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Daily news - 20th June 2024 |
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UK news
Austerity spending cuts cost average person nearly half year in life expectancy
The research found that life expectancy dropped by an average of five months for women and three months for men. This equates to about 190,000 excess deaths, or a three per cent increase in mortality rates over the period. Factors responsible for these deaths include ‘deaths of despair’ from drug poisoning. Changes in healthcare spending and welfare accounted for 1000 such deaths which were preventable - approximately three per cent of all drug-poisoning deaths in England and Wales between 2010 and 2019 | LSE, UK
Sharp rise in use of high-strength vapes, research shows
Proportion of adults using e-cigarettes containing up to 20mg/ml of nicotine has increased to 32.5% from 6.6% in 2021 | Guardian, UK
The association of smoking with different eating and dietary behaviours: A cross-sectional analysis of 80 296 United Kingdom adults
[Open access] Smokers typically have a lower body mass index (BMI) than non-smokers, while smoking cessation is associated with weight gain. In pre-clinical research, nicotine in tobacco smoking suppresses appetite and influences subsequent eating behaviour; however, this relationship is unclear in humans. This study measured the associations of smoking with different eating and dietary behaviours | Addiction, UK
Cannabis decriminalisation debate could be delayed [Jersey]
Ministers have told the States they need more time to come up with legislation to decriminalise the personal use of cannabis | BBC, UK
From struggle to strength
One man’s involvement in the London chemsex scene led him into addiction and prison. Now he’s set up a chemsex lifeline to help others, says Mark Hindwell | DDN, UK
I started smoking at 14 – and reached 40 a day. A single therapy session changed my life
For years I had been trying to quit, without success, when I decided to take a new approach. It helped me achieve the previously unthinkable | Guardian, UK
Psilocybin - could "magic mushrooms" be the key to treating depression and other mental illness? - video
Professor David Nutt explains how psilocybin - a compound found in some mushrooms - could be used by doctors to help patients with treatment-resistant depression. He explains how psilocybin works in the brain, and how more research is needed to see if it could help some people living with mental health conditions | British Pharmacological Society, UK
Podcast 106 - The Microdot Gang with Kate Hayes
In this episode, Kate Hayes reflects on her experiences with the LSD Microdot Gang, drawing upon her interactions and experiences with Dr. Christine Bott and Richard Kemp. She addresses Richard and Christine’s aspiration to bring about positive change in the world using LSD which led to their eventual arrest following involvement in an LSD production and distribution network | Drug Science, UK
Group jailed for cocaine trafficking line
Three men and a woman have been jailed for their involvement in a drugs line operating through the Black Country which saw kilograms of cocaine and large sums of cash change hands | BBC, UK
Drug charges against football manager to be dropped
A hearing to dismiss the case is due to take place at Worcester Crown Court on Friday and a charge of criminal damage was dropped last month | BBC, UK
International news
No ban on strong alcohol for England v Denmark despite ‘high risk’ status
England’s fixture against Denmark in Frankfurt on Thursday has been classified as “high risk” by German police but there will be no ban on the sale of high-strength alcohol at the stadium | Guardian, UK
GFN 2024 Round Up – Who Said What?!?!
The GFN (Global Forum on Nicotine) 2024 has ended. So if you were not there in person or unable to catch the live streaming, here is a round up of the important points made | ecigclick, UK
Zyn shortage: Philip Morris suspends online sale of popular nicotine pouches
Phillip Morris says Zyn sold online makes up only a small percentage of their products nationwide | Independent, UK
Boaters find $1m worth of cocaine emblazoned with bald eagles floating in Florida Keys
The haul was made up of around 21 individually wrapped packages, which all had large images of the iconic bird of prey on them | Independent, UK
Web-Based Forums for People Experiencing Substance Use or Gambling Disorders: Scoping Review
[Open access] For people experiencing addiction, peer support networks accessed over the internet offer support which transcends the limits of their physical location and with the reassurance of anonymity. At the time of this review, research had yet to establish their benefits for substance users and/or their families | JMIR Publications, USA
Emergency department staff compassion is associated with lower fear of enacted stigma among patients with opioid use disorder
[Open access] Especially when seeking help for substance use problems, people using opiate-type drugs feared being treated badly by emergency department staff due to stigma. However, the more compassion they experienced from staff, the less they feared these reactions, and presumably the more likely they would be to seek help in future | AEM, USA
Research shows Varenicline, nicotine-containing e-cigarettes help in quitting smoking
Varenicline and nicotine-containing electronic cigarettes (ECs) are both effective in helping individuals in quitting smoking conventional cigarettes, according to a study published online June 17 in JAMA Internal Medicine | Medical Xpress, USA
Research reveals most effective images for cigar health warning labels
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tobacco Prevention and Evaluation Program (TPEP) recently published a study in the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research discussing the effectiveness of pictorial health warning labels as proven tools for communicating the dangers of tobacco product use | Medical Xpress, USA
Candy tobacco imitation products availability and marketing linked to children
Childhood use of candy cigarettes, which are fake cigarettes made out of sugar, is associated with cigarette use among users, and yet there has been no research into the availability of these products or how they are currently being marketed | Medical Xpress, USA
Some say Maryland’s mass marijuana pardons don’t go far enough
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore is pardoning 175,000 people who have low-level convictions related to marijuana, the governor announced Monday. To date, it is one of the most expansive absolutions by a state for this type of crime | NPR, USA
Changes in prenatal cannabis-related diagnosed disorders after the Cannabis Act and the COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec, Canada
[Open access] Public health concerns regarding pregnant women’s health after the enactment of the Cannabis Act in Canada (CAC) (a law that allowed non-medical cannabis use), and the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, call for a contemporary assessment of these two events. Our study measured associations between the CAC, the COVID-19 pandemic and the monthly prevalence rates of cannabis-, all drug- and alcohol-related diagnosed disorders among pregnant women in the province of Quebec | Addiction, USA
Resource landscapes for young people leaving residential alcohol and drug services
Young people can make important gains when entering residential drug and alcohol services, but these can be difficult to maintain upon exit, especially amid other social problems. This seminar examined findings from longitudinal interviews with 38 young people conducted during and after attending residential drug and alcohol services. It focused on young people's relationships with residential staff, experiences of returning to services, and skills to manage substances young people develop during residential stays | NDARC, Australia
Blogs, comment and opinion
A Recovery Disoriented System of Care
There has long been a dream of a care and support system that would be informed by, facilitated by and funded to offer what people need to heal over the long term from one of our most pressing challenges, substance use disorders | Recovery Review blog, USA