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Daily news - 28th June 2023 |
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UK news
National drug and alcohol treatment waiting times
This release by Public Health Scotland (PHS) reports on waiting times for people accessing specialist drug and alcohol treatment services between 1 January and 31 March 2023. In 2011, the Scottish Government set a Standard that 90% of people referred for help with problematic drug or alcohol use will wait no longer than three weeks for specialist treatment that supports their recovery | Public Health Scotland, UK
Interim monitoring report on statutory funded residential rehabilitation placements - Placements approved by Alcohol and Drug Partnerships between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2023
This is the seventh report on Residential Rehabilitation within the Monitoring and Evaluation Programme largest led by Public Health Scotland. The report presents information on the number of Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP) statutory funded placements into residential rehabilitation, with estimated costs, that were approved between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2023 | Public Health Scotland, UK
Drug and alcohol information system (DAISy) - Overview of initial assessments for specialist drug and alcohol treatment 2021/22 and 2022/23
This release by Public Health Scotland (PHS) reports on people presenting initial assessment for specialist drug and alcohol treatment services in Scotland during 2021/22 and 2022/23 | Public Health Scotland, UK
National naloxone programme Scotland - Quarterly monitoring bulletin
This release by Public Health Scotland (PHS) presents information on the number of take-home naloxone kits issued by the National Naloxone Programme (NNP) in Scotland. Figures are presented separately for kits issued from community outlets, kits issued in prisons at the point of liberation, kits dispensed via community prescription, and kits issued by Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) | Public Health Scotland, UK
Boots to close 300 UK pharmacies over the next year
The company behind Boots the Chemist is to close 300 of its branches throughout the UK over the next 12 months. The US-owners of the pharmacy chain said they will shut down stores in close proximity to each other as part of plans to "consolidate" the business | BBC, UK
Minimum unit pricing has had positive impact but not for poor alcoholics – study
Minimum unit pricing (MUP) has reduced alcohol deaths by 13.4% since its introduction despite limited evidence of reducing consumption among low income alcoholics, a report has said | Independent, UK
How much nicotine is in a cigarette compared to a vape?
Many people are still unsure how e-cigarettes compare with smoking in terms of nicotine – we break it down | Guardian, UK
Statement from Shropshire Council: Increase in hospitalisations of CYP related to ketamine use
Families and professionals who work with young people are being asked to start supportive conversations with young people following a rapid increase in those admitted to hospital after using class B drug, ketamine | Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, UK
Jack Rivers from the charity, Humankind, talks Pride Month and the work they do - audio
Humankind works with the LGBTQ+ community across the North East | BBC Sounds, UK
Prof Nutt awarded the Outstanding Contribution Award by the BAP
In 1989, David Nutt accepted the BAP Council’s invitation to become the Managing Editor of their flagship publication, the Journal of Psychopharmacology (JoP). The first edition of JoP in 1987 had been published by Oxford University Press (OUP). However, the Journal subsequently faltered because of problems with OUP and a lack of submissions. As soon as David took over, he energetically began restructuring JoP, widening its range of articles, appointing an American Editor and improving the quality of the printed edition | Drug Science, UK
Sutton Coldfield dealer jailed after disguising drugs as sweets
A dealer who disguised drugs as sweets, chocolate and crisps has been jailed for seven and a half years | BBC, UK
Father and son among eight jailed over York drugs racket
Eight men, led by a father and son, have been jailed for their part in a large-scale drug-dealing operation | BBC, UK
Sports Direct bag found with £1m worth of drugs
A man has been caught with more than £1m worth of amphetamines in a Sports Direct bag in his car boot | BBC, UK
International news
French get tough on cannabis... with £2,000 on-the-spot fines for smokers in bid to tackle drug-related gang violence
Police are being given 5,000 portable card machines to force people in possession of the drug who do not have cash to instantly pay a penalty, starting at £130 for a first time offence | Mail Online, UK
Drinks giant Diageo ends 'broken' Diddy partnership
British drinks giant Diageo has ended its partnership with Sean Combs, known as Diddy, after the rapper sued the firm, accusing it of neglecting his tequila brand due to his race | BBC, UK
CIA experiments, Mormon ravers and reformed racists: the untold history of MDMA
A new book, I Feel Love, explores the rollicking history of the 90s club drug turned 21st-century therapeutic treatment | Guardian, UK
Elon Musk ‘microdoses ketamine to manage depression’
Entrepreneur said to take substance to manage depression, according to Wall Street Journal | Evening Stanadard, UK
Paris 2024 Olympics: Alcohol sales not allowed inside stadiums after no exemptions sought
Fans at next summer's Paris Olympics will not be able to buy alcohol inside stadiums after organisers decided not to seek an exemption to 'Evin's Law'. | BBC, UK
Published submissions to the Citizens' Assembly on Drug Use
Citywide Drugs Crisis Campaign, Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre, and the Ana Liffey Drug Project have published submissions to the Citizens' Assembly on Drug Use | HRB National Drugs Library, Ireland
Drug trends and deaths examined ahead of injection facility for Cork City
HSE has engaged health experts at UCC to conduct the research following the visit in May of a multi-agency delegation from Cork to supervised injection facilities in Lisbon | Irish Examiner, Ireland
Nurse prescribing practices across the globe for medication-assisted treatment of the opioid use disorder (MOUD): a scoping review
[Open access] Nurse prescribers have the potential to enhance both access and treatment outcomes. Nurse prescribing practices do, however, vary greatly internationally. The aim of this scoping review is to explore nurse prescribing practices for MOUD globally with a view to informing equitable access and policies for people seeking MOUD | Harm Reduction Journal, USA
Easier access to opioid painkillers may reduce opioid-related deaths
"When access to prescription opioids is heavily restricted, people will seek out opioids that are unregulated," said Grant Victor, an assistant professor in the Rutgers School of Social Work and lead author of the study | Medical Xpress, USA
Notes from the Field: E-Cigarette–Associated Cases Reported to Poison Centers — United States, April 1, 2022–March 31, 2023
E-cigarette–associated cases reported to U.S. poison centers have fluctuated during the past decade, increasing during 2010–2014, and then decreasing during 2015–2017. To understand the number and characteristics of e-cigarette exposure cases in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) analyzed National Poison Data System data from the most recently available 12-month period (April 1, 2022–March 31, 2023). FDA’s analyses report a further increase in the number of e-cigarette exposure cases, particularly among children aged <5 years | CDC, USA
ASHES, Vol. 19(7) – Tobacco treatment in substance use disorder peer recovery coaching
Peer recovery coaches (PRCs) are people in recovery who provide non-clinical coaching and support to peers who are seeking to initiate and maintain recovery from a substance use disorder (i.e., recoverees). PRCs are in a unique position to address smoking among individuals in addiction treatment, who experience higher smoking rates compared to the general population. This week, ASHES reviews a study by Joanna M. Streck and colleagues that examined how PRCs view and practice tobacco treatment in substance use disorder recovery coaching | BASIS, USA
Should cannabis shops have to hide pot from store windows? Regular considers changing rules
Industry members say the opaque windows make things unsafe for employees | CBC News, Canada
Sydney’s First Cannabis Dispensary Isn’t Far Away
The medicinal cannabis market is booming, but getting dispensaries open is still a slog | VICE, Australia
Vaping a gateway to smoking for non-smokers, research shows
While vaping provides a pathway to help smokers wanting to quit, for non-smokers it may be the first step on a pathway to taking up smoking, a new study has shown | University of Otago, New Zealand
Blogs, comment and opinion
The public is more informed than politicians when it comes to drug reform”: how the green party are boldly making the case for progressive drug policy reform
Are the Green Party the answer to our drug policy reform problems? Matt Rees explores... | Voltface, UK
Making Forward a Place for Everyone
Forward’s Inclusion Co-Ordinator Darren on recovery, support for LGBT+ people and the importance of feeling included | Forward Trust blog, UK
I used to drink as an escape. To quit, I thought of sobriety as an adventure
At first it was uncomfortable and foreign, like asking for directions overseas. But now I feel at home when socialising sober | Guardian, UK
“During the night to escape all eyes”: Underground Harm Reduction in Burundi
Burundi has historically lacked any protection of the rights of people who use drugs. So much so, in fact, that when the Burundi Network of People who Use Drugs was set up, they were contacted by government agents to change their name to the Burundi Association of People who Used People (BAPUD), as they are now known, to ensure they’re seen as dissuading people from using drugs | Talking Drugs, UK
My take-home messages from the GFN 23 conference
This blog summarises nine key take-away messages from the conference and why I am optimistic about the future | Colin Mendelsohn, Australia