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Daily news - 12th August 2024 |
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UK news
Number of UK adults who vape reaches record level, report finds
Experts demand fresh focus on harms of nicotine products as number who both smoke and vape doubles | Guardian, UK
UK shortage of drug used to prevent brain damage in alcoholics
Experts say addiction patients are being treated as second-class citizens as ‘essential’ Pabrinex is withdrawn | Guardian, UK
Alkyl nitrites: ACMD exemption consideration
Updated: Updated a reference to research by Measham, McCormack, Simmons and Wignall after it was accepted for publication. Added accessible versions of the documents | ACMD, UK
An investigation into patterns of Alcohol drinking in Scotland after the introduction of minimum unit pricing
[Open access] In Scotland the run-up to the change and the actual change in 2018 to a minimum unit price for alcohol reduced overall drinking and heavy drinking, but only significantly among moderate drinkers, not those drinking at more hazardous levels | PLOS One, UK
The abstemious scientists accused of using ‘flawed’ research to tell you to stop drinking
There is no safe level of alcohol. A single drink a day could shave almost three months off your life. And drinking can boost your cancer risk by 23 per cent. These are the findings of a controversial British scientist whose headline-grabbing research is influencing government policy and drinkers around the world | Telegraph, UK
Hundreds tested for HIV and hepatitis in new scheme
The Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust introduced the Opt-Out routine testing in its emergency department at the Queen's Medical Centre on 30 July. It means anyone aged 16 or over who is having their blood taken - for any reason - will be tested for the blood-borne viruses, unless they choose to opt out | BBC, UK
Liver Diseases: Screening
The Community Liver Health Check programme is delivering Fibroscans and lifestyle advice in the community, from mobile units across many local areas, to identify people at high risk of liver cancer, targeting drug and alcohol service users, homeless people, and people with type 2 diabetes, among others | They work for you, UK
Smoothies and vegan food are the new pre-flight pint for UK holidaymakers
Non-alcoholic beer sales up fivefold in some airports, as gut health products grow in popularity | Guardian, UK
Art as a Catalyst for Recovery: Combating Alcohol-Related Isolation and Loneliness
“Three years ago, I wouldn’t have even gotten on a bus, let alone walked through the grand halls of the National Portrait Gallery,” recalls one participant, whose journey from isolation to empowerment began with a single visit | Museum Next, UK
The coke mob: People are bringing Class A drugs to the far right riots
As three rioters are charged with possession of Class A drugs, Maddy Mussen investigates how cocaine became beloved by the far right | Evening Standard, UK
Man arrested after £1.26m worth of cannabis seized in Tayside
Police said approximately 800 cannabis plants, worth around £480,000 were discovered within premises on Dundee’s Nobel Road on Wednesday | BBC, UK
Prison officer smuggled drugs in juice cartons
Jodie Beer admitted to possession of class A, class B and class C drugs, possession with intent to supply and misconduct as a public officer and was arrested in Parc prison car park in February 2022 | BBC, UK
Internatonal news
Support. Don’t Punish Initiatives programme 2024
The Support. Don’t Punish campaign’s Initiatives Programme awards strategic, creative and collaborative projects to carry out ambitious campaigning and advocacy work-plans | Support. Don't Punish, UK
US drug regulators reject ecstasy for mental health treatment
The US has denied a bid to allow MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy or molly, to be used in the treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was examining the psychedelic drug made by Lykos Therapeutics to treat the mental health disorder in combination with talk therapy | BBC, UK
From Charli xcx to a Team GB golfer, is smoking making a comeback?
Campaigners warn of complacency about effects of habit picked up by celebrities and featuring on fashion catwalks | Guardian, UK
Was the shooting of a nine-year-old girl in Hackney linked to a Europe-wide battle between rival drug gangs?
Fatal clashes between Turkish criminals in the heroin trade are spreading in Europe, an Observer investigation reveals | Guardian, UK
Developers of vapes for migraine, asthma will need to win over sceptics
A handful of North American companies which see potential for vape-like devices to ease migraines and respiratory diseases such as asthma have a long road to convince health authorities and patients that their products can be the future of inhaled medication | Reuters, UK
‘Mind-boggling’: Victorian outreach workers decry double standard for lifesaving overdose drug naloxone
Untrained bystanders can legally administer the opioid-reversal treatment – but frontline staff workers face a legal risk if they do not first call triple zero | Guardian, UK
Two men arrested after €7.2m cocaine seizure
Two men have been arrested following the seizure of an estimated €7.2m (£6.1m) worth of cocaine at Rosslare Europort in County Wexford | BBC, UK
Support services suspended in Clare for families of people with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder
Among the indicators of FASD are ADHD, low body weight, poor co-ordination, poor memory, attention difficulties, difficulties in school, and learning disabilities | Irish Examiner, Ireland
More than €16m worth of cannabis seized at Rosslare port by gardaí
Drugs found with help of Revenue’s X-ray scanner and a detector dog | Irish Times, Ireland
2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) Releases
Conducted annually, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) provides nationally representative data on the use of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs; substance use disorders; mental health issues; and receipt of substance use and mental health treatment among the civilian, noninstitutionalized population aged 12 or older in the United States. Highlights can be found here (PDF) | SAMHSA, USA
YRBS Data Summary & Trends Report
The Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report provides data on health behaviors and experiences of high school students in the United States. Data highlight students' behaviors and experiences in 2023, changes from 2021 to 2023, and 10-year trends. The report includes a focus on substance use | CDC, USA
Best Practices for Effective Adolescent Substance Use Disorder Services
Resource guide co-produced by the US government highlights best practices for treatment of adolescent substance use disorders, from identifying problems to recovery support. Intended to help treatment providers, policymakers, schools, and other relevant services | NASADAD, USA
Psychosocial treatment options for adolescents and young adults with alcohol use disorder: systematic review and meta-analysis
[Open access] Synthesis of evaluations of ‘talking’ therapies in reducing drinking among clients aged 10 to 24 found that at the shortest follow-up (six months) the majority had generated no significant benefits. Most consistently positive were findings on therapies combining motivational and cognitive-behavioural approaches | Frontiers in Public Health, USA
Key factor found in drug-context links, relapse
Most people wouldn't think twice after seeing sugar spilled on a counter. But for someone with a history of cocaine use, this visual cue could trigger powerful associations with their past drug use and a compulsive urge to seek the drug | Medical Xpress, USA
Pilot investigation of an electronic pillbox at a community opioid treatment program
[Open access] Evaluates the acceptability to patients of a take-home electronic pillbox holding up to 28 tablets which can be programmed to dispense one methadone tablet a day, a tactic used by a large US methadone treatment clinic to prevent Covid infection | American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, USA
Cannabis policy bundles and traffic fatalities in the American States over time
[Open access] When the cannabis law changes of US states were classed as permissively allowing recreational use, treating cannabis as a medicine, or the fiscal benefits of legalisation, a surprising result emerged: “Contrary to intuition, greater permissiveness does not relate to [traffic] fatality increases, but greater medicalization does.” | Addiction, USA
Cannabis extracts recalled due to high concentration of THC
Health Canada has published an expanded recall for cannabis extract products sold by iNaturally Organic Inc. due to incorrect values on the products' labels | CTV News, Canada
Safe room
With more people dying from overdoses outside of city centres, advocates say more safe injecting facilities is the solution to lower deaths. But would it work? | abc.net.au, Australia
Blogs, comment and opinion
Adding Up to Success: The Benefits of Our Multiply Programme
At Forward we're thrilled to report that our Multiply programme has been making a real difference in the lives of our learners in East Kent since April 2024. This innovative programme is designed to improve number confidence and provide a range of numeracy skills to help individuals succeed in all areas of life | Forward Trust, UK
People, Places & Things - "Astonishing, I wish the whole world could see it!"
The other week, I saw 'People, Places, and Things' at the Trafalgar Theatre in London. It answered loudly: 'No, it doesn’t bother me. Bring your noise. Here’s mine. Listen.' It was my second time at what is far more than a play—a two-way experience. It’s the closest portrayal I’ve witnessed to being in residential addiction treatment, which is something I have experienced more than several times on my journey to recovery | Action on Addiction, UK
From Illicit to Legal: What Will It Take to Win Over the UK’s Medical Cannabis Users?
A close friend of mine is a medical cannabis patient. He self-medicates for ADHD and uses around 28 grams per month. Whilst playing a game of Warhammer with him last week (yes, I am a geek), I asked him if he had considered becoming a medical cannabis patient. I assured him I know plenty of good clinics and gave him a soft pitch on how it could be a positive experience for him | Volteface, UK
Podcast episode #68: “Recovery-Informed Research and Theory”
Dr. Austin Brown is a recovery scientist currently living in Denmark. With a recovery journey that featured stops at Texas Tech, University of Vermont, Kennesaw State University, and Syracuse University, he’s been engaged with recovery-informed research for the past decade. This episode will give an overview of what recovery research is, key data points, and what’s important for those working with lived experience to know | Recovery Review blog, USA
John Lennon wore contact lenses that kept on pinging out. Then he smoked pot and the rest is history
Lennon realised he could do one thing to keep his contact lenses in. According to an interview with his optometrist... | Conversation, Australia