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Daily news - 2nd February 2023 |
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UK news
Launch Announcement £5m Reducing drug Deaths Innovation Challenge
On Tuesday, Addiction Healthcare Mission, led by the UK Office for Life Sciences (OLS) launched a £5m Reducing Drug Deaths Innovation Challenge, in partnership with the Scottish Health Industry Partnership (SHIP), part of the Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office (CSO), through which applicants can bid for funding to develop innovative MedTech and Digital Health solutions that focus on detection of, response to, and intervention in potentially fatal drug overdose episodes. The challenge is open for applications until 21/04/2023.
A launch event, to provide further background and an opportunity for applicants to ask questions, is scheduled to be held on 10 February at 11am |
OLS, UK
Chancellor urged to make Big tobacco pay for the massive burden it puts on public finances
Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) is today publishing new evidence on the extent of the burden smoking puts on the public finances, demonstrating that in 2022 the costs are nearly twice as much as the revenues from tobacco excise tax and VAT (£21 billion compared to £11 billion in taxes) | ASH, UK
UWE Bristol recognised for harm reduction approach to drugs
A university has been recognised for its strategy to reduce harm caused by drug and alcohol abuse on campus | BBC, UK
EXCLUSIVE: A new strategy in the relationship with alcohol
Karen Tyrell smiles and shrugs as though the answer is so obvious the question really wasn’t worth asking. “Well, yes, I go to pubs. They’re nice places to be, aren’t they?” she says, sure that no one could doubt it | Morning Advertiser, UK
Raye: 'My drug use got pretty deep and really dangerous'
The extent of her dependency came as a shock, as she'd always been wary of drug use | BBC, UK
Jared O'Mara: Fraud-accused MP's drug use an open secret - court
A co-defendant told Leeds Crown Court he took the drug at Mr O'Mara's flat up to three times, with the ex-MP joking about his drug use on social media | BBC, UK
More than £1 million worth of cannabis seized in the Isle of Man over the last 12 months
Operation Artemis targeted criminals based in the UK and the Isle of Man who supply large amounts of cannabis to organised crime groups | ITV, UK
NI rioters have drug debts cleared by paramilitaries, MPs told
"From what I've heard from young people, they can get up to £80 of drug debt cleared," Megan Phair, from The Stop Attacks Forum, said | BBC, UK
International news
Longer drinking hours would harm public health, committee is warned
An extension of drinking hours in Ireland would be harmful to public health and safety, TDs have been told | Irish Times, Ireland
'The war on drugs does not work': Fianna Fáil TDs call for reform to drugs policy
Two Fianna Fail TDs have called for the Government to kickstart the Citizens’ Assembly on drugs, saying that politicians have been “slow to the table” on the issue | Journal, Ireland
Cancer sufferer tells judge she 'cannot stop' using cannabis because she gets sick
Stacey Harcourt told gardaí that she had undergone chemotherapy but this hadn't worked and that “cannabis is the only thing that works” | Irish Examiner, Ireland
Hong Kong bans CBD, a move that forces businesses to shut down or revamp
Hong Kong banned CBD as a "dangerous drug" and imposed harsh penalties for its possession on Wednesday, forcing fledging businesses to shut down or revamp | npr, USA
The feds just removed restrictions around prescribing a popular addiction medication. What does it mean for patients?
People struggling with opioid addiction will now be able to access an addiction treatment drug from any physician licensed to prescribe controlled substances, rather than having to seek out doctors with specialized credentials | Medical Xpress, USA
Positive cannabis messages through social media posts connected to teens' intentions to use
Despite laws against advertising cannabis to teens, young people reported in surveys that they still see a lot of positive cannabis messages through social media posts | News Medical, USA
Colorado’s Legal-Psilocybin Plan “Wide Open” as Gov. Appoints Board
Colorado Governor Jared Polis (D) has appointed a committee that’s responsible for studying psychedelic therapy and helping to make it a legal reality. The 15 members of the “Natural Medicine Advisory Board” will help shape the rules for how residents can legally consume psilocybin. The psychedelic remains federally illegal, but there’s evidence it could help to treat mental health symptoms | Filter Magazine, USA
Residential alcohol and drug treatment programs can help reduce youth crime, says study [Australia]
Therapeutic communities could reduce future recidivism in young people with drug and alcohol problems who have a history of criminal convictions | Medical Xpress, USA
First Nations women overrepresented among B.C. toxic drug deaths: doctor
The top doctor at British Columbia's First Nations Health Authority says Indigenous people, especially women, are dying from toxic drugs at disproportionately high rates as the overdose crisis continues “unabated,” nearly seven years after the province first declared a public health emergency | CTV News, Canada
“I tried to get help about my addiction but he just gave me tablets:” male Aboriginal drug and alcohol rehabilitation clients’ experiences and preferences speaking about substance use in primary care
This research highlights opportunities to improve access and to better support Aboriginal males who use substances in PHC. Focus on culturally appropriate PHC and providing staff with training around substance use and treatment options may improve access. It is important to foster culturally appropriate services, develop PHC staff knowledge around substance use, focus on therapeutic relationships and have a range of treatment options available that can be tailored to individual circumstances | BMC Primary Care, Australia
Blogs, comment and opinion
Cheers to getting through Dry January, but a few binge drinkers are our real alcohol problem
In England, just 4% of people consume 30% of the alcohol sold. Harm reduction measures, such as those in Scotland, are essential | Guardian, UK
Scottish Women's Football call time on alcohol sponsorship
In this blog, Vivienne MacLaren talks about SWF's commitment to reject alcohol sponsorship, their partnership with SHAAP and the importance of the Calling Time campaign | SHAAP blog, UK