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Daily news - 3rd July 2023 |
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UK news
ACMD advice on NHS England electronic prescribing proposal
The ACMD has considered a proposal from NHS England regarding a proposed change to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 to permit the electronic prescribing of Schedule 2 and 3 controlled drugs in secondary care and health and justice settings | ACMD, UK
Schools encouraged to participate in NHS survey on smoking, drinking and drug use
Secondary schools across England are being invited to take part in the latest edition of a statistical survey measuring the use of alcohol, nicotine and drugs by young people | NHS Digital, UK
Youth Vaping Inquiry - audio
Commons Health and Social Care Committee session on the increasing use of e-cigarettes by children, Wednesday 28 June | BBC, UK
Scottish Conservative leader “inspired” by Salvation Army
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross visited a Salvation Army support service in Edinburgh as part of his campaign to tackle drug addiction | Salvation Army, UK
Homeless World Cup: Football 'changed my life' after drugs
A man from Londonderry, who is one of eight representing Northern Ireland at the Homeless World Cup in the United States, has said football changed his life for the good | BBC, UK
‘I knew the terror of lost time’: how my father’s dementia echoed my own alcoholism – podcast
When my father began to forget words, and then basic skills, I sensed his fear. After my own alcoholic blackouts, I understood what he was going through | Guardian, UK
Mum of Glasgow man who overdosed in homeless hotel demands enquiry into accommodation
Linda McVean is demanding an enquiry into the deaths at homeless hostels in Glasgow following the death of her 30-year-old son Frankie from a street Valium overdose | Glasgow Live, UK
NHS England head urges football clubs to consider gambling ad impact
Football clubs should think about the impact on fans when accepting sponsorships from gambling firms, the head of NHS England has said | BBC, UK
International news
Australia legalises psychedelics for mental health
Australia has become the first country in the world to legalise the use of psychedelics to treat some mental health conditions. Approved psychiatrists can now prescribe MDMA to those suffering post-traumatic stress disorder and magic mushrooms for some types of depression | BBC, UK
MDMA: Australia begins world-first psychedelic therapy
Earlier this year, researchers raised eyebrows when Australia's traditionally conservative medicines regulator approved the use of psychedelics to assist therapy sessions | BBC, UK
‘Like an A380 going down every year’: Victorian drugs campaigner laments a political culture costing lives
Veteran advocate says drug reform is much needed – but governments fear being ‘crucified’ by media and political opponents | Guardian, UK
How the Taliban launched the most ‘most successful counter-narcotics effort in human history’
[Possible paywall] Experts are divided on the consequences of the nationwide ban on poppy production | Telegraph, UK
Pilot interventions planned to tackle grooming of children into drugs trade
Cross-departmental discussion is underway to identify common risk factors among young people, and areas where interventions could be made | Irish Examiner, Ireland
New legislation grants Europe stronger powers to tackle current and future drug problems
New legislation published [on Friday] grants Europe stronger powers to tackle current and future drug problems. The new Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council, revises the mandate of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), in order to keep pace with an ever more complex and rapidly changing drug phenomenon | EMCDDA, Portugal
Xylazine Comes to Estonia: Risks and Responses
Xylazine, a non-opioid sedative substance, complicates the overdose crisis not only in North America but in Estonia as well. A report with pragmatic recommendations to people who use drugs by Mart Kalvet from LUNEST| Drug Reporter, Hungary
DrugNet Europe - June
Latest edition of the monthly drug policy news round-up published by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction | EMCDDA, Portugal
U.S. E-cigarette Sales Climbed during 2020-2022
A study released [Last week] found that overall e-cigarette monthly unit sales increased by 46.6%—from 15.5 million units in January of 2020, to 22.7 million units in December of 2022. During this study period, the number of brands increased by 46.2%, from 184 to 269 brands. Prefilled devices decreased, while disposable devices increased; and sales of youth-appealing flavors—such as fruit, candy, and desserts—increased | CDC, USA
Use of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems or Cigarette Smoking After US Food and Drug Administration–Prioritized Enforcement Against Fruit-Flavored Cartridges
This nationally representative US cohort study found a significant decrease in fruit-flavored cartridge ENDS use among adults in 2020; no differences were found in cigarette cessation or relapse rates between those who used ENDS that were vs were not targeted by the CTP | JAMA Network Open, USA
Impact of safer supply programs on injection practices: client and provider experiences in Ontario, Canada
Fentanyl has contributed to a sharp rise in the toxicity of the unregulated drug supply and fatal overdoses in Canada. It has also changed injection practices. Injection frequency has increased as a result and so has equipment sharing and health-related risks. The aim of this analysis was to explore the impact of safer supply programs on injection practices from the perspective of clients and providers in Ontario, Canada | Harm Reduction Journal, USA
“Criminalization Causes the Stigma”: Perspectives From People Who Use Drugs
[Open access] In light of North America's persisting drug toxicity crisis, alternative drug policy approaches such as decriminalization, legalization, regulation, and safer supply have increasingly come to the forefront of drug policy discourse. The views of people who use drugs toward drug policy and drug law reform in the Canadian context are essential, yet largely missing from the conversation. The aim of this study was to capture the opinions, ideas, and attitudes of people who use drugs toward Canadian drug laws and potential future alternatives | CDP, USA
The Man Who Opened a Store Selling Heroin and Cocaine Has Died From an Overdose
Jerry Martin, 51, opened the store in Vancouver because he wanted to give people access to clean drugs and challenge Canadian drug laws | VICE, USA
Decriminalise drugs at the federal level, inquiry hears
The federal government is facing calls to decriminalise drug possession as experts warn hospitalisations and deaths are on the rise. Representatives from research centres fronted a parliamentary inquiry into law enforcement dealing with illicit drug use on Thursday | Canberra Times, Australia
‘Man-made disaster’: Doctors, pharmacists sound alarm on ‘rushed’ new opioid program
The federal government has introduced changes, which came into effect yesterday, to the Opioid Dependence Treatment Program making the medicines available for the first time under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. More than 50,000 Australians with opioid dependence and a Medicare card will now only pay $30 – or $7.30 with a concession card – for up to 28 days of supply in a move that has been widely praised by the health sector | Sydney Morning Herald, Australia
Blogs, comment and opinion
What is happening with Children's prescriptions for medical cannabis in the UK?
With one of the two prescribers in the UK set to retire at the end of July, up to 20 children face losing access to their medical cannabis prescriptions | Volteface, UK
‘Choose drugs?’ 30 years after he wrote Trainspotting, Irvine Welsh says life is tougher now
The book was a stark warning about heroin use. But its author believes the message has changed | Guardian, UK
Scotland's Minimum Pricing Policy Falls Short of Expectations
Public Health Scotland's claims challenged as evaluation reveals underwhelming outcomes and conflicting findings | Off Topic Scotland, UK
Smoking is back and it’s still cool (and deadly)
Celebs are lighting up, kids are huddling outside at parties... If we needed a sign that the era of wellness is over, this is it | Guardian, UK
Editorial: Why Mayor Bass’ proposal for L.A. city drug treatment funding makes sense
Most of the roughly 1,000 homeless people who died in Los Angeles last year succumbed to overdose. Although only a minority of the people living on L.A.’s streets and sidewalks have a drug problem, and although lack of affordable housing is the largest driver of homelessness, substance use disorder is a significant presence on the street | LA Times opinion, USA
After 52 Years, It Is Time To Retire the War on Drugs — We Have Better Options
Drug-related mortality has risen fivefold over the past two decades. Last year alone, the United States lost nearly 110,000 people to this preventable public health crisis. As we mark 52 years since President Richard Nixon declared war on drugs, these numbers are a stark reminder that we need new drug policy to effectively respond to this crisis | Messenger opinion, USA
We can reduce drug-related harm to those in prison — so why the inequity of health care?
There is an erroneous belief that people who are incarcerated don’t inject drugs in prison. In fact, people who inject drugs in the community are just as likely to inject in prison, with some people turning to drug use in prison as a way to pass the time or cope with their surroundings | abc.net.au opinion, Australia