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Daily news - 26th November 2024 |
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UK news
Press release: MPs to vote on landmark smoking ban to stop cycle of addiction
MPs will today (26 November) vote on the world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Bill, moving the UK one step closer to protecting future generations from the harms of smoking and vaping |
Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England, Andrew Gwynne MP and The Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP, UK
PM pledges joint action to keep women and girls safe at night
Reiterating his personal commitment to halve violence against women and girls, the Prime Minister will also confirm that his government will make spiking a new criminal offence. This will send a clear signal that this is a crime, and perpetrators should feel the full force of the law, empowering victims to report offences and giving them confidence the justice system will support them | Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street, Home Office, The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP and The Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP, UK
Intervene if women at spiking risk, says minister
Bystanders should be prepared to step in and help women who appear at risk of spiking during the Christmas party season, the safeguarding minister has said | BBC, UK
Drink Spiking Report
Drink spiking, the act of introducing drugs or substances, including alcohol, into beverages or food to incapacitate individuals for various malicious purposes, including sexual assaults, theft, pranks, or abuse, has become a concerning societal issue. In the UK, reports of increased incidents of drink spiking, particularly in house parties, as well as cases of 'needling,' a relatively new phenomenon emerging since 2021, have gained attention | Drinkaware, UK
Full Fact’s rolling blog of fact checks, commentary and analysis
We’ve seen some confusion online following Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s claim today that “spiking will be made a criminal offence”, with some commentators saying this is already the case or accusing him of “sloppy and misleading” wording | FullFact, UK
‘I had no idea being a social drinker would damage my liver by 31’
At 31 years old, I was told by doctors that if I didn’t stop drinking alcohol, I could die. I was shocked because I didn’t drink every day, I never drank alone and I drank because I enjoyed it as a social activity, not because I felt alcohol-dependent | BBC, UK
County Lines becoming more localised
County Lines are changing to become more localised, reveals new County Lines Strategic Threat Risk Assessment | NPCC, UK
Labour MPs Push For "Healthier" Parliament By Tightening Alcohol Sales And Creating More Natural Light
A group of MPs wants to make Parliament a healthier workplace by looking at curbing alcohol provision during working hours, diversifying paintings on display, and improving lighting within the building | Politics Home, UK
Adfam at 40 – Chris Lee: ‘one of the most stigmatised healthcare conditions in the country’
This year marks a special year for Adfam as we celebrate our 40th year. Throughout 2024, we have been reflecting on the past 40 years, the progress that has been made in supporting families affected by substance misuse, as well as looking to the future | Adfam, UK
Coproducing Recovery Through Lived Experience and Photovoice Research
Red Rose Recovery (RRR) has been featured in a significant research study highlighting its innovative approach to supporting individuals affected by substance use and criminalisation. This coproduction approach places lived experience at the heart of recovery, with those managing and working for RRR using their own journeys of recovery or desistance from crime to inspire and support others | Red Rose Recovery, UK
Send crisis in England and Wales leaving children more vulnerable, says report
Experts point to increased risk of criminal and sexual exploitation and call for urgent action from government | Guardian, UK
Roots Community Forum at The Bureau of the Arts: A Day of Connection, Learning, and Community Spirit
The Blackburn community is in for an exciting and enriching day as the Roots Community Forum is set to take place on Wednesday, 27th November at The Bureau Centre for the Arts. This event promises a day full of diverse activities designed to engage, educate, and entertain attendees | Red Rose Recovery, UK
Nature's Pharmacy: Exploring Historical Anecdotes and Modern Applications
9th December 2024. Crowne Plaza King's Road, Harrogate. Prepare to explore the remarkable intersection of traditional wisdom and modern science! In this captivating pre-conference lecture, President-Elect Cherry Wainwright and Professor David Nutt unite their world-leading expertise in natural products and psychedelic medicine to illuminate nature's most powerful therapeutic secrets. From botanical compounds that revolutionised medicine to emerging psychedelic therapies, they'll reveal how nature's molecular masterpieces are inspiring a new generation of treatments | BPS, UK
Homeless people to be given cash in first major UK trial to reduce poverty
Led by King’s College London, study will recruit 360 people in England and Wales to explore benefits of scheme | Guardian, UK
Seven held in £350k pharmacy drug thefts probe
Seven people have been arrested by police investigating the £350k theft of prescription drugs from pharmacies in east Lancashire | BBC, UK
International news
RFK Jr will cut prescription drugs and increase weed and psychedelics access
Trump’s health department pick has expressed distrust of pharmaceuticals and attacked ‘suppression of psychedelics’ | Guardian, UK
Victorian doctor admits breaching medical code of conduct by asking patients to fund her teenage vape solutions clinic
Dr Carolyn Beaumont says she made ‘an error of judgment’ by asking for donations in an email to previous patients | Guardian, UK
'This will save lives' - Ireland's first supervised drug injection centre to open this December
Merchants Quay Ireland said the facility will host medical staff who can “intervene when overdoses happen”. | Journal, Ireland
Progress in Hepatitis C Elimination for People Who Inject Drugs Remains Insufficient, New Study Finds
A new study, led by professor Mojca Maticic in collaboration with researchers from leading public health and research institutes across Europe, highlights mixed progress toward the WHO’s 2030 hepatitis C (HCV) elimination goals, particularly for people who inject drugs. Based on annual data collected by Correlation European Harm Reduction Network from 25 civil society organizations in 25 European countries, the study tracked HCV policies, testing, and treatment availability between 2020 and 2023 | Correlation.Net, The Netherlands
Webinar: Health and social responses for drugs in prisons — implications for Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe
28th Nov 2024. Online. The main aim of this webinar is to share knowledge on the issue of prisons and drugs and how it is addressed in different world regions. The webinar will discuss related challenges and the possibilities for addressing drugs and prison in different countries in Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe | EUDA, Portugal
Nurse Care Management for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment
How to raise the low involvement of primary care in the treatment of opioid dependence was the issue addressed across five US states by a study which trialled giving the lead to newly appointed and trained practice nurses. The result was increased uptake of and retention in treatment, but only where the organisational foundations were conducive | JAMA Internal Medicine, USA
Study highlights barriers to long-term recovery for opioid use disorder patients
A new study led by Thomas Jefferson University researchers highlights critical healthcare gaps that hinder long-term recovery for people living with opioid use disorders (OUD) in Philadelphia. | News Medical, USA
Supreme Court won't hear Big Tobacco's challenge to cigarette warning labels
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a major tobacco company's challenge to a federal law that would mandate graphic images on cigarette packs | Medical Xpress, USA
From Research to Reality: Crafting an Image of the Current State of Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapies for Substance Use Disorders
Introduces five articles from the same issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs on using drugs such as LSD to treat addictions. Asks whether today’s enthusiasm will later be seen as heralding a breakthrough or just another fad | JSAD, USA
How the body's own cannabinoids may influence the symptoms and treatment of ADHD
Cannabis—whether marijuana itself or various products containing cannabinoids and/or THC, the main psychoactive compound in weed—have been touted as panaceas for everything from anxiety and sleep problems to epilepsy and cancer pain | Medical Xpress, USA
BC Drug-Decrim Study Explores Problems With 2.5-Gram Threshold
Since the inception of British Columbia’s drug decriminalization policy, which took effect in January 2023, harm reduction advocates have debated it intensely with policymakers and law enforcement. They’ve long argued that key elements of the policy, such as the 2.5-gram possession threshold and the exclusion of benzodiazepines, are fundamentally misaligned with the realities of people’s lives | Filter Magazine, USA
Here are some important things you should know about drink and needle spiking
News stories about alleged drink and needle spiking incidents sometimes attract significant interest — but experts say they can also spark fear and fuel misconceptions about spiking in the community | abc.net.au, Australia
Blogs, comment and opinion
Dave Bewley-Taylor
Dave was our dear friend and colleague. He left us much too soon. He was a colossal intellect. He was generous with his time and his guidance. He was a leading light in the global drug policy reform movement and inspired many others through his ideas, his advocacy and his academic enquiry | Remembr.com, UK
Opinion: Alcohol-free beer hype is unhelpful
Heavy marketing has created a buzz around alcohol-free beer diverting vital public attention from surging rates of alcohol harm. The stakes are too high to let commercial hype eclipse evidence-based action | Phil Cain, UK
Opioid-free surgery treats pain at every physical and emotional level
Some patients are fearful of using opioids after surgery due to concerns about dependence and potential side effects, even when appropriately prescribed by a doctor to manage pain. Surgery is often the first time patients receive an opioid prescription, and their widespread use raises concerns about patients becoming long-term users. Leftover pills from a patient’s prescriptions may also be misused | Conversation, USA
The rise of ‘sober curiosity:’ Why Gen Zers are reducing their alcohol consumption
Generation Z is leading a significant shift in drinking habits. In fact, compared to preceding generations, Generation Z may be the soberest generation yet | Conversation, USA