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Daily news - 21st May 2024 |
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UK news
Open call for evidence: Synthetic cathinones
The Novel Psychoactive Substances Committee (NPSC) is seeking evidence for its review of the evidence of the misuse and harms of synthetic cathinones in the UK. This call for evidence closes at 11:59pm on 31 May 2024 | ACMD, UK
Cost of alcohol harm in England
Alcohol harm costs society in England £27.44 billion each year, a 2024 calculation by IAS found. Figures for Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are more dated, with estimates ranging between £5.1 – £8.1 billion total | IAS, UK
Drug Education Forum Summer 2024
Wed, 3 Jul 2024 15:30 - 17:00 BST. The DEF is a new UK community of drug education professionals, committed to providing evidence-based and age appropriate drug education | Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation, UK
Man killed his mother while high on ketamine
A man who killed his mother at their home while in a drug-induced psychosis has been jailed for more than seven years for manslaughter | BBC, UK
Shops shut after illicit cigarettes and vapes found
Four shops in Grantham have been closed down after police and Lincolnshire Trading Standards officers found illegal cigarettes and vapes in hidden compartments | BBC, UK
A thousand cannabis plants found at industrial unit
A 42-year-old man has been charged after police say they discovered 1,000 cannabis plants inside an industrial estate unit | BBC, UK
International news
Edible Cannabis Legalization and Cannabis Poisonings in Older Adults
[Open access] In October 2018, Canada legalized the sale of dried cannabis flowers for nonmedical use, and in January 2020, edible cannabis became legally available for retail. In California, legalization of all forms of nonmedical cannabis has been associated with increased cannabis-related emergencies in older adults (aged ≥65 years). Limited information exists on the health outcomes of nonmedical edible cannabis use in older adults; thus, we examined the association between edible cannabis legalization and emergency department (ED) visits for cannabis poisoning in older adults residing in Ontario, Canada | JAMA Internal Medicine, USA
Virtual medicine: How telehealth has improved the lives of people with substance disorders
From the driver's seat of his parked truck, Lewis recalled what it felt like to take opioids. He was prescribed Vicodin after getting his wisdom teeth removed at age 15, he says, which jumpstarted an addiction he's battled for nearly two decades. (Lewis' last name has been omitted for concerns regarding his medical privacy | Medical Xpress, USA
Philly health officials detect a veterinary sedative more powerful than xylazine in drug samples
The animal tranquilizer xylazine's spread into Philadelphia's illicit opioid supply has introduced new hazards to an already dangerous drug crisis, sending people in addiction into intense blackouts and leaving them with severe skin wounds. Now, another veterinary sedative more potent than xylazine has emerged. The discovery of the drug, known as medetomidine, in drug samples in the city is another sign of increasing toxicity in the Philadelphia region's illicit drugs | Medical Xpress, USA
Ex-cigarette smokers who vape may be at higher risk for lung cancer
Former cigarette smokers who use e-cigarettes or vaping devices may be at higher risk for lung cancer than those who don't vape, according to research published at the ATS 2024 International Conference | Medical Xpress, USA
First U.S. Trial of Varenicline for E-cigarette Cessation Shows Positive Results
The results showed a significant disparity between the placebo group and the group receiving the medication. “We had a 15 percent difference in quit rates, with those in the medication group having a quit rate of 45 percent,” said Lisa Fucito, PhD, lead author and director of the Tobacco Treatment Service at the Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital | Yale School of Medicine, USA
Matt Poll Report: Parents asleep on teen caffeine consumption?
Most parents believe they know whether their teen is consuming too much caffeine (66%) and which products have too much caffeine (61%). Sixty percent say they have heard about the risks of highly caffeinated products. Two-thirds of parents (64%) think the recommended daily limit of caffeine for teens is less than 100 mg, but 57% say they rarely look at caffeine amounts when buying beverages for their teen. Parents think their teen has heard about the risks of too much caffeine from parents or other family members (60%), teachers, coaches, or other school staff (24%) or a healthcare provider (21%) | University of Michigan, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
Will banning cigarettes create a smoke-free generation?
Health experts discuss whether gradually raising the age of sale is the only way to stop young people smoking | New Statesman, UK
Point of Sales Restrictions for Young People: A Step to Curb Youth Vaping?
In recent years, the sale and display of vaping products alongside confectionery have become a growing trend in the UK. This marketing strategy can be observed in numerous retail outlets and raises important questions about the marketing practices and regulatory implications of selling vaping products in such a manner | Tony D'Agostino, UK
‘I was 49 when I had my last drink’: Harriet Tyce
After drinking and making a fool of herself for 35 years, the writer realised that’s not how she wanted to be remembered | Guardian, UK
Alcohol use disorder can be treated with an array of medications – but few people have heard of them
More than 29.5 million Americans ages 12 and up had alcohol use disorder – the medical term for the disease commonly known as alcoholism – in 2022, when the most recent national data was published | Conversation, USA
California is about to tax guns more like alcohol and tobacco − and that could put a dent in gun violence
As a professor who studies the economics of violence and illicit trades at the University of San Diego’s Kroc School of Peace Studies, I think this law could have important ramifications. One way to think about it is to compare state tax policies on firearms with those on alcohol and tobacco products. It’s not for nothing that these all appear in the name of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, also known as ATF | Conversation, USA
With Olympics approaching, it’s time to recognize children as a protected class in sport
Imagine this scenario: a 15-year-old child is caught consuming cannabis in public and is charged with an offence. If the child is found guilty, the court has discretion to order an absolute discharge to avoid convicting the child, or to convict the child but excuse the payment of a fine under certain conditions. There would be a publication ban to protect the identity of the child | Conversation, Canada