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Daily news - 3rd October 2022 |
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UK news
Ending the exclusion: Care, treatment and support for people with mental ill health and problem substance use in Scotland (PDF)
It is estimated that alcohol or drug misuse was a factor in something between 48% and 56% of all suicides between 2008 and 2018 in Scotland. Our report looks at the experience of people who are living with both mental ill health and problematic drug or/and alcohol use. Whether people use alcohol and or drugs to alleviate their mental ill health, or whether mental illness becomes a consequence of alcohol and or drug use, varies | Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland, UK
Everyone over 55 who has EVER smoked should get a lung scan to check for cancer, national screening body proposes
The UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC) has called for the checks to be rolled out en-mass to tackle Britain's most common cause of cancer death. It has advised that anyone aged 55 to 74 who smokes or has done in the past should be offered an assessment | Mail Online, UK
Cannabis is just as harmful as ‘crack and cocaine’, say police chiefs
[Possible paywall] But drug policy reform campaigners argue that reclassifying it as a Class A drug ‘flies in the face of all evidence and reason’ | Telegraph, UK
Burden and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among people using illicit opioids: matched cohort study in England
Death due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is about 15 times more common among people who use illicit opioids than the general population. This inequality does not appear to be explained by differences in treatment, but late diagnosis of the disease among people who use illicit opioids might contribute | BMJ, UK
Recovery of neuropsychological function following abstinence from alcohol in adults diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder: Protocol for a systematic review of longitudinal studies
Alcohol use disorders (AUD) associate with structural and functional brain differences, including impairments in neuropsychological functions; however, review level research (largely cross-sectional) is inconsistent with regards to recovery of such functions following abstinence. Such recovery is important, as these impairments associate with treatment outcomes and quality of life | PLOS One, UK
Heroin Assisted Treatment: James' story - audio
Middlesbrough's Heroin Assisted Treatment clinic is set to close. Adam Clarkson meets a former patient to hear about the life-changing effect of treatment | BBC, UK
Isle of Man medicinal cannabis dispensing service delayed
The Isle of Man's first medicinal cannabis dispensing service has been delayed until late October, the government has said | BBC, UK
Aberystwyth: Major haul of suspected cocaine found on beach
A large number of black bags tied to buoyancy aids were found on Tan-y-Bwlch beach near Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, by passers-by on Saturday morning | BBC, UK
Cannabis worth £400k found in van at Belfast Harbour
Police officers searched the vehicle on Saturday morning and a 33-year-old man was arrested | BBC, UK
International news
What is snus and how is it used?
Snus is an oral tobacco product that has been used for more than 300 years. Named after the Swedish word for snuff, snus is made from ground tobacco leaves that are mixed with salt and water | GSTHR, UK
Amsterdam considers banning ‘cannabis tourists’ from its coffee shops
Fed up with stoned visitors and worried by hard-drug criminality, the mayor wants to clean up the city. But will it work? | Guardian, UK
Magic mushrooms and ecstasy touted as effective PTSD treatments alongside psychotherapy
A review found that MDMA-assisted psychotherapy showed the greatest promise in treating PTSD | Independent, UK
Boom in unapproved medicinal cannabis products worries Australian experts
Some patients are taking cannabis for conditions where there is little evidence it is effective, GPs and researchers say | Guardian, UK
Montenegro’s PM says organised crime used influence to oust him over raids
Seizures of cocaine and contraband cigarettes behind last month’s vote of no confidence, says Dritan Abazović | Guardian, UK
Budget 2023 Measures for National Drugs Strategy & Inclusion Health
In Budget 2023, Minister Frank Feighan secured an additional €7m for new developments. The funding will be used to expand HSE healthcare services and to support community & voluntary organisations to improve access to health and social care services | Gov.ie, Ireland
Budget commitment to fund drugs services gets a guarded welcome
Community drugs organisations have given a guarded welcome to funding commitments under Budget 2023. However, they are still seeking confirmation from the Department of Health that a €3.5m provision in the National Drugs Strategy (NDS) budget will go to community drug projects | Irish Examiner, Ireland
High Level Task Force to consider the mental health and addiction challenges of those who come into contact with the criminal justice sector: final report
It is increasingly recognised that the criminal justice system and in particular prison are not suitable to address the specific needs and challenges of those with mental health and drug addictions. The two reports of the Interdepartmental Group (IDG) to examine issues relating to people with mental illness who come in contact with the Criminal Justice System (dating from 2012 and 2018) contain recommendations on addressing the issues around this complex challenge | Department of Health; Department of Justice, Ireland
DrugNet Europe - September
Latest monthly news round up from the EMCDDA | EMCDDA, Portugal
Recovery Month 2022 - videos
To commemorate Recovery Month and Day, WFAD and its gender working group have conducted a series of interviews with significant figures in the recovery field | WFAD, Sweden
A new urine test could help curtail the use of the latest synthetic cannabinoids to enter the drug scene
A first-of-its-kind study published today in AACC's Clinical Chemistry journal shows that a novel drug test detects a new class of synthetic cannabinoids called OXIZIDs. This test could enable drug enforcement agencies to identify OXIZID users and could play a critical role in efforts to stop the spread of these drugs | Medical Xpress, USA
Hospitals have specialists on call for lots of diseases — but not addiction. Why not?
Marie lives in the coastal town of Swampscott, in Massachusetts. Last December, she began having more and more trouble breathing. One morning, three days after Christmas, she woke up gasping for air. A voice in her head said, "You're going to die." Marie dialed 911 | NPR, USA
Legal marijuana, but Uruguayans still prefer black market
Uruguay was a pioneer in the legalization of recreational cannabis use, a move that helped to push many drug traffickers out of the domestic market. But a bland and insufficient state supply has meant most consumers still prefer the diversity of the black market | Medical Xpress, USA
Australia’s Experiment With Prescription-Only Vapes Has Failed
The Australian government’s medical, prescription-only model for nicotine vaping was introduced on October 1, 2021, and has been a resounding policy failure. Like most prohibitionist policies, it has created a thriving illicit market and detrimental public health outcomes | Filter Magazine, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
Medical cannabis legalisation in Europe
Where are we now and which countries should you be watching? | Volteface, UK
Why the empty seats at the free public health lunch?
A few years back in my first few months of working full time in addictions, I attended a seminar on mutual aid. Facilitated by an addiction psychiatrist, the meeting was packed with a variety of addiction treatment professionals... | Recovery Review blog, USA
Rethinking U.S. tobacco and nicotine regulation (part 1)
A fundamental rethink of U.S. regulation of reduced-risk products is now essential and urgent. This introductory post looks at a set of 11 possible principles that could guide a revised regulatory framework | Clive Bates, UK
The environmental impact of tobacco products: Time to increase awareness and action
Tobacco products exemplify the inseparability of human and environmental health. Just when we thought we fully understood the human health impact of tobacco products, we are learning about the negative environmental impact of tobacco products | BMJ editorial, UK