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Daily news - 1st February 2023 |
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UK news
Alcohol treatment services : inquiry
The Committee will question senior officials at the Department for Health and Social Care on treatment services in the community for alcohol dependency, including: - trends in alcohol consumption and harm from drinking; how the commissioning and provision of alcohol treatment services have changed since the transfer of responsibility for public health; and - spending on, access to, and outcomes from treatment. The committee wants to hear your views. If you have evidence on these issues please submit it here by 6pm on Monday 20 February | UK Parliament Committee, UK
NHS smoking cessation local delivery plan standard quarterly
This release by Public Health Scotland (PHS) presents information on NHS Stop Smoking Services in Scotland and their progress towards their annual Local Delivery Plan (LDP) Standard. The LDP Standard for NHS Scotland in 2022/23 is to achieve at least 7,026 self-reported successful twelve-week quits through smoking cessation services in the 40% most deprived areas (60% in NHS Island Boards) | Public Health Scotland, UK
Learning lessons bulletin Fatal incident investigations | Issue 17 (PDF)
This learning lessons bulletin summarises the learning from PPO investigations into the deaths of those who died within 14 days of release from prison. 50% of the investigations started into post-release deaths were of drug-related deaths | PPO, UK
Met commander who wrote force's drug strategy took magic mushrooms - hearing
A Met Police commander who wrote the force's current drug strategy is facing a misconduct hearing accused of taking magic mushrooms, LSD and cannabis | BBC, UK
Alcoholics Anonymous saves lives – but alcoholism language can also be harmful
Dr James Morris on why the airing of the recent BBC documentary I’m an alcoholic: inside recovery prompted a number of interesting talking points | BPS, UK
Alcoholic Drinks: Death
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the impact of the extension of the freeze on alcohol duty until August 2023 on levels of alcohol-specific deaths | They work for you, UK
Alcoholic Drinks: Excise Duties
To ask His Majesty's Government whether His Majesty’s Treasury has done any economic modelling on the impact of the new alcohol duty bands on the consumption of alcohol; and if so, whether this modelling predicts that they would (1) incentivise alcohol drinkers to drink lower-alcohol drinks, and (2) reduce their overall consumption of alcohol | They work for you, UK
Alcohol Alert - January 2023 - podcast
What are the commercial determinants of health?; Alcohol-specific deaths at record levels; and Canada reduces its low-risk drinking guidelines due to cancer risk | IAS, UK
Let's talk e-cigarettes - podcast
A team of Oxford researchers are searching for new e-cigarette studies every month. In this podcast, Dr Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Dr Nicola Lindson talk about what has been found, and how this changes what we know about e-cigarettes | University of Oxford, UK
Considering Feb Fast? Here are three immediate and long-term benefits of giving up alcohol
From improving sleep quality to unmasking underlying anxiety, a booze-free month is good for your health – and it could be the gateway to longer-term abstinence | Guardian, UK
International news
EMCDDA intensifies its cooperation with the Western Balkans and the European Neighbourhood Policy area
This month, the EMCDDA has launched two new projects which will intensify its cooperation with the Western Balkans and the European Neighbourhood Policy area (ENP) | EMCDDA, Portugal
DrugNet Europe - January 2023
Latest edition of the monthly European drug policy news round-up | EMCDDA, Portugal
Tobacco, Alcohol, Cannabis, and Other Drug Use in the US Before and During the Early Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic
In this cross-sectional study of 19 631 youths, young adults, and adults, substance use substantially decreased across nearly all substance categories in 2018 to 2019 vs 2020 among youths and young adults, whereas consistent changes were not seen in older persons | JAMA Network Open, USA
State Cannabis Legalization and Psychosis-Related Health Care Utilization
In this cohort study of claims data from 63 680 589 beneficiaries from 2003 to 2017, there was no statistically significant difference in the rates of psychosis-related diagnoses or prescribed antipsychotics in states with medical or recreational cannabis policies compared with states with no such policy | JAMA Network Open, USA
Changes in Prescribed Opioid Dosages Among Patients Receiving Medical Cannabis for Chronic Pain, New York State, 2017-2019
In this cohort study among 8165 patients with chronic pain receiving long-term opioid therapy, receiving medical cannabis for a longer duration was associated with prescription opioid dosage reduction. Higher opioid dosages were associated with larger reductions | JAMA Network Open, USA
Do Tobacco Companies Have an Incentive to Promote “Harm Reduction” Products?: The Role of Competition
[Open access] Some cigarette companies have started to talk about replacing cigarettes with less harmful alternatives, which might include nicotine vaping products (NVPs), heated tobacco products (HTPs) and oral nicotine delivery products (ONDPs). We consider market competition as a primary driver of whether cigarette companies follow through on their stated intentions | Nicotine & Tobacco Research, USA
RTI’s National Survey of Syringe Service Programs (SSPs) showed that California’s investment in harm reduction yielded high levels of life-saving interventions in its three years of existence
The State of California is approaching the end of a three-year program aimed at preventing overdoses and infectious diseases related to substance use. In the summer of 2023, state legislators will consider whether to extend this effort, known as the California Harm Reduction Initiative | RTI, USA
The DRAM, Vol. 19(2) – Alcohol consumption is related to worsened health outcomes among people living with HIV
Compared to people living without HIV, people living with HIV tend to be more susceptible to the negative effects of alcohol consumption, such as impaired memory and decision making. This week, The DRAM reviews a study by Anees Bahji and colleagues that examined whether there is a relationship between drinking alcohol and experiencing negative health burdens among people with and without HIV | BASIS, USA
To disclose or not to disclose (opioid use disorder history)
Sharing information about one’s addiction history (i.e., disclosure) might benefit individuals interpersonally but could also pose risks. In this study, researchers characterized disclosure goals among individuals receiving opioid use disorder treatment, whether certain disclosure goals were associated with future disclosure to loved ones, and the quality of their relationships after such disclosure | Recovery Research Institute, USA
Real-world effects of extended-release buprenorphine
Extended-release buprenorphine is a helpful treatment for many individuals with opioid use disorder. To this point, though, this injection formulation has been studied primarily in clinical trials conducted in controlled settings. To enhance understanding of its benefits in real-world settings, this study examined treatment retention and outcomes for extended-release injectable buprenorphine delivered in community-based outpatient treatment settings | Recovery Research Institute, USA
As Decriminalization Begins in British Columbia, Activists Watch Warily
British Columbia has officially become the first first province in Canada to decriminalize possession of small quantities of opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine and MDMA. The three-year pilot period—based on an exemption from the federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act—runs from January 31, 2023 to January 31, 2026 | Filter Magazine, USA
What you need to know about the decriminalization of possessing illicit drugs in B.C.
B.C. granted exemption by federal government in November 2022; pilot will run until 2026 | CBC, Canada
Black market vaping targets Australian children
The past week has seen some discussion – finally – of practical, workable solutions to controlling the black market in vaping products that is targeting Australian kids | Spectator, Australia
Blogs, comment and opinion
UK cannabis industry watch: January 2023
It’s been far from a quiet start to the year for the UK cannabis industry. If you’ve been out of the loop, allow us to fill you in on some of the stories from the first month of 2023 that caught our eye | Volteface, UK
‘Need’, by Kristy
Read the runner-up from Adfam’s Family Voices Competition 2022. Family Voices is an annual poetry and creative writing competition open to families affected by substance use to share their experiences | Adfam blog, UK
Legalising cannabis could raise billions in taxes. Think of what we could do with that money!
First dog on the moon cartoon | Guardian, UK
Ketamine and suicidal ideation: French trial finds modest short-term effects
Suicide is a leading cause of death. There were around 5,500 deaths by suicide registered in England and Wales (ONS, 2021); the numbers worldwide are around 70,000 (WHO, 2016). Suicidal acts are preceded by suicidal ideas, though most suicidal ideas will not lead to a suicidal act. It is a challenging area to study and we have limited evidence-based options for treating people who are experiencing a suicidal crisis | Mental Elf blog, UK
Qatar’s Commitment to Punishment at Odds With Treatment Investments
The Gulf state has recently invested in state-of-the-art drug treatment facilities, whilst continuing to uphold punitive drug laws in their pursuit of a society "free from drugs”. While their approach to dealing with drug-related harms has developed, their continued commitment to punishment and mandated treatment is preoccupying, and must change if they are to improve the lives of people who use drugs | Talking Drugs, UK
Guide to the classics: Confessions of an English Opium Eater by Thomas De Quincey – a dense, strange journey through addiction
Drugs are nothing new. As researchers Russil Durrant and Jo Thakker tell us in their 2003 book Substance Use & Abuse, drugs such as alcohol, tobacco, opium and cannabis have been used for thousands of years throughout the world. They also show we have known about addiction for a long time – the addictive nature of opium was familiar to Greek and Roman physicians | Conversation, Australia