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Daily news - 6th March 2024 |
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UK news
Smoking profile: March 2024 update
An overview of the extent of smoking, smoking-related harm and the measures being taken to reduce this harm at a local level in England | OHID, UK
Northern Ireland could be part of smoking ban bill
Northern Ireland could be included in a Westminster bill which aims to phase out the sale of cigarettes | BBC, UK
Scottish Public Health Observatory update: Estimated quarterly numbers of people prescribed opioid substitution therapy in Scotland (12-month period)
In the 12-month period ending 30 September 2023 (the end of 2023/24 Q2), Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) was prescribed to an estimated minimum of 30,190 people in Scotland. In the 12-month period to the end of the previous financial year quarter (2023/24 Q1) an estimated minimum of 30,133 people were prescribed OST | Public Health Scotland, UK
N-desethyl isotonitazene detected in polydrug users admitted to hospital in Birmingham, United Kingdom
This is an observational case series of patients with suspected or declared substance use who were admitted to hospitals in the Sandwell and West Birmingham National Health Service Trust between July and October 2023. All patients were found on toxicological screening to have been exposed to N-desethyl isotonitazene | Clinical Toxicology, UK
Vaping worsens sleep quality and the mental health of young people
Vape use significantly impacts the sleep quality and anxiety levels of young adults, suggests a new study from the University of Surrey. Mindfulness was also found to help reduce the risk of young people taking up vaping | University of Surrey, UK
Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Recovery Services National Workforce Census - Version 3 (PDF)
Report updated to recategorise Physician Associate roles | NHS Benchmarking Network, UK
Electronic Cigarettes: Sales
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle the (a) criminal, (b) health and (c) licensing issues arising from the sale of illegal vapes | They work for you, UK
Alcoholic Drinks: Health
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities has an alcohol policy team | They work for you, UK
Delta pilot over alcohol limit before Edinburgh to New York flight
An American airline pilot was caught over the alcohol limit before he was due to fly a Boeing 767 full of passengers from Edinburgh to New York | BBC, UK
IAS Small Grants Scheme call for applications
We are inviting applications from researchers – especially early career researchers – to our small grants scheme. This scheme will provide funding for innovative research ideas that can help inform public policy debates on how to tackle alcohol harm. Priority will be given to proposals that align with our challenge for 2023-2026: Addressing alcohol-related inequalities | IAS, UK
Common submission errors with Paul Dietze - podcast
In this episode of Publishing Addiction Science, Dr Casy Calver talks to Professor Paul Dietze about common submission errors. They talk about how to avoid desk-rejection, the importance of understanding the scope of the journal to which you submit, the importance of following instructions to authors. Many journals have differing requirements and this can change between internationally focused journals or those with a more regional remit. They also talk about the importance of using person-first and non-stigmatising language | SSA, UK
UK’s first safe, green nitrous oxide canister recycling system begins
The process line can treat and recycle the pressurised vessels, preventing harmful greenhouse gases from escaping into the atmosphere | Environment Journal, UK
Three jailed over cannabis factory in former mill
Three men have been jailed for their involvement in a "sophisticated" cannabis factory capable of producing drugs worth up to £2.8m | BBC, UK
Liverpool shops shut down after illegal vapes seized
Eight shops have been shut down and thousands of illegal vapes have seized as part of a city-wide crackdown | BBC, UK
Man sentenced over fake Skittles and Ribena vapes
The owner of a vape shop has been sentenced to community service for selling vapes made to look trademarked sweet brands | BBC, UK
International news
Doctors warn of frostbite injuries from nitrous oxide misuse
Doctors at a Dublin hospital have said they are worried about the number of teenagers presenting with frostbite injuries associated with the inhaling of nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas | RTe, Ireland
Rising alcohol-related liver cancer prompts new prediction tool
Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer and the third most frequent cause of cancer-related death globally. However, its distribution and causes vary greatly across different regions. While areas like Eastern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa see the most cases, the reasons behind them differ significantly | Medical Xpress, USA
Only 1 in 4 rural US smokers attempted to quit during a one year period, study finds
While overall smoking rates among U.S. adults are declining, many communities remain disproportionately burdened by commercial tobacco use and the associated negative health consequences. Smoking prevalence among rural adults stood at 19.2% in 2020, compared to 14.4% for their urban counterparts. Previous research also shows rural people start smoking at younger ages and smoke more heavily than non-rural residents | Medical Xpress, UK
San Francisco Votes on Prop F, to Drug-Test People on Public Benefits
San Francisco voters head to the polls on March 5 to weigh in on Proposition F, which would require people to be drug-tested in order to receive public benefits. Mayor London Breed (D) has proposed the measure as a way to compel more people to receive substance use disorder treatment. Harm reductionists and other opponents say it would punish people experiencing poverty, and cause other harms | Filter Magazine, USA
Future of DULF Compassion Club Will Hinge on Judicial Review
Ajudicial review of Canada’s decision to deny a peer-led safe supply group an exemption to operate legally will begin on March 7 in the Federal Court of Canada in Vancouver | Filter Magazine, USA
Adulteration and substitution of drugs purchased in Australia from cryptomarkets: An analysis of Test4Pay
[open access] Prohibited drugs in unregulated markets may be adulterated, resulting in increased risks for people who use drugs. This study investigated levels of drug adulteration and substitution of drugs purchased in Australia from cryptomarkets | DAR, Australia
E-cigarette use and access among two samples in Australia who regularly use illicit drugs, 2023
The Ecstasy and Related Drugs Reporting System (EDRS) and the Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS) are national drug monitoring systems intended to identify emerging trends of local and national concern in illicit drug markets, and form part of Drug Trends. The aim of this bulletin is to examine recent use of, and access to, prescribed and non-prescribed e-cigarettes among the 2023 EDRS and IDRS samples | NDARC, Australia
New report shows significant increase in cocaine use
A new report that pulls together New Zealand’s latest drug use data shows a significant increase in cocaine use over the past year, while MDMA and methamphetamine use has decreased slightly | NZDF, New Zealand
Blogs, comment and opinion
Addiction research is part of mental health research
Professor Anne Lingford-Hughes, chair of the Addiction Mission, makes the strong case for why more mental health researchers should turn their attention to studying drug and alcohol addictions | Mental Health Research, UK
To stop teenagers vaping they need to see it as cringe, not cool
The proportion of young people who vape has grown significantly over the last year. According to charity Action on Smoking and Health, the proportion of young people aged 11 to 17 in Great Britain who have experimented with vaping has risen from 15.8% in 2022 to 20.5% in 2023 | Conversation, USA
Landmark german cannabis legalisation: a window into the future of european drug policy?
German officials voted in favour of the long awaited cannabis legalisation reform on the 23rd of February, passing by a margin of 407 votes to 226 despite a wave of contentious debates in the Bundestag | Volteface, UK