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Daily news - 30th January 2023 |
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UK news
Toxic slimming pill drug DNP to be declared poison
A highly toxic chemical compound sold illegally in diet pills is to be reclassified as a poison, a government minister has said | BBC, UK
Fabric urges clubgoers to stay safe as “fake ketamine” circulates UK
Fabric has urged clubgoers to stay safe and be wary of a new unknown drug currently circulating UK clubs after several people were hospitalised on Tuesday during an event at the Hammersmith venue | MixMag, UK
Lincolnshire Police: 'Tainted drugs' alert after five people fall ill
Five people who became unwell over the weekend could have taken "tainted drugs", Lincolnshire Police have said. They collapsed or suffered other "adverse effects" after taking what they believed was ketamine or cocaine | BBC, UK
'It saved my life': Rollout of overdose drug urged by campaigners
Naloxone can be administered via nasal spray or syringe to someone who has overdosed on opioids, including heroin, and restores normal breathing. It is routinely carried by police in Scotland but is only being trialled by forces in England | Sky News, UK
Experts warn over vaping packaging
Experts and school leaders are warning bright packaging on vaping products may be targeting young people and those who have never previously vaped | BBC, UK
University: 'Dealing drugs was the only way I could afford degree'
Working multiple jobs alongside his course at Swansea University, Tyler realised he couldn't get the degree he wanted unless something changed. With no family support, the 24-year-old says he thinks more support should be given to those from poorer backgrounds wanting to go to university | BBC, UK
Aspire welcomes Dame Carol Black to Doncaster
Dame Carol Black met representatives from Aspire Drug and Alcohol Service, the NHS, Doncaster Council and Public Health, to see the work being done to help people with substance dependence get the support they need to recover and turn their lives around | Aspire, UK
Cumbria’s community drug and alcohol treatment service rated ‘Good’ across the board by Care Quality Commission
Humankind, in partnership with The Well Communities, is proud to announce that Recovery Steps Cumbria has received a rating of “Good” in all areas from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the independent regulator of health and social care in England | Humankind, UK
New charity partnership to deliver ant--stigma HIV charter for London
Fast-Track Cities London are excited to announce our new charity partners who will deliver London’s first HIV anti-stigma charter, part of our work to tackle stigma and discrimination in the city | Fast Track Cities, UK
Want to pursue an academic career in addiction science?
The SSA is now taking applications for its PhD Studentship and post-doctoral Fellowship schemes – helping to support the next generation of addiction science researchers, and in doing so, broadening and promoting the scientific understanding of addiction | SSA, UK
Updated helpline number - Fam Anon
The FamAnon helpline number is now 0207 498 4680. The helpline is usually staffed 1-4pm and 6-9pm every day. Please remove the old helpline number (0845 1200 660) wherever you are still using it on websites or in leaflets | FamAnon, UK
Drugs, the Media & Law
Tue, 7 February 2023, 18:30 – 21:30 GMT. Perrin Lecture Theater, Blizzard Institute Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry 4 Newark Street London E1 2AT. Are you confused about our drug laws in the UK? You're not alone - it's a mindfield. All too often, we focus on what is illegal, rather than looking at the legal side of drugs. We will unpack the legal mysteries of cannabis, psychedelics and many other drugs, looking at licensing and how they are being using in research | Drug Science, UK
Portsmouth: Driver and docker jailed in £118m cocaine haul trial
A dock worker and a lorry driver accused of being involved in a plot to smuggle £118m of cocaine into the UK will spend years behind bars | BBC, UK
Asylum seekers missing from Hove hotel arrested for drug offences
Three asylum-seekers missing from a hotel in Hove were arrested for drug offences, it has emerged | BBC, UK
Southampton drug gang sentenced to combined 33 years
An investigation in to crime gang that sold cannabis, class A drugs and used antique guns has helped lead to a change in the law. The Southampton group imported drugs from Europe, Canada and the US which were distributed and then the proceeds were converted into Bitcoin | BBC, UK
International news
Why vending machines with a lifesaving drug are growing in the US
Naloxone, an overdose-reversing ‘miracle drug’, can let people with an opioid addiction walk away from a near-death experience within minutes | Guardian, UK
There’s a Wild Scramble for Control of the Dark Web Taking Place in Russia
The closure of the world's biggest single darknet market triggered a battle for succession, involving cyber attacks, PR stunts and even the war in Ukraine. The winner stands to claim a prize worth up to $1.37 billion | VICE, UK
Liquor stores are so 2019. Welcome to the age of the non-alcoholic bottle shop
Los Angeles is leading a national boom in catering to the ‘sober curious’. Lois Beckett gets an inside look at the scene – plus cocktail recipes | Guardian, UK
Alcohol & Cancer - audio
The 4th of February is World Cancer Day Oncologist Professor Janice Walshe joins Ray in studio to talk about the links between alcohol and cancer | RTe radio, Ireland
Italy seeks dialogue with Ireland in wine label row
Italians have not given up on opposing Ireland’s plan to introduce cancer warnings on wine bottles, hoping to switch the Irish government representatives to milder positions by approaching them in Brussels | Euractiv, Belgium
Cannabis 'Harm Reduction' clubs can apply to sell home-grown drug from February
Rules for clubs outlined during convention for cannabis regulation | Times of Malta, Malta
Tobacco harm reduction in Afghanistan: a recipe for improving smokers’ health
[Open access] To effectively promote Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) in Afghanistan and overcome these challenges, it will be necessary to implement THR policies that support THR products for smokers, regulate the market for these products, produce them locally with healthcare professional oversight, conduct more engaging advocacy campaigns, and secure domestic sponsors | Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, USA
FDA says no to regulating CBD products as supplements
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it can't regulate CBD supplements because there isn't enough evidence on their safety. The agency also called on Congress to create new rules for what has become a burgeoning industry | Medical Xpress, USA
Experiencing addiction in one’s family linked with poorer health and greater depression
The consequences of addiction can be emotionally, physically, and psychologically impactful on both the person experiencing it as well as their family and friends. This study used a large-scale general population sample to examine the prevalence of family members with a family history of addiction and its link to their health and depression | Recovery Research Institute, USA
Preventing burnout and improving resilience in hospital-based addiction medicine professionals
Despite the high occurrence of substance-related accidents and illness among hospital patients, most hospital staff receive little substance use disorder training. Addiction consultation services are designed to help fill this need by providing acute care and connecting patients with community resources. Given the high prevalence and complexity of such clinical cases, however, consultation staff are often at risk of burnout. This study asked 26 clinicians working on multidisciplinary addiction consultation teams to identify factors connected with burnout and resilience | Recovery Research Institute, USA
The End of the X-Waiver Is a Chance to Advance Health Equity
On January 12, the federal government announced an important change to drug policy that should enable greatly expanded access to buprenorphine, a crucial opioid use disorder medication. This change could stem the course of our nation’s devastating opioid-involved overdose epidemic. And it’s a step toward redressing policies that have harmed lower–income communities as well as Black, Indigenous and other people of color | Filter Magazine, USA
Naloxone knowledge among a sample of people that regularly consume illicit stimulants in Australia, 2022
The Ecstasy and Related Drugs Reporting System (EDRS) is a national drug monitoring system intended to identify emerging trends of local and national concern in illicit drug markets, and form part of Drug Trends. This bulletin investigates naloxone knowledge among a sample of people that regularly use illicit stimulant drugs recruited from capital cities in Australia in 2022 | NDARC, Australia
Blogs, comment and opinion
Denormalising alcohol industry activities in schools
Children's education and lives should be protected from the harmful influence of commercial interests. Yet the global alcohol industry is actively engaged in the provision of youth education about underage drinking | Lancet comment, UK
What is the effect of alcohol marketing on people with or at risk of an alcohol problem?
In June 2022, Alcohol Focus Scotland and a group of international experts published a report highlighting the high visibility of alcohol marketing in our lives and calling on the Scottish Government to introduce statutory restrictions on how alcohol is marketed in a bid to improve the health of people in Scotland. A literature review on the effect of alcohol marketing on people with or at risk of an alcohol problem was also commissioned to support this work | Alcohol Focus Scotland, UK
Our drug laws are a threat to your human rights
Dr. Rebecca Tidy uncovers a terrifying drugs sting operation that sets a dangerous precedent for your right to a fair trial | Volteface, UK
Are we right to demonise drink?
Doctors should focus more on unhealthy diets than alcohol, says David Roberts. But Dr Sheila Gilheany argues for greater awareness of the risks of drinking | Guardian letters, UK