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Daily news - 17th October 2024

UK news

Research centre for addiction and mental health announced

A new £11 million research centre has been announced focused on how to improve provision of, and access to, essential addiction and mental health services. A new £11 million research centre has been announced focused on how to improve provision of, and access to, essential addiction and mental health services | University of York, UK

First study to show high potency cannabis use leaves unique signature on DNA

High potency cannabis use leaves a distinct mark on DNA, according to new research by the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London and the University of Exeter | University of Exeter, UK

Tackling hospital service burden of alcohol dependence in England: a service evaluation of alcohol care teams (ACTs) and care pathways for integrated care

[Open access] The aim in 2019 was that establishing alcohol care teams in acute hospital settings would reduce the alcohol-related burden on hospital services and improve care pathways between hospitals, GPs and community care. Interviews with staff in one city reveal the achievements and the impediments to further progress | DEPP, UK

Spice-spiked Vapes

Research conducted by the University of Bath has uncovered that one in six vapes confiscated in schools contained the synthetic drug Spice. Using a device developed at the university—the world’s first portable device that instantly detects synthetic drugs—Professor Chris Pudney conducted tests in 38 schools in London, the west midlands, Greater Manchester and south Yorkshire | They work for you, UK

Smokers offered free lung health checks

Current and past smokers are being offered lung checks as part of an NHS programme to catch cancer early. Invites are being sent to more than 10,000 people in Scunthorpe, aged between 55 and 74, as part of the roll out of the programme in North Lincolnshire | BBC, UK

Business leaders call for alcohol tax cut amid whisky fears

Scottish business leaders across sectors have called for a cut in alcohol tax amid claims current levels are having a "damaging impact" on whisky sales | Herald, UK

Streeting: New hospitals, extra appointments and smoking ban will be delivered

...“The smoking bill will be back, it will be stronger and, unlike the previous government, we will deliver it,” he added | Independent, UK

Music Support announces record number of beneficiaries as it launches new awareness campaign (PDF)

UK charity, Music Support, helps those who work in the music industry that have experienced challenges around substance use and/or mental health. In response to the worrying increase in demand for its essential services over the past year, Music Support is taking decisive action with an ambitious new strategy that will expand and enhance the charity’s offering, ensuring comprehensive, targeted support at every stage of an individual’s journey in the music industry | Music Support, UK

Cranstoun micro-eliminates Hepatitis C across Sandwell

Sandwell ‘s drug and alcohol provider has announced that it has achieved the remarkable milestone of micro-elimination in its efforts to combat Hepatitis C | Cranstoun, UK

Woman quit booze after ‘beer fear’ of 18-hour bender

For more than a decade, weeks would go by without a day of sobriety - but now the 29-year-old realised she had a problem, and may not make it to Christmas if she didn't stop | BBC, UK

Shares in UK gambling firms fall £2bn amid talk of higher taxes in budget

Thinktank reports saying sector should be hit with extra £900m to £3bn in levies prompt market selloff | Guardian, UK

Tesco and council battle over alcohol licence

A council has objected to Tesco selling alcohol at its new store in central Brighton | BBC, UK

International news

Weight loss drugs could help people with alcohol addiction, study suggests

The injections led to a 50% lower rate of alcohol intoxication in people taking them compared to those who had not been prescribed them, researchers found | Sky News, UK

‘I will not use it because the results are bad’ – understanding the influence of the drug checking service on changing consumption behavior

[Open access] ased on the theories of reasoned action and planned behavior, this study aimed to investigate the impact of drug checking services (DCS) on clients’ consumption behavior and to assess the intention to use drugs based on DC results, underlying motives and the consistency between intention and actual behavior | DEPP, UK

Gangs of Marseille: Inside France's drugs wars - podcast

A new era of violence is erupting in the French city of Marseille between rival drug gangs. Deaths are soaring - with 49 murders in the first half of this year already. We go inside the city to find out how social media is helping to recruit children as young as 14 to carry out the killings | BBC Sounds, UK

Mexican official who led war on drugs jailed for 38 years for accepting bribes

Genaro Garcia Luna was accused of taking millions of dollars from the Sinaloa cartel for shielding members | Guardian, UK

“They said they couldn’t take me because I was on drugs.” A report examining whether human rights are negated for women in addiction when accessing domestic violence support and refuge in Ireland

The SAOL Project is an integrated education, rehabilitation, advocacy and childcare programme based in North Inner City Dublin. With bolstering from the local community, the project was established in October 1995 to provide support for women who were engaged in methadone treatment. In the twenty-nine years since its inception, SAOL has worked to promote the needs of female drug users and their children | SAOL Project, Ireland

EUDA gets set for Lisbon Addictions 2024

EUDA staff members will be among the 2 000 participants gathering from 23–25 October in Lisbon at the European Conference on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies | EUDA, Portugal

[Open access] Across much of Canada, opioid poisoning deaths have been increasing due to a toxic, contaminated, and unpredictable drug supply. Multiple prescribed safer supply pilot projects are being implemented and evaluated. In the province of Alberta, however, new regulations significantly constrain safer supply prescribing by banning the prescription, dispensing, and administration of safer supply outside of a very limited number of clinics. In this commentary, we review prescribed safer supply programs in Canada and outline how the Alberta Government's change in regulations conflict with emerging evidence... | IJDP, USA

HIV diagnosis linked to higher risk of meth use in gay and bisexual men

People assigned male at birth who belong to a sexual or gender minority group were twice as likely to use methamphetamine following an HIV diagnosis, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences | Medical Xpress, USA

Blogs, comment and opinion

High-potency cannabis use leaves a distinct mark on DNA – new research

Cannabis is one of the most commonly used drugs in the world. Yet there’s still much we don’t know about it and what effects it has on the brain – including why cannabis triggers psychosis in some people who use the drug. But our recent study has just brought us closer to understanding the biological impact of high-potency cannabis use | Conversation, UK

Should recreational cannabis be legalised in the UK?

Demonising cannabis has not reduced harms and has kept the drug from patients who might benefit from it, say David Nutt and Lucy Stafford in this 2024 Maudsley debate. But Laura Stack and Robin Murray argue that legalisation in other countries has opened people up to more harms and that scientific evidence is still accumulating | BMJ opinion, UK

Government action is needed to tackle the “turmoil” in the public health system highlighted by the Darzi review

In August 2020, five months after the World Health Organization had declared a global pandemic, the UK government announced its decision to scrap England’s national public health agency, Public Health England. The announcement provoked criticism because of the inevitable organisational disruption this would cause during the pandemic response | BMJ opinion, UK

Canada’s medical cannabis system changed but didn’t disappear after recreational legalization

When Canada legalized recreational cannabis use on Oct. 17, 2018, there were concerns about the potential impacts. Would it trigger greater cannabis use, boost economic growth or otherwise affect the country’s health, safety and finances? | Conversation, Canada

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