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Daily news - 18th January 2024 |
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UK news
People buying opioids and sedatives online face deadly fakes, expert warns
National Crime Agency reveals 65 people have died from taking nitazenes, which are up to 100 times stronger than heroin | Guardian, UK
E-cigarettes help pregnant smokers quit without risks to pregnancy
A new analysis of trial data on pregnant smokers, led by researchers at Queen Mary University of London, finds that the regular use of nicotine replacement products during pregnancy is not associated with adverse pregnancy events or poor pregnancy outcomes [See also Expert Reaction in Blogs section below] | QMUL, UK
Illegal Vapes - parliamentary debate
Peter Gibson: I am pleased to have secured this debate, in order to highlight my concerns about the use and sale of illegal vapes. As a country, we should be pleased with the progress that we have made in reducing smoking, with smoking rates falling to their lowest since records began; now, only 12.9% of the population smoke. In some part, this progress is down to the wide array of nicotine replacements ... | They work for you, UK
Clause 15 - Testing of persons in police detention for presence of controlled drugs
Chris Philp: This series of Government amendments and associated clauses expands the police powers to drug test on arrest to include locations outside of custody. That includes introducing a new police power into part 3 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 to drug test persons on arrest at a location outside of the custody suite when certain conditions have been met. It also amends part 3 of the Drugs Act 2005 to provide the police with a power to require people who test positive to attend an initial assessment—and, when appropriate, a follow-up assessment—in respect of their drug misuse | They work for you, UK
Debate on the 10th Conference of Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
A Westminster Hall debate is scheduled for 18th January on the 10th Conference of Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The subject for the debate has been chosen by the Backbench Business Committee. A research briefing (PDF) has been published for the debate | UK Parliament, UK
Portman Group launches first industry wide Alcohol Alternatives Guidance for packaging and marketing
[Yesterday], the Portman Group launched the first industry wide and freely available Alcohol Alternatives Guidance for packaging and marketing to help producers ensure alcohol alternative products are marketed and sold responsibly to consumers. The Portman Group’s Advisory Service will now also offer free, confidential advice to producers launching products in the category and low cost training to the industry will also be available. The full guidance can be read here and the quick read here | Portman Group, UK
Drug charity gets millions in funding to support addict recovery
A London charity has won a council contract worth £5.8m a year to deliver drug and alcohol addict recovery services in Gloucestershire. Via will be based in Cheltenham and Stroud from April, as well as bringing the UK's first women's detox service to the area with The Nelson Trust | BBC, UK
After 20 years of operation, Turning Point Scotland have made the tough call to close 218 service in February 2024
This innovative service opened its doors in December 2003 with the intention of offering women a “time out” of their normal, usually challenging circumstances – without resorting to a custodial sentence – where they could explore and address the causes of their offending behaviour. For 20 years, 218 has delivered a significant service providing options to improve the outcomes for women involved in the justice system and to address the root causes of their offending | Turning Point Scotland, UK
Psilocybin for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder with Sorcha O'Connor - podcast
In the last episode of your live series, David meets with Sorcha as she explains her ongoing research into using low dose psilocybin in treating OCD. She discusses the pre-existing treatment paradigms for OCD and highlights the potential benefits of Psilocybin assisted psychotherapy in future treatment. She overviews her current study and the theories behind it | Drug Science, UK
Prison officer wins payout over exposure to inmates' drugs
Prison bosses have paid compensation to a warden who was left hallucinating and became violent after inhaling drugs which were being taken by inmates | BBC, UK
Coalville: Truck stop granted alcohol licence despite concerns
A truck stop in Leicestershire has been given permission to sell alcohol despite fears it could lead to crime and disorder | BBC, UK
International news
Antwerp drugs: Record seizures at Europe's 'cocaine capital' port
The port city has become Europe's main gateway for the drug shipped from South America | BBC, UK
Spain shaman arrests: Police say group sold psychoactive drugs to members
Spanish police have arrested 18 people alleged to be involved in a shamanic organisation that sold hallucinogenic drugs to its members | BBC, UK
Amid a national shortage, the US Adderall black market is booming
With pharmacies unable to fill prescriptions, many ADHD patients are turning to Craigslist to buy illicit pills online | Guardian, UK
Cost of responding to MDMA overdoses rises with hundreds hospitalised in Victoria each year
Average per patient cost has increased by more than $1,500 compared to pre-pandemic years, new analysis shows | Guardian, UK
Addiction charity welcomes comments on decriminalising addiction amid warnings against ‘unintended consequences’
Ana Liffey chief executive Tony Duffin welcomed the Minister’s comments to the Irish Independent that people caught with a small amount of drugs should not end up in the criminal justice system | Irish Independent, Ireland
Czech Republic Unveils Cannabis Legalization Plan Without Legal Market
The Czech Republic has disclosed its plan to legalize adult-use cannabis, but it seems there is no room for the establishment of a legal market | Forbes, USA
Germany’s Cannabis Legalization Plan Faces Criticism Within Government
The bill to legalize adult-use cannabis for personal use in Germany is facing criticism from part of the coalition government | Independent, UK
Outpouring of Solidarity as BC Prosecutors Push Back DULF Case
Two co-founders of a Vancouver compassion club have yet to face formal charges as the date of what was supposed to be their first court appearance passed | Filter Magazine, USA
Zombie Drug Rumored To Contain Human Bones Killing a Dozen Every Week
"I am highly skeptical about the idea that human bones are used to make kush as there is nothing in human bones that would be intoxicating even if they belonged to individuals who had used drugs like kush," Hamilton said. "I suspect this has been started as a rumor that has spread widely without any evidence to support it." | Newsweek, USA
Ketamine fueled actor Matthew Perry's death, but new study says it may help others
Ketamine has been in the headlines recently, implicated in the high-profile death of "Friends" actor Matthew Perry in October. But can the powerful drug also be helpful to those suffering from opioid addiction? | Medical Xpress, USA
'It Starts Bombing You in the Head': The Mystery of the Super Strong 'Creepy' Weed
The so-called “creepy”—referenced in music by everyone from Bad Bunny to Pablo Chill-E—has been found from Chile to Costa Rica. But what is inside the potentially toxic weed that seems to be everywhere in Latin America? | VICE, USA
States With The Most And Least E-Cigarette Use In 2024
Smoking remains a habit some Americans just can’t kick, with 5.8% of adults turning to the modern allure of e-cigarettes, according to a new Forbes Advisor study | Forbes Advisor, USA
The fallacy of the local bar: Do individuals opt to travel farther than the neighborhood watering hole?
Individuals travel beyond their residential neighborhood and area of work to bars, but tend to travel to liquor stores closer to home, according to a new study at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and the Monash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine | Medical Xpress, USA
New survey: how to best support young people who vape
ACT Greens spokesperson for Young People, Laura Nuttall MLA, has launched a new survey to better understand young people's vaping habits across the ACT and consider better access to support services | Mirage News, Australia
Australians to pay up to $150 for a prescription vape under new crackdown
Australians are set to fork out a whole lot more for vaping under tough new laws | news.com.au, Australia
Blogs, comment and opinion
Women and Alcohol
The recent reports on alcohol-related deaths in the UK paint a bleak and alarming picture, highlighting a worrying increase in alcohol-related deaths in women. This trend is shocking and underlines a dawning reality: women are not immune to the devastating effects of alcohol abuse. Dr. Richard Piper, chief executive of the charity Alcohol Change, points to the "incessant marketing of drinks towards women" as a key factor driving this surge, advocating for stricter regulation of alcohol advertising | Action on Addiction blog, UK
Expert reaction to study of impacts of vaping in pregnancy and comparison with smoking
A study published in Addiction compares the impacts of smoking and vaping during pregnancy | Science Media Centre, UK
Beer, vaping and scrolling: my bad habits make me feel good. What do I do?
Is there a gentler way of thinking about vices – one that doesn’t make us feel like villains? | Guardian, UK
What to expect from us cannabis reform in 2024
The USA is a trailblazer for cannabis reform. Cannabis is recreationally legal in 24 states, and medicinally available in 38 states. With a regularly increasing number of states going legal, what can we expect from the US landscape of cannabis reform to look like in 2024? | Volteface, UK
Why Colombia sees legalising drugs as the way forward. Here’s what’s being proposed
Another drug war has begun in Latin America. The newly elected president of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, has declared a state of emergency and the military is being used to tackle violence and drug trafficking in a country that is part of the transnational cocaine smuggling trade | Conversation, UK
Reading the ‘coca’ leaves: Six predictions for global drug policy in 2024
New year, new drug policy? It may sound like a cliché but 2024 promises to be a pivotal year in global drug policy reform. Here are six critical developments to watch out for... | IDPC blog, UK
Reducing nicotine in tobacco would help people quit – without prohibiting cigarettes
Supporters of the new government’s plan to repeal Aotearoa New Zealand’s smokefree legislation have claimed victory against “prohibition”. Introduced under Jacinda Ardern’s government, the smokefree law came into effect in January 2023 and included a commitment to introduce mandated “denicotinisation” (cutting the nicotine to levels that are no longer addictive) of smoked tobacco products | Conversation, New Zealand