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Daily news - 8th February 2023 |
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UK news
Nitrous Oxide: Home Secretary's letter to the ACMD
Information updated with a supplementary letter from Rt Hon Chris Philp MP, the Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire about the ACMD’s updated harms assessment | ACMD, UK
Nicola Sturgeon vows to 'carefully consider' alcohol advertising ban issues in wake of letter from Budweiser, Tennent's and Diageo
Nicola Sturgeon has pledged her Government will "carefully consider" the issues around alcohol advertising after an outcry from the drinks industry | Scotsman, UK
The hostel that gives wine or beer to alcoholics
In the first project of its kind in Scotland, a hostel in Glasgow aims to stabilise alcoholics by giving them alcohol | BBC, UK
Study: Cannabis has same effect on adolescents and adults, and CBD doesn't dampen effects
The short-term effects of vaporized cannabis do not differ between adolescents and adults, while cannabidiol (CBD) does not dampen the effects of the drug, finds a new study led by UCL and King's College London researchers | Medical Express, UK
Dangerous Driving: Death
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of imposing a mandatory lifetime driving ban on people found guilty of having caused death by dangerous driving | They work for you, UK
Litter: Nitrous Oxide
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has taken recent steps to reduce litter caused by the recreational use of nitrous oxide canisters; and if she will make a statement | They work for you, UK
Smoking: Health education
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department and its agencies spent on anti-smoking campaigns in the 12 months prior to November (a) 2021 and (b) 2022 | They work for you, UK
Electronic Cigarettes: Health Education
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to discourage vaping | They work for you, UK
Medicinal cannabis helped get my life back after endometriosis forced me to quit my job
A bad flare-up left former lifeguard Charlie James, 28, bed-bound – but after obtaining medical cannabis privately she’s now returned to the world of work | i news, UK
Warning over fake vaping devices after test in Derby reveals one had three 'poisons'
People in Derby who use disposable vaping devices are being warned that fake or counterfeit ones could harm their health, their children - and the environment | ITV, UK
Talking the tough stuff with teens
Thu, 23 Feb 2023, 20:00 GMT. Online Q&A with Anita Cleare and Fiona Spargo-Mabbs OBE on how parents can talk to teenagers about tough topics | Positive Parenting Project, UK
International news
Prescribing MDMA and psilocybin: who will get the drugs and how will they help?
Explainer: doctors say the drugs can help patients work through psychotherapy for PTSD – a condition that will affect one in five people in their lifetimes | Guardian, UK
New Zealand intercepts 3.2 tonnes of cocaine worth $500m floating in Pacific Ocean
Authorities say the haul, which is the largest seizure of illicit drugs made by the country’s law enforcement, was destined for Australia | Guardian, UK
Indigenous Australian senators speak out about alcohol abuse in the Northern Territory – video
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, a Country Liberal party senator for the Northern Territory, introduced a bill to reinstate intervention-era alcohol restrictions with a moving speech about how alcohol abuse had affected her community | Guardian, UK
‘War on cigarette butts’: Coalition plan to reduce pollution ‘never existed’, Tanya Plibersek says
Up to 9bn plastic cigarette butts are discarded and washed into waterways in Australia each year | Guardian, UK
€200,000 Funding For Dedicated Crack Cocaine Response in Limerick
A new dedicated service that seeks to reduce harm caused by crack cocaine use is to be established in Limerick City. This new initiative is supported through the provision of €200,000 in funding from the HSE, through its Mid West Drug and Alcohol Service, in conjunction with the Mid West Regional Drug and Alcohol Forum (MWRDAF). The service will be operational in April 2023 | Ana Liffey Drug Project, Ireland
Port of Antwerp welcomes officials following continued rise in cocaine seizures
European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson is visiting the Port of Antwerp today, following the continued rise in the quantity of cocaine seized at the port. The Commissioner will be accompanied by Belgian Minister of the Interior Annelies Verlinden, EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel and Europol Executive Director Catherine De Bolle. In recent years, Belgium has become the country seizing the largest quantities of cocaine in the EU | EMCDDA, Portugal
Changes in Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Dementia in a Nationwide Cohort in South Korea
In this cohort study of 3 933 382 individuals in Korea, maintaining mild to moderate alcohol consumption was associated with a decreased risk of dementia compared with sustained nondrinking, whereas sustained heavy drinking of alcohol was associated with an increased risk of dementia. Reduction of drinking from a heavy to a moderate level and initiation of mild drinking were associated with a decreased risk of dementia compared with a sustained level of drinking | JAMA Network Open, USA
To brighten up or lightin’ up: The link between depression and adolescent nicotine use
Approximately one out of every six high school students in the United States report current tobacco use. Hence school-based nicotine cessation and prevention programs are of vital importance. However, when designing these programs we need to understand the factors that might push adolescents towards smoking in the first place. This week, ASHES reviews a study by Lauren Gorfinkel and colleagues that examined the relationship between depression and nicotine use | BASIS, USA
Lawmakers ask Biden to add drug czar to Cabinet
A group of congressional lawmakers on Thursday called on President Biden to reinstate the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to a Cabinet-level position in order to better address the overdose epidemic in the U.S. | The Hill, USA
Why the Cannabis-and-Guns Question Has Judges “All Over the Place”
On February 3, a federal court ruled that a federal statute preventing people who use cannabis from owning guns violates the Second Amendment. The ruling reflects legal upheaval following a deeply controversial Supreme Court decision last year | Filter Magazine, USA
Factors associated with sharing equipment among people who inject drugs: The role of community attachment in harm reduction and health promotion
Sharing injecting equipment is a major route of transmission for blood borne viruses such as hepatitis C and HIV. Although needle and syringe programs are widely available throughout metropolitan Australia, rates of sharing equipment have not significantly changed in recent years. This study aimed to identify factors associated with recent equipment sharing among people who inject drugs in Australia | DAR, Australia
Limited evidence that cannabis ‘hangover’ blunts performance
The first systematic review examining the phenomenon of a 'next day' hangover caused by cannabis has found scant evidence impairment exists hours after consumption | University of Sydney, Australia
Blogs, comment and opinion
Changing the Conversation About Alcohol: A New Partnership Will Leverage Policy to Tackle Alcohol-Related Harms
The alcohol we see marketed on billboards, social media and television pushes the narrative that drinking is fun, glamorous and celebratory. Yet the truth about alcohol is a far cry from the image the industry conveys. Alcohol consumption affects a range of health, social and economic factors and is among the top 10 drivers of death worldwide | IAS blog, UK
How do we improve access to medical cannabis in the UK?
Paul North, Director of Volteface speaks to Arjun Rajyagor, CTO and Founder of Script Assist about how to improve cannabis prescribing for Volteface TV | Volteface, UK
The Trip Report 07/02/2023
Through the work of organisations such as WEDINOS, The Loop, and SaferParty, we know a little more about the drugs in circulation. The report provided below is a summary of their findings over the last few weeks | Cameron Scally, UK
A moment that changed me: a stranger told me of his alcohol problem – and I realised I had one too
When he described his recent sobriety, my wall of denial crumbled. The next day I asked him to take me to a 12-step meeting | Guardian, UK
Dashing together to raise awareness for Alcohol Change UK
When Paul McIntyre, the organiser of a monthly 5k in Nantwich, joined forces with Sarah Horton, one of Alcohol Change UK’s amazing new Community Champion’s, there was only ever going to be one winner…..Alcohol Change UK | Alcohol Change UK, UK
Biden should close the disposable e-cigarette loophole
Last year, California voters supported Proposition 31, a ballot referendum banning the sale of flavored tobacco products in California | The Hill opinion, USA
A Snapshot of Drug Advertising Laws in the USA: Impact on Consumer Protection and Health
Traditional drug advertisements involve drug ads and promotional material targeted at healthcare professionals to increase clinician knowledge of advancement in treatment options. On the other hand, direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) is pharmaceutical advertising directed at patients to increase their awareness of available drugs and treatment options | Points blog, USA