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Daily news - 29th August 2023 |
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UK news
Call for emergency response to alcohol deaths
Deaths from alcohol needed to be treated as seriously as drug fatalities, a campaigner has said. Last week, figures showed the number of drug deaths in Scotland had gone down for the first time in five years. New figures out on Tuesday could show that the number of alcohol-specific deaths is higher than drug deaths. [The latest alcohol specific death statistics are expected to be published here later today] | BBC, UK
Pregabalin: What is it and why can it be dangerous?
The prescription drug pregabalin has been linked with a growing number of deaths in Northern Ireland. But what is it and why can it be deadly? | BBC, UK
Bereaved mother's warning over abuse of prescription drug pregabalin as deaths involving the substance more than quadruple in recent years
A bereaved mother has warned of the dangers of the prescription drug pregabalin following the death of her 21-year-old daughter. Jasmin Duddy was found unresponsive at a house in Galliagh in Derry on February 1st this year after taking the drug along with other substances | Mail Online, UK
Pregabalin: Accused denies supplying drugs to man who died
A man has appeared in court accused of supplying drugs to another man who was later found dead in Ballymena | BBC, UK
Drug Testing on Arrest (DToA): programme data
An updated summary of the activity of the Drug Testing on Arrest (DToA) programme has been published | Home Office, UK
Co-use of MDMA with psilocybin/LSD may buffer against challenging experiences and enhance positive experiences
Psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) experiences can range from very positive to highly challenging (e.g., fear, grief, and paranoia). These challenging experiences contribute to hesitancy toward psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy among health care providers and patients. Co-use of 3,4-Methylenedioxy methamphetamine (MDMA) with psilocybin/LSD anecdotally reduces challenging experiences and enhances positive experiences associated with psilocybin/LSD | Nature, UK
Drug-testing charity claims it can help protect young people at music festivals
The co-founder of a charity which tests illicit substances at music festivals says it can help protect young people from harm and reduce the number of drug-related deaths | Yorkshire Post, UK
Dorset Council residents continue to be supported for drug and alcohol use
REACH, which is part of our new South West region, has been successful in winning the contract to provide Dorset Council’s alcohol and drug support service for another eight years | Humankind, UK
Loved ones to gather for overdose memorial
31st August. Friends and family of people who lost someone to a drug-related death in Leeds will remember them with a special event on International Overdose Awareness Day. The memorial will take place from 10.30am leading up to a minute’s silence at 11am, in Penny Pocket Park, opposite Leeds Minster on 31 August. Speakers will reflect on those they have lost, and people will be asked if they wish to write memory on a yellow heart | Forward Leeds, UK
'Drama therapy helped me off the street and fight addiction' - video
David Clark's life once meant sitting on the street being "called all sorts". Now he is getting a buzz out of making people laugh. David, who struggled with drug addiction for more than two decades, said: "It saved my life, plus it's changed my life, because of the support I get." | BBC, UK
Cannabis plants worth £1m seized by police in Wolverhampton
Two cannabis factories containing more than 1,000 plants have been found in two buildings in Wolverhampton | BBC, UK
International news
Cannabis worth €2m discovered in Dublin Port search
It was discovered on Friday when revenue officers searched an Irish-registered freight unit that came off a ferry from Cherbourg, France | BBC, UK
France to spend €200m on destroying excess wine as demand falls
The Fund aims to help struggling winemakers as they adjust to consumers’ changing habits | Guardian, UK
‘Please ask for my help!’: a Chicago taskforce tries to save lives from deadly fentanyl
The West Side heroin/opioid taskforce is confronting the growing overdose crisis among the city’s Black population | Guardian, UK
‘Risking your health to look cool’: Museum of Smoking celebrates stars who light up
The exhibit, starring figures from Paris Hilton to Carrie Bradshaw, is a tongue-in-cheek tribute to a terrible habit | Guardian, UK
Drivers in Japan plied with alcohol to show drink-driving dangers
Initiative in Chikushino honours three children killed by drink-driver, with motorists learning first-hand how badly alcohol makes you drive | Guardian, UK
Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use passes the halfway point as members reconvene after the summer to continue their deliberations
Following its first three meetings before the summer, the Citizens’ Assembly reconvenes this September for its fourth meeting, passing the halfway juncture of proceedings. At its next meeting on 2nd – 3rd September, the Assembly will consider issues relating to the criminal justice system and legal system. As well as looking at policy and practice within the criminal justice system, members will turn their attention to the question of what, if any, legislative change might be | Citizen's Assembly, Ireland
Record cocaine haul hidden in Ecuadorean banana shipment intercepted in Spain
Many packages in the nine-tonne-plus drug consignment were labelled with swastikas and the word 'Hitler' | Euronews, France
'Pregaming' linked to risky substance use among college students
New research from Texas A&M University School of Public Health suggests that college students who "pregame," or participate in tailgating and similar activities before athletic events, are also more likely to take part in unsafe alcohol and other substance use | Medical Xpress, USA
Understanding the surge in cannabis use among pregnant and postpartum women in the US
Pregnant and recently postpartum women who suffer with mental health disorders may be vulnerable to using cannabis to self-medicate, according to a Rutgers-led study | Medical Xpress, USA
Are cannabis products safe and effective for reducing symptoms in children with cancer?
A recent analysis of all relevant published studies reveals a lack of evidence to determine the dosing, safety, and efficacy of medical marijuana or cannabis-containing products for managing symptoms experienced by children with cancer | Medical Xpress, USA
Ozempic seems to curb cravings for alcohol. Here's what scientists think is going on
During the COVID pandemic, J. Paul Grayson was hit with an avalanche of health problems – high blood pressure, prediabetes and a heart arrhythmia | npr, USA
Decriminalizing Opioids Will Save Countless Lives
Even the most fervent drug warrior would have to concede that cannabis legalization has been a success. In thirty-eight states patients can now freely access high-quality cannabis for medical conditions that are often notoriously resistant to other treatments | TIME, USA
US Overdose Database Unveiled, With a Rare View From the County Level
A first-of-its-kind tracker from the San Francisco Chronicle organizes United States drug overdose death data into a unified, searchable database. It gives the public a way to see the scale of the opioid-involved overdose crisis within their own communities, in the context of others across the country | Filter Magazine, USA
One By One, Delaware Beach Towns Move to Ban Cannabis Dispensaries
Three of Delaware’s six most prominent beach towns have now voted to ban cannabis dispensaries, while the other three are in discussions to do the same. All are located in Sussex County, the state’s Republican stronghold | Filter Magazine, USA
Guidance on take-home naloxone distribution and use by community overdose responders in Canada
The increasing toxicity of opioids in the unregulated drug market has led to escalating numbers of overdoses in Canada and worldwide; takehome naloxone (THN) is an evidence-based intervention that distributes kits containing naloxone to people in the community who may witness an overdose. The purpose of this guidance is to provide policy recommendations for territorial, provincial and federal THN programs, using evidence from scientific and grey literature and community evidence that reflects 11 years of THN distribution in Canada | CMAJ, Canada
International Overdose Awareness Day: 31st August
31st August. International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) is the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose, remember without stigma those who have died from overdose, and acknowledge the grief of the family and friends left behind. The IOAD 2023 theme “Recognizing those people who go unseen” is about acknowledging people in our communities who are affected by overdose but might go unseen in the crisis. Learn more about the 2023 campaign here | Penington Institute, Australia
Australia's Annual Overdose Report
[Please submit your details to receive a full copy of the report] The report draws on the most up-to-date data from diverse, verifiable sources. We apply the most rigorous standards of research and analysis to identify current and emerging trends and create a snapshot of the overdose crisis in the Australian context | Penington Institute, Australia
Health advocates pleased with new alcohol law, industry worried
A coalition of health advocates is hailing a new law that gives more power to communities to control how much liquor is sold in their area, saying it's a step towards reducing alcohol harm. The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Amendment Bill passed into law on Thursday | RNZ, New Zealand
Blogs, comment and opinion
The limits of harm reduction
Harm reduction and drug policy reform go hand in hand. We hear the two terms used interchangeably, which makes sense as most drug policy reforms are grounded and associated with principles of harm reduction. Often harm reduction is seen as the gold standard – but has this gone too far? Have we created a system which lacks intervention and creates risks to our communities? | Volteface, UK
Scotland’s Drug Death Figures Highlight the Need for Urgent Action
[Last] week the National Records for Scotland released the latest figures for drug deaths in the country, revealing that tragically 1,051 people lost their lives in the 12 months leading up to March 2022. Whilst this marks a decrease of 21% – and the lowest figure in half a decade – the need to guard against complacency is stark, and much more needs to be done to address the drugs crisis in Scotland and the United Kingdom as a whole | Politics.co.uk comment, UK
Drug-related deaths in Scotland: Here’s what can be done now
Drug-related deaths finally decreased in Scotland in the last year, but are still much higher than the rest of the UK. Austin Smith, policy lead at Scottish Drugs Forum, says there are proven solutions | Big Issue opinion, UK
Compassion, innovation, and understanding: reducing drug related deaths in Simon Community Scotland
Hugh Hill, Deputy CEO for Simon Community Scotland, has written a new blog about how our enhanced harm reduction model is saving lives | Simon Community Scotland, UK
Futuro Coca: Imagining a New Future for Coca in Colombia
The first edition of the Futuro Coca festival took place in Bogotá, Colombia, on 31 July. The event brought together several people from across the world of coca, aiming to educate people on the plant and its uses and ultimately reduce the stigma the plant and the country currently carry. The festival was an invitation to reflect on how prohibition has damaged communities, and to imagine possible alternatives for the future of coca. It highlighted the plant’s potential in many different fields, ranging from food to fashion; it also encouraged attendants to dive deep into a plant that has so much to offer, but has been so misunderstood for decades | Talking Drugs, UK
Cannabis is illegal in Nigeria but provides a living for families - study calls for rethink of drug laws
Arriving at the tranquil village health facility in southwestern Nigeria, we were met by a small gathering of men – young and old – with thinly veiled excitement. These rural farmers were visibly intrigued by our research interest in their experiences as proud growers of ewé ọlà (leaf of wealth), as they colloquially describe cannabis in the Yorùbá language. They had consented to meeting at the health facility because of its obscure location | Conversation, UK
Ketamine may help treat depression but use should not become widespread—editorial
In an editorial in this week's New Zealand Medical Journal, Dr. Ben Beaglehole, Associate Professor James Foulds and Professor Roger Mulder, all of the University of Otago, Christchurch, examine the use of ketamine to treat mental illness in New Zealand and how this is evolving | Medical Xpress, USA