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Daily news - 23rd April 2024

UK news

Alcohol-specific deaths in the UK: registered in 2022

Deaths caused by diseases known to be a direct consequence of alcohol, by age, sex, and region. In 2022, there were 10,048 deaths (16.6 per 100,000 people) from alcohol-specific causes registered in the UK, the highest number on record | ONS, UK

Heavier drinking during Covid led to 2,500 more deaths from alcohol in 2022 – ONS

Official UK figures show 33% jump in deaths from alcohol-specific causes from 2019 – the highest since records began in 2001 | Guardian, UK

Scotland's alcohol deaths worst in UK as rates hit record high

Scotland remains the worst performing nation as alcohol-specific deaths increased across the UK | STV News, UK

Synthetic opioids previously linked to UK deaths are being ‘advertised for sale on social media’

Suppliers boast to undercover reporters about promoting illegal nitazenes, on SoundCloud and X | Guardian, UK

Cigarette prices motivating more quit attempts, study says

The rising price of cigarettes is motivating more people - one in four adults in England - to give up smoking, research suggests | BBC, UK

[Open access] In this first national effectiveness study of AUD in the English public treatment system for alcohol-use disorders, 59% of patients successfully completed treatment within 12 months and did not represent for more treatment within six months. Longer duration of treatment and provision of structured continuing care is associated with better treatment outcomes | JSAT, UK

Psychedelic drugs to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

How is PTSD treated, how successful are current treatments and what is the potential role for psychedelic-assisted therapy? | UK Parliament, UK

'I’ve sold my house to pay for my daughter’s medical cannabis'

The NHS still rarely prescribes legal cannabis saying there has not been enough concrete research into the area to justify expanding what it offers, ITV News Reporter Sam Holder reports | ITV, UK

Drugs Wheel: UK legal status version 2.2.0 (PDF)

Updated UK version of the main Drugs Wheel | Mark Adley and Guy Jones, UK

Drugs Wheel: NPS/Established version 1.1.0 (PDF)

Updated UK versions of the NPS Drugs Wheel | Mark Adley and Guy Jones, UK

Police Ombudsman to deliver report into PSNI handling of woman's drug death

Jasmin Duddy was 21 when she died after taking pregabalin at a house in the Galliagh area of Derry last year | Belfast Live, UK

Shop name encourages child vaping - councillor

A local councillor said the new sign on a Lincolnshire shop would "encourage" children to vape | BBC, UK

British passengers on Turkey flight drink the plane dry in under half an hour

The passengers were described as ‘hedonistic’ by the airline | Independent, UK

International news

Experts warn of influx of synthetic opioids amid calls for second Melbourne injecting room

Use of deadly nitazines is on the rise in Australia and a suite of measures is needed to prevent more fatalities, former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark says | Guardian, UK

Belgian man whose body makes its own alcohol cleared of drunk-driving

Bruges court heard how defendant had condition called auto-brewery syndrome sometimes brought on by intestinal problems | Guardian, UK

The rise of booze-free backpacking: why gen Z are choosing to travel sober

As more young travellers opt for morning yoga over late-night parties, tour companies are shifting their focus away from alcohol-fuelled activities | Guardian, UK

Psychosis team in Cork sees significant decrease in number of people using drugs and alcohol

It’s hoped that the RISE model can be replicated by other psychosis teams around the country | Journal, Ireland

Few young adults could administer naloxone to reverse fentanyl

Even though fentanyl-linked fatal overdoses are soaring among young adults, a new survey of American college students found that just 1 in 7 knew how to administer the overdose antidote drug naloxone | Medical Xpress, USA

The North American overdose crisis has continued at unprecedented rates with more than 100,000 overdose deaths occurring in the United States (US) in 2022. Overdose deaths have increasingly been polysubstance-involved, with novel substances (e.g., xylazine) complicating overdose risk and health outcomes. Understanding the effects of—and responses to—a changing drug supply among people who use drugs is critical to modifying harm reduction strategies to be more responsive to people's needs | IJDP, USA

Blogs, comment and opinion

WithYou responds to ONS annual report on alcohol-specific deaths

Simon Phillips, Chief Executive at WithYou, says: “This report will be difficult reading for anyone who has lost a loved one to alcohol. These numbers represent a life cut short and an individual tragedy for their families and friends. My thoughts are with anyone affected... | With You, UK

John Humphrys - Smoking: Bring on the Nanny State?

Tonsilitis probably saved my life. I was one of those little kids who got it at least once a year and it didn’t stop when I grew up. By the time I reached my twenties it was so painful and so frequent my doctor said I’d have to have my tonsils removed. So I did. It was the first and only operation I ever had and, of course, it worked. No tonsils equals no tonsilitis | YouGov, UK

Cannabis legalization has led to a boom in potent forms of the drug that present new hazards for adolescents

Eventually, most adults reach a point where we realize we are out of touch with those much younger than us | Conversation, USA

The UK plans to phase out smoking. What does this new law mean for tobacco control in Australia?

There are no silver bullets, magic tricks or secret hacks to solving complex public health problems. Taking on the global tobacco industry and reducing the devastating consequences of smoking has taken decades of incremental reforms | Conversation, Australia

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