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Daily news - 6th October 2023 |
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UK news
Will Rishi Sunak's plan to ban smoking in UK work?
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has described his plan to phase out the sale of cigarettes as the "biggest public health intervention in a generation". The policy, if it gets the backing of MPs, will see the age at which people can buy tobacco products - currently 18 - increase by a year each year. It would mean today's 14-year-olds would never be able to purchase a cigarette | BBC, UK
Chris Mason: Rishi Sunak's smoking move gets cross-party backing
For all the arguments about HS2, perhaps Rishi Sunak's announcement on smoking could be the most profound and long-lasting. Labour are not seeking to oppose it. The Welsh and Scottish governments are making positive noises too | BBC, UK
Vaping crackdown could fuel rise in smokers, government admits
In his Conservative conference speech in Manchester Rishi Sunak said the rise of vaping among children was ‘shocking and wrong’ | i news, UK
Understanding people's experiences of the formal health and social care system for co-occurring heavy alcohol use and depression through the lens of relational autonomy: A qualitative study
[Open access] Heavy alcohol use and depression commonly co-occur. However, health and social care services rarely provide coordinated support for these conditions. Using relational autonomy, which recognizes how social and economic contexts and relational support alter people's capacity for agency, this study aimed to (1) explore how people experience formal care provision for co-occurring alcohol use and depression, (2) consider how this context could lead to adverse outcomes for individuals and (3) understand the implications of these experiences for future policy and practice | Addiction, UK
Smoking: Health Services
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) providing additional funding for services that help people stop smoking and (b) using proceeds from the tobacco industry to fund smoking cessation services | They work for you, UK
An exploration of lay discussions about alcohol and pregnancy on Mumsnet
14 November 2023 14:00 - 15:00 GMT. Honest discussions about alcohol use during pregnancy – an exploration of lay discussions on a British online parenting forum | IAS, UK
No and Low Alcohol: The future of drinking?
9 November 2023 19.00-20.30. Online. As drinking rates are declining among parts of the population, the No and Low Alcohol drinks market is expanding in the UK and beyond. Yet little is known about how these products are marketed and used by consumers. This online talk and presentation from the University of York’s Emily Nicholls explores the role that 'NoLos’ (No and Low Alcohol) drinks might play - or might not play - in people’s lives and drinking routines. Nicholls will share findings and examples from her research, followed by opportunities for a Q&A and discussion | Festival of Social Science, UK
Blackpool nurse guilty of drugging patients for 'easy life'
The jury was told she used different drugs, including insomnia medication zopiclone, which can be life-threatening if given inappropriately | BBC, UK
Police raid reveals £200K cannabis factory in Peterborough
Mature plants, 153 seedlings and cannabis buds were found in three rooms of a property in Peterborough in June | BBC, UK
International news
Ban smoking for next generation to ‘keep pace’ with UK and NZ, advocates tell Australian government
Mark Butler says those countries have ‘responded to specific tactics of Big Tobacco’ and Australia will monitor impact of the policies with ‘interest’ | Guardian, UK
Revealing the missing links to climate justice: Drug policy
Policy makers, environmental ministries, NGOs and civil society groups around the world are dedicated to implementing “urgent governance responses” to protect the planet’s largest carbon sinks, mitigate climate change, and head off climate catastrophe. But their efforts will fail as long as those committed to environmental protection neglect to recognise, and grapple with, the elephant in the room. That elephant is the global system of criminalised drug prohibition, popularly known as the ‘war on drugs.’ | IDPC, UK
Why pilots in this country could be banned from wearing perfume
New rules could see pilots flying out of India unable to wear their favourite scent as the country’s aviation regulator looks to ban perfumes. The proposal comes due to concerns over perfume that contains alcohol, which could result in false positives on the pilots’ breathalyser tests | Independent, UK
Specific factors associated with marijuana use among high-risk college students
The past decade has seen a significant increase in marijuana use among U.S. college students. This increase has coincided with notable changes in national and local cannabis laws and policies, and perceptions of the associated drug's risk over the same period | Medical Xpress, USA
Researchers document how surge of cheap, flavored cigars targets young consumers
According to a report, sales of all cigars more than doubled between 2000 and 2021, largely driven by increased sales of smaller cigars, many of which are flavored. The hundreds of flavored cigars make up about half the cigar market, with flavors ranging from fruit punch and grape to "Berry Fusion," "Iced Donut" and "Cherry Dynamite." | Medical Xpress, USA
Pioneering CBD for epilepsy treatment and prevention
The emerging field of medical cannabinoids has experienced a breakthrough in epilepsy and seizure disorders. A team led by D. Samba Reddy, Ph.D., RPh, a Regents Professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics at the Texas A&M University School of Medicine, has made progress in determining efficacy, safety and new applications of cannabinoid therapeutics | Medical Xpress, USA
Psychedelics improve mental health, cognition in special ops veterans
One treatment each of two psychedelic drugs lowered depression and anxiety and improved cognitive functioning in a sample of U.S. special operations forces veterans who sought care at a clinic in Mexico, according to a new analysis of the participants’ charts | Ohio State University, USA
Changes in Cannabis-Attributable Hospitalizations Following Nonmedical Cannabis Legalization in Canada
In this cross-sectional study of 26.9 million individuals in 4 Canadian provinces, rates of cannabis-related hospitalizations declined immediately after legalization during a period of legal market immaturity and later increased during a period of legal market expansion and the COVID-19 pandemic | JAMA Network Open, USA
British Columbia proposes sweeping ban on public use of illegal drugs
The western Canadian province of British Columbia on Thursday proposed a sweeping ban on the public use of illegal drugs, citing the need to help addicts and also keep them away from building entrances and playgrounds | Reuters, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
Sunak is right to phase out cigarettes – but without tackling vapes his public health strategy will go up in smoke
Vaping is simply a sweeter-flavoured path to nicotine addiction – and the longer governments drag their feet, the more children will take it up | Guardian opinion, UK
Rishi Sunak’s crackdown will not stub out share prices of tobacco firms
Even if gradual prohibition works, life-expectancy of sector’s business models won’t be shortened by much | Guardian opinion, UK
Challenge and Change: Rod Anderson
Rod Anderson is Chief Recovery Officer with Recovery Coaching Scotland. Since we began expanding our involvement work, Rod has contributed to several important projects with Alcohol Focus Scotland, helping to ensure that we listen to and amplify the voices of those with lived and living experience. We asked Rod to share why campaigning is important to him | Alcohol Focus Scotland, UK
War on Drugs Drives Environmental Damage Says New Report
The criminalisation of drug production and consumption is driving widespread environmental damage and impeding efforts to stop climate change, a new report from The International Coalition on Drug Policy Reform & Environmental Justice warned today, in advance of the International Drug Policy Reform Conference and less than two months before the UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai | Talking Drugs, UK
Alchemy's Influence on Drugs, Alcohol, and Its Enduring Legacy
Alchemists established the foundational principles for numerous chemical processes. These included the purification of ores, the formulation of gunpowder, the crafting of glass and ceramics, leather tanning techniques, and the creation of vibrant inks, dyes, and paints. However, one of the lesser-known contributions of alchemy is its relationship to drugs and alcohol | Tony D'Agostino, UK