiction: £30.5 million, including funds contributed through collaboration with Scottish Government, will be deployed to accelerate the development of new technologies to prevent deaths from overdoses across the UK. This could include wearable devices which can detect the onset of a drug overdose and signal to first responders to prevent deaths, and better support people with substance use disorders to manage and combat their addiction. Funding will also help grow research capacity and capability across the UK to better understand addiction and the most effective ways to treat it as a chronic healthcare condition | Department of Health and Social Care, Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, The Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP, The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP, Will Quince MP, and The Rt Hon Steve Barclay MP, UK
An analysis plan for the evaluation of the impact of alcohol minimum unit pricing on deaths and hospital admissions in Scotland
This study looks at the impact of Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) for alcohol that came into effect in Scotland in 2018. This document describes our statistical analysis approach to evaluating the impact of MUP on deaths and hospital admissions caused wholly or partially by alcohol consumption in Scotland | Public Health Scotland, UK
MUP Evaluation Evidence Synthesis Protocol
This protocol describes how we are synthesising the evidence about the effects of MUP. The protocol sets out the context of the evaluation, justifies the methods used and sets out the steps involved | Public Health Scotland, UK
Cancer in the UK: Deprivation and cancer inequalities in Scotland (PDF)
People living in more deprived areas in Scotland are more likely to get cancer and are, sadly, more likely to die from the disease than those in less deprived areas | Cancer Research, UK
Is the government finally recognising the potential of a medicinal cannabis industry?
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) published new guidelines earlier this month to support companies applying for authorisation of unlicensed cannabis-based products | Cannabis Health, UK
Electronic Cigarettes
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to publicise the finding contained in the Nicotine Vaping in England: 2022 evidence update, published on 29 September, that "vaping is not risk-free, particularly for people who have never smoked"; and whether the review update found any evidence that fruit-flavoured vaping products may contribute to increased (1) usage, and (2) addiction, in young people | They work for you, UK
How I found success despite foetal alcohol spectrum disorder
Carol Hunter not only enjoys being overscheduled - she says it's a necessity. The 39-year-old, who was adopted as a baby - is a parent, has a full time job at Fife College and leads a programme of support for adopted children for the charity Adoption UK | BBC, UK
Forward: Social Impact Report November 2022 (PDF)
We are proud to present The Forward Trust's Impact Report for work conducted in 2021/22. It’s our fifth annual impact report, and the biggest and most comprehensive yet, reflecting our growing reach and expanding range of support | Forward Trust, UK
Overdose Risks of Over the Counter and Prescription Medication Use
Wed, 14 December 2022, 10:30 – 12:00 GMT. DRNS knowledge exchange event exploring overdose prevention for people using opioids for chronic pain | DRNS, UK
Trading Standards and police join forces to tackle illegal vape sales
Illegal vapes with a street value of approximately £7400 worth has been seized from a store in Plymouth following an operation by our Trading Standards working alongside police | Devon County Council, UK
Five arrested and cash seized in Wiltshire drugs raids
Cash and class A were discovered in the police operation targeting supply networks across the county | BBC, UK
International news
New approach for drug and alcohol services proposed
People who have sought help for drugs and alcohol should be actively involved when developing new services according to new research from the University of Aberdeen| University of Aberdeen, UK
Police chief: ‘Friendly’ World Cup shows need to resist alcohol relaxation
Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the UK’s football policing lead, also praised England and Wales fans for their “exemplary” behaviour in Qatar | Evening Standard, UK
Victorian crossbench contenders vow to push for cannabis decriminalisation if elected
Despite premier Daniel Andrews refusing to budge on the issue, Legalise Cannabis party promises to push ‘forcefully’ on drug reform | Guardian, UK
Australian government to crack down on nicotine e-cigarettes as rates of teen vaping skyrocket
Exclusive: Guardian investigation finds many children do not know they are consuming highly addictive nicotine in vapes until it is too late | Guardian, UK
Australia to consider tougher nicotine e-cigarette import and labelling laws to tackle teen vaping
Therapeutic Goods Administration to investigate border control laws, as well as tougher regulation of nicotine products and advertising | Guardian, UK
Judge lifts order for nursing home detention of man in 50s with alcohol addiction
A man with a serious alcohol addiction who was taken into wardship and detained in a nursing home against his will under High Court orders earlier this year has been discharged from wardship with the detention order lifted | Irish Times, Ireland
EU Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) agencies take stock of achievements in 2022 and set path for continuous support to Ukraine and Moldova
The nine EU Agencies active in the field of freedom, security and justice convened today in Budapest for a high-level meeting, chaired by CEPOL, to take stock of the main achievements in 2022, which includes the ongoing engagement with Ukraine and Moldova | EMCDDA, Portugal
Drug Overdose Deaths in Adults Aged 65 and Over: United States, 2000–2020
Between 2000 and 2020, age-adjusted rates of drug overdose deaths for adults aged 65 and over increased from 2.4 to 8.8 deaths per 100,000 standard population | CDC, USA
Geographic Accessibility of Retail Cannabis in Northern California and Prenatal Cannabis Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic
In this cross-sectional study, 99 127 pregnancies were screened for prenatal cannabis use via urine toxicology testing before (January 2019 to March 2020) and during (April 2020 to December 2020) the COVID-19 pandemic. Larger absolute increases in prenatal cannabis use were associated with living within vs more than a 10-minute drive of a cannabis retailer | JAMA Network Open, USA
Physicians with beliefs about long-term harms of benzodiazepine are less likely to prescribe it
Despite the continuing growth of benzodiazepine (BZD)-related overdoses, BZD prescription rates have held constant. Much is unknown about how a doctor's own beliefs about BZD use and potential harm to patients might influence their willingness to prescribe the drug | Medical Xpress, USA
A Tobacco Plant Has Been Engineered to Produce Cocaine in Its Leaves
Used by humans as a stimulant and anesthetic for thousands of years, the drug commonly known as cocaine has been carefully shaped by species of the coca plant (Erythroxylum) over tens of millions of years in an arms race against hungry insects | Science Alert, USA
Older Adults Who Smoke Are Typically “Forgotten”
Anew paper, published in the American Journal of Public Health (AJPH), argues that older adults who smoke are “forgotten,” and that more needs to be done to address “the incredible burden of disease and death that this population carries.” | Filter Magazine, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
Driving the changes to our guidance – sample it here!
We have made changes to our sampling guidance to further enhance measures to discourage drink driving. Read more to ensure to ensure your sampling activity is kept in line | Portman Group, UK
Electric Dreams: Using AI to Imagine Drug Using Spaces
AI-assisted art has been taking the world by storm, providing a new world-building method that leverages the width of the internet’s resources to construct and imagine new realities | Talking Drugs, UK
Will the EU block Germany’s cannabis plans?
Volteface TV keeps you up to date and informed on the latest developments for global cannabis reform and drug policy. In this episode Paul North, Director of Volteface speaks to Alastair Moore of The Hanway Company about the recent German legalisation plans | Volteface, UK
And finally...
Thai monks fail drug tests leaving temple empty
A small Buddhist temple in Thailand has been left without any monks after they were all dismissed for failing drug tests, local officials have said | BBC, UK