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Daily news - 21st November 2024 |
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UK news
Prevalence and uptake of vaping among people who have quit smoking: a population study in England, 2013-2024
Vaping prevalence has increased rapidly in England since 2021. This study estimated trends between 2013 and 2024 in vaping among ex-smokers, overall and among those who did not use e-cigarettes to support their quit attempt | BMC Public Health, UK [See also Expert Reaction in blogs section below]
New campaign: Addiction Awareness Week #AAW24
30th November – 7th December. Addiction Awareness Week is the cornerstone of the Taking Action on Addiction campaign. Now in its fourth year it provides a period of intense focus on addiction and recovery, its impact on people, families and society in the media, social media and public debate. By spotlighting real stories through new research, events and emotional, compelling storytelling, we are able to change misunderstanding and enable more people to speak openly about their experiences | DDN, UK
Vapes to be used in community pharmacy smoking cessation pilot
A Kent-based community pharmacy smoking cessation pilot has been launched “in response to the government's ambition for England to be smoke-free by 2030” | Pharmaceutical Journal, UK
Designer's work raises awareness of drug dangers
Madelaine Atkinson said her striking designs, including a long cloak covered in mobile phones and a stab-vest, illustrate the way young people are exploited and need better protection from county lines drug gangs | BBC, UK
SDF #InnovativePractice2024, SFAD 'My Family, My Rights - Knowledge is Empowering' - video
Presentation on 'My Family, My Rights - Knowledge is Empowering' by Kerry Storey & Marianna Marquardt from Scottish Families Affected By Alcohol and Drugs | SDF, UK
SDF #InnovativePractice2024, Aberlour Children's Charity, 'Mother and Child Recovery Houses' - video
Presentation on 'Mother and Child Recovery Houses - A Look at the Biopsychological Model of Recovery' by Karen Campbell & Natalie Douglas from Aberlour Children's Charity | SDF, UK
117. Drugs and Music with Jon Hopkins - podcast
In this episode, Prof Neil and Dr Thurgur speak with electronic musician Jon Hopkins. Together, they explore the intersection of music, mental health, and psychedelics. Jon shares his personal journey, from his early love of music to his experiments with electronic sounds as well as discussing how experiences with meditation and psychedelics have profoundly influenced his music, shaping albums like ‘Music for Psychedelic Therapy’ and ‘Ritual’. They delve into the therapeutic potential of music, especially within psychedelic therapy, and reflect on how music can serve as a powerful tool for healing and self-discovery | Drug Science, UK
Identities of hundreds of drugs suspects withheld in Derry
More anonymity orders were granted in Londonderry in the last five years for those suspected of drug dealing than in the rest of Northern Ireland put together | BBC, UK
Men had cannabis parcels delivered to student flats
Chinese nationals Jinshuo Dong, 24, and Jingshu Wong, 28 were part of a plot to import £1m of the drug into Leeds from Canada, where it has been legalised | BBC, UK
International news
Why alcohol belongs in the mental health conversation | Millie Gooch | TEDxTeessideWomen - video
Have you ever considered the role that alcohol might be playing when it comes to your mental health? Have you ever woken up with hangover anxiety or no memory of your night? In this powerful and personal TEDx talk, Millie Gooch, shares her journey of battling mental health challenges and the role alcohol played in that struggle | TEDx Talks, USA
Surgeon general says U.S. smoking rates have tumbled, but not for everyone
Although the United States has made significant headway in curbing cigarette smoking and secondhand smoke exposure, a new report finds deep divisions remain and they run along predictable fault lines | Medical Xpress, USA
National survey shows millions of Americans hurt by others' drinking, drug use
The risks of alcohol and other drug consumption to the user are well known, but many Americans—nearly 160 million—say they've been harmed by someone else's substance use, according to a new study in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs | Medical Xpress, USA
Artificial Intelligence: Can generative AI provide safe and accurate answers to questions about substance use?
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools like Chat-GPT offer the potential to provide anonymous, real-time support from the comfort of one’s home, with the click of a mouse or the tap of a smartphone. But how safe and accurate are these tools in addressing real-world alcohol and drug-related questions? | Recovery Research Institute, USA
Novel harm reduction services: Compassion club membership is associated with reduced overdose
Compassion clubs are novel safer supply programs that offer members the ability to purchase drugs that have been tested for potential contamination, increasing safety. This study examined the association between enrollment in a compassion club and risk for non-fatal overdoses | Recovery Research Institute, USA
Black women in the criminal-legal system: Patterns of substance use services utilization
Black women in the US suffer more negative health consequences of illicit drug use than their White counterparts, despite using drugs to a lesser degree. The present study examined individual factors associated with need for substance use treatment and attendance in professional treatments and community-based services like AA | Recovery Research Institute, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
Expert reaction to use of ecigs among ex-smokers in England, as published in BMC Medicine
A study published in BMC Medicine looks at the use of e-cigarettes among ex-smokers in England. Here Prof Caitlin Notley, Professor of Addiction Sciences at the University of East Anglia gives her response to the article | Science Media Centre, UK
What are the lessons from America’s great cannabis liberalisation experiment?
The US has come quite some way in legalising cannabis use, with nearly half of states having laws permitting recreational cannabis use. Yet the legalisation of cannabis remains an ever-present, heated and polarising debate. One that is often exploited by politicians to win votes, either by stoking fear of the harms that will come from legalising cannabis, or by the promise of decreased violent crime and increased tax revenue from cannabis sales | Conversation, UK
Conflicts of interest: moving towards zero tolerance
Harmful industries still exert their influence over health professionals, academia, and health systems; robust change is required, write Chris van Tulleken, Nigel Rollins, and Rebecca Coombes | BMJ opinion, UK
Leading Forward – Mike’s monthly vlog
Forward Trust CEO, Mike Trace, shares his monthly update about the latest developments, improvements and staff-led initiatives across the charity | Forward Trust, UK
Ontario’s Harmful Backslide: A Threat to Lives and Canada’s Legacy in Harm Reduction
The Global Commission on Drug Policy is deeply concerned about the legislation tabled in Ontario, “Safer Streets, Stronger Communities Act”, which threatens to dismantle nearly half of the province’s supervised consumption sites (SCS) by March 2025 | Global Commission on Drug Policy, Canada