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Daily news - 17th January 2024 |
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UK news
National statistics announcement: Substance misuse treatment for young people: statistics 2022 to 2023
These statistics will be released on 25 January 2024 at 9:30am | OHID, UK
Tobacco and alcohol fuel surprise inflation rise
Tobacco and alcohol prices were up 12.9% in December compared to the month before, with the former rising due to recent tax hikes on the product | BBC, UK
Nitazenes: Misuse
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she has taken with Cabinet colleagues to tackle increases in the use of nitazenes (a) nationally and (b) in the South East England | They work for you, UK
Nitazenes
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he has taken with Cabinet colleagues to tackle the (a) importation, (b) manufacture, (c) sale and (d) distribution of nitazenes | They work for you, UK
Ten-year Drugs Plan
What progress his Department has made on implementing the Government’s 10-year drugs plan “From harm to hope”, published on 6 December 2021 | They work for you, UK
Prisons: Drugs
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the pilot scheme to test wastewater for illegal drug use in prisons launched by his Department in 2021 | They work for you, UK
The immediate impact of e-hookah vaping on vascular health
With the rise of vaping continuing to increase, electronic (e-) hookahs have been advertised as a safer tobacco alternative, but it’s not all it seems | Open Access Government, UK
Drinkaware appoints Dr Paul Hughes as Chair of Independent Advisory Panel
Drinkaware is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Paul Hughes as the new Chair of the Independent Advisory Panel | Drinkaware, UK
Via to provide new drug and alcohol recovery service in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire County Council will fund leading charity Via with £5.8 million per year to provide drug and alcohol treatment services for the county | Via, UK
Drug use in later life - Invitation to participate in research (PDF)
Would you like to take part in a research exploring drug use in later life? Tell your story with an online or over the phone interview in a safe space. It will take 1-2 hours | University of Strathclyde, UK
Ex-drug dealer backs plans to spot modern slavery victims
A man who was groomed by a county lines drugs gang at the age of 13 said being classed as a modern slavery victim saved him from a life in jail | BBC, UK
Wakefield: Thousands of illegal vapes seized during crackdown
More than 5,000 illegal vapes and cigarettes have been seized in an undercover sting targeting shops in the Wakefield area | BBC, UK
International news
Griselda: Colombian drug lord 'Cocaine Godmother' gets Hollywood makeover
"The only man I was ever afraid of was a woman named Griselda Blanco." This is what infamous drug lord Pablo Escobar allegedly once said about the person who created one of the most profitable cartels in history | BBC, UK
Belgium takes over the EU presidency with the motto 'Protect, strengthen, prepare'
This month, Belgium took over the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU with a promise to 'protect our people, strengthen our economy and prepare for our shared future'. Over the next six months, the country will lead work at all levels of the Council, building cooperation, agreement and solidarity between EU Member States | EMCDDA, Portugal
WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030
Progress in reducing tobacco use is a key indicator for measuring countries’ efforts to implement the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control – target 3.a under the Sustainable Development Goals agenda. Countries have adopted this indicator to report progress also towards the tobacco reduction target under the Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases 2013–2020 and the WHO’s Global Programme of Work triple billions target. This report presents WHO estimates of tobacco use prevalence for 2022, numbers of users, and trends projected to 2030. Estimates are at global, regional and country-level | WHO, Switzerland
Ukrainian Parliament unblocks medical cannabis bill
The Ukrainian Parliament has unblocked the signing of the medical cannabis bill, the opposition Holos (Voice) party MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak reported on Telegram on Jan. 16 | New Voice of Ukraine, Ukraine
Positive hormone balance can protect people with alcohol use disorder from problematic alcohol consumption: Study
Researchers from the Central Institute of Mental Health, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Technical University of Dresden have published study results in the American Journal of Psychiatry that provide a better understanding of the relationship between hormones and alcohol consumption | Medical Xpress, USA
Study unveils how cannabis affects brain's feeding center
While it is well known that cannabis can cause the munchies, researchers have now revealed a mechanism in the brain that promotes appetite in a set of animal studies at Washington State University | News Medical, USA
Psilocybin Legalization Ballot Bid Falls Short in California
A California campaign to put psilocybin legalization on the state’s November ballot says it did not secure enough signatures to qualify in time for a January deadline | Filter Magazine, USA
VIDEO: Victorian premier seeks advice on pill testing
Jacinta Allan is seeking advice on whether pill testing should be introduced in Victoria as her government faces increased pressure to prevent drug-related harm | abc.net.au, Australia
Blogs, comment and opinion
What happens to your liver when you quit alcohol
According to Greek mythology, Zeus punished Prometheus for giving fire to humans. He chained Prometheus up and set an eagle to feast on his liver. Each night, the liver grew back and each day, the eagle returned for his feast. In reality, can a liver really grow back? | Conversation, UK
Children of alcohol-dependent parents programme abandoned by government
In February 2022, the government confirmed the total abolishment of its briefly-lived strategy for children of alcohol-dependent parents. A decision made despite children being caught in the national grip of spiralling alcohol deaths and casting a blind eye to 10% year-on-year increase in call numbers to Nacoa, the national charity for children of alcohol-dependent parents | IAS blog, UK
What do we know about adults who combine smoking and at-risk drinking in England?
In this blog, Dr Claire Garnett, Research Fellow at University of Bristol, talks us through her latest study looking at the prevalence and characteristics of adults in England who both smoke and drink alcohol at risky levels, the health impacts and the need for targeted support | AHA blog, UK