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Daily news - 31st May 2024 |
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UK news
Decriminalising cannabis could cause harm - expert [Jersey]
A professor representing 26 European medical associations has said it does not make sense to decriminalise cannabis in Jersey | BBC, UK
How the ‘alcoholism’ model evolved: IAS Alert episode with Dr James Morris & Jem Roberts - podcast
In this episode Jem Roberts, Communications Manager at the Institute of Alcohol Studies, interviews our host Dr James Morris. They discuss how the model of ‘alcoholism’ evolved and led to beliefs about alcohol problems being heavily focused on the severe end of the spectrum. Dr Morris discusses how Alcoholics Anonymous, despite helping many people in their recovery, reinforces this model and carries some costs for public health objectives, particularly in terms of broader groups of people with alcohol use disorder | Alcohol Problem podcast, UK
RCPsych Awards 2024
Nominations are now open for our yearly RCPsych Awards. The deadline for nominations is 5pm BST on 31 May | RC Pysch, UK
Recruiting new trustees
We are looking for two new Trustees to join our Board at Transform and play a vital role in making sure that Transform achieves its core purpose. We are looking for people with digital marketing, comms and/or fundraising experience | Transform, UK
Police raid shops suspected of selling vapes to children
Hundreds of potentially illegal products have been seized from a shop suspected of selling vapes to children, police have said | BBC, UK
Police dogs trained to search for drugs and guns
In June, the Guernsey Police Dog Section will be perform an interactive demo in St Peter Port as part of the police's summer recruitment drive | BBC, UK
International news
French Open: Alcohol banned in stands after fan spits chewing gum at David Goffin
Alcohol has been banned in the stands at Roland Garros by French Open bosses after a fan spat chewing gum at David Goffin | ITV, UK
Death sentences and executions in 2023
Amnesty International’s monitoring of the global use of the death penalty recorded 1,153 known executions in 2023, an increase by 31% from 883 in 2022. However, there was a significant decrease in executing countries, from 20 in 2022 to 16 in 2023 | Amnesty International, UK
California comedown: how illicit cannabis farms have left a wilderness where ‘you’re lucky to see a lizard’
The golden state legalised marijuana production in 2016, but strict curbs have led to a thriving black market. Its hub is in Siskiyou county, where the environmental damage is clear to see | Guardian, UK
EU Drug Markets: Drivers and facilitators — new report unveils dynamics of illicit drug market
In a new report out today, EU Drug Markets: Drivers and facilitators, the EMCDDA and Europol, provide valuable insights into the evolving landscape of drug production, trafficking and distribution. The report is a key element in the EU Drug Markets: In-depth analysis from the two agencies, their fourth comprehensive overview of illicit drug markets in the EU. The analysis focuses on three main market drivers: globalisation, technology and innovation, and criminal tools | EMCDDA, Portugal
World No Tobacco Day 2024
World No Tobacco Day 2024 will give a platform to young people across the world, who are urging governments to shield them from predatory tobacco marketing tactics. The industry targets youth for a lifetime of profits, creating a new wave of addiction. Children are using e-cigarettes at rates higher than adults in all regions and globally an estimated 37 million youth aged 13–15 years use tobacco | WHO, USA
Evaluation of Strategies to Enhance Community-Based Naloxone Distribution Supported by an Opioid Settlement
In this decision analytical model including a simulated population of Rhode Island residents at risk for opioid overdose, distributing more naloxone supported by the state’s opioid settlement was projected to reduce annual opioid overdose deaths (OODs) by up to 9% with an optimized distribution. The addition of a 60% increase in witnessed overdoses could further reduce annual OODs by 37% | JAMA Network, USA
Smoking-Attributable Health Care Expenditures for US Adults With Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease
In this cross-sectional study of 13 017 adults with chronic lower respiratory disease in 2020, a weighted 31.3% and 31.2% of those aged 35 to 64 years were current and former smokers, respectively, with annual smoking-attributable health care expenditures (SAHEs) of $13.6 billion, or $2752 per current smoker and $1083 per former smoker. Among those 65 years or older, a weighted 19.2% were current smokers and 54.3% were former smokers, with annual SAHEs of $5.3 billion, or $1704 per current smoker and $682 per former smoker | JAMA Network Open, USA
2F-2oxo-PCE — A New Synthetic Hallucinogen Identified in Recreational Drug Markets Across North America
2F-2oxo-PCE is a novel synthetic hallucinogen that bears structural resemblance to ketamine and previously encountered novel dissociatives. Ketamine is regulated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act; however, neither 2F-2oxo-PCE nor fluorexetamine are currently scheduled substances. 2F-2oxo-PCE was first reported in early 2022 by the Australian drug checking service CanTEST | CFSRE, USA
Why We Need World Vape Day More Than Ever
Globally, we are over 120 million strong. We are the people who used to smoke. We discovered that despite what they told us, we didn’t just have a straight choice between abstinence from nicotine and early death. Instead, we found our own paths to smoking cessation and healthier, longer lives | Filter Magazine, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
Smoking in Africa: study of 16 countries shows higher taxes would help young smokers quit or cut down
World No Tobacco Day serves to increase awareness about the preventable death and illness associated with tobacco use. It also puts a spotlight on policies that governments can use to reduce consumption of tobacco products | Conversation, South Africa