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Daily news - 15th July 2024

UK news

Ministerial role: Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention is responsible for health protection and improvement, including tobacco, alcohol, drugs and gambling. The new holder of this position is Andrew Gwynne who was appointed on 9 July 2024. He was elected as the MP for Gorton and Denton in July 2024 | DHSC, UK

Greater Manchester Police to carry antidote to super-strength drugs

Officers will take part in a pilot scheme amid the increasing dangers of synthetic opiates called nitazenes, which law enforcement agencies say, have been linked to more than 100 deaths in the UK | ITV, UK

Children 'given drugs as birthday presents' - report

The research by art outreach charity Helix Arts quoted examples of young people in North Tyneside being gifted drugs by neighbours or family members rather than buying them from dealers | BBC, UK

Cannabis clinics see rise in patients

Private cannabis clinics are seeing a rise in patients as people choose the drug to treat chronic pain and mental health conditions. One medical cannabis clinic in Westminster, Mamedica, said it had seen the number of patients increase by more than 10 times in 2023, rising from 250 to 2,750 | BBC, UK

Call for pharmacies to dispense medicinal cannabis

Expanding the Isle of Man's medicinal cannabis dispensing service should give patients "more choice" and create "lower prices", the health minister has said | BBC, UK

Hidden in plain sight – alcoholism amongst older people in Scotland and its impact on social care

It was Alcohol Awareness Week at the start of the month and during it I was reading some of the latest research and data on alcohol and older age in Scotland. It was both disturbing and yet sadly predictable | Scottish Care, UK

Looking for a helping hand

Aleksandra describes how she sought help to overcome alcohol dependence | BMJ Practice, UK

Addiction choir to give cathedral concert

A choir for recovering addicts is to sing at a cathedral concert dedicated to the theme of sanctuary | BBC, UK

Low alcohol sales boom ahead of Euros final

More fans are embracing ‘nolo’ booze and canned ‘mocktails’ while watching the game to be sure of a clear head the next day | Guardian, UK

Empathy For The Devil - podcast

A new podcast that delves into the lives of artists and performers who, despite their unique talents, left us far too soon⁠⁠. We are of course interested in what happened, but more importantly, we’d like to explore why it happened. In our series, we’ll explore their lives through varied lenses – family trauma, addiction, societal expectations, and the influence of fame⁠ | We are Attune, UK

International news

Japanese cannabis case reveals global shift that could affect UK

An artist caught with cannabis in Japan is using a new court case to test the country's notoriously strict approach to the drug | i news, UK

Adolescent binge drinking: How Belgium will tackle alcohol abuse among young people

Following the example of the Netherlands, Belgium is testing follow-up treatments for young people brought into hospital with alcohol poisoning. It is hoped this will drastically reduce the risk of relapse and tackle alcohol abuse among young people | Brussels Times, Belgium

The Challenge of the Emerging Semi-Synthetic Cannabinoid Market in Europe

The lucrative and unregulated market of semi-synthetic cannabinoids is rapidly expanding across Europe, raising public health concerns and posing a legislative challenge to policymakers. The solution lies not in prohibition but in regulation | Drug Reporter, Hungary

EUDA delegation makes first trip to Washington

This week, a delegation from the newly established European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) visited Washington DC for a series of high-level meetings with US partners. Led by EUDA Executive Director Alexis Goosdeel, the delegation aimed to present the agency's new mandate and discuss potential areas of cooperation within its new responsibilities | EUDA, Portugal

Most Americans don’t know that primary care physicians can prescribe addiction treatment

NIH-supported study reveals crucial need to increase public awareness that medications for opioid use disorder can be prescribed in primary care settings | NIH, USA

Proportion and number of cancer cases and deaths attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors in the United States, 2019

Cigarette smoking was the leading risk factor contributing to cancer cases and deaths overall (19.3% and 28.5%, respectively), followed by excess body weight (7.6% and 7.3%, respectively), and alcohol consumption (5.4% and 4.1%, respectively) | American Cancer Society, USA

Our findings support the dichotomy of thought surrounding the lived experience of drug use: “[They’ve] used drugs- [they’re] biased!” and “[They’re] not a drug user-what would [they] know!” Our findings provide an opportunity to reflect upon our positionality and the impact researchers’ own drug use may have on the field | Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports, USA

A Study on Siblings and Alcohol Use Disorder

A research study on siblings and alcoholic use disorder, The Development Unfolding of Sibling Influences on Alcohol Use Over Time, is worth noting. The researchers, who included professors and a graduate student at Auburn University, along with a professor at The University of Minnesota, found that earlier research has shown siblings are similar in alcohol and substance use, or “partners in crime.” | Psychology Today, USA

Few US adults use nicotine pouches, nationally representative study finds

A new study found that the prevalence of nicotine pouch use was low in U.S. adults despite a 641% increase in sales of the products between 2019 and 2022. Researchers say the findings raise questions about who is using the millions of nicotine pouches sold in the U.S. and why | Medical Xpress, USA

Opioid prescribing to reduce overdoses, misuse

New research aims to help reduce the quantity of unused prescription opioids after emergency department visits and lessen the risk of opioid misuse and overdose. The study, titled "Opioid prescribing requirements to minimize unused medications after an emergency department visit for acute pain: a prospective cohort study," is published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal | Medical Xpress, USA

Availability of nitazenes for purchase in Australia and internationally via cryptomarkets

Nitazenes are a class of highly potent synthetic opioids. There have been increasing detections of nitazenes, and growing reports of harms from their use both in Australia and globally. A total of 1751 listings selling nitazenes were identified from 15 cryptomarkets in the period from February 2023 to January 2024 | NDARC, Australia

Colombia is facing a new problem: too much cocaine

Colombia, the global nexus of the cocaine industry, where Pablo Escobar became the world’s best known criminal, and which still produces more of the drug than any other nation, is facing tectonic shifts as a result of domestic and global forces that are reshaping the drug industry | Sydney Morning Herald, Australia

Blogs, comment and opinion

A new UK Government - what next for drug policy

As the Conservative government departs after 14 years of largely disastrous drug policy management in the UK, few tears will be shed in drug policy circles. Outcomes have been generally terrible; Drugs-related deaths have doubled, illegal drugs are cheaper and stronger than ever before, drug markets have become more violent and exploitative, prisons are overflowing, and pressures on underfunded drug services are reaching breaking point | Talking Drugs, UK

Finding The Keys To Much-Needed Prison Reform Can’t Come Soon Enough

Everyone at the Forward Trust welcomes James Timpson to his new position as Minister for Prisons. He will understand better than anyone the high-level challenges in his in-tray | Forward Trust blog, UK

How to get publicity for your research

Jean O’Reilly answers some questions to help demystify ‘publicity in academic publishing’ | SSA, UK

Compassion in Conflict: Harm Reduction for Prisoners in Ukraine

A groundbreaking Needle and Syringe Programme has been introduced in Ukraine. Will other European countries follow? Tony Duffin and Oleksii Zagrebelnyi report... | Hotpress opinion, Ireland

Canada’s alcohol deficit: The public cost of alcohol outweighs government revenue

Alcohol has long held a hallowed place in the consciousness of Canadian society. A more socially acceptable drug than some others, it’s associated with relaxation, socializing and celebration. As a result, alcohol has received an almost free pass when it comes to changes in policy and public opinion | Conversation, Canada

Cocaine is being contaminated with powerful opioids called nitazenes. Here’s why it’s a dangerous mix

Earlier this month, drugs sold as cocaine in Melbourne were found to be contaminated with a powerful group of opioids, known as nitazenes. These new synthetic drugs were also the suspected cause of four people being hospitalised in Sydney in May. And in April, nitazenes were found in drugs used by around 20 people who overdosed in outer Sydney | Conversation, Australia

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