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Daily news - 18th October 2024 |
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UK news
Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use among Young People in England, 2023
This report contains results from the latest survey of secondary school pupils in England in years 7 to 11 (mostly aged 11 to 15), focusing on smoking, drinking and drug use. It covers a range of topics including prevalence, habits, attitudes, and wellbeing | NHS England, UK
Almost 1 in 10 secondary school pupils currently vape, new NHS survey shows
A quarter of 11 to 15-year-olds have tried vaping and nearly 1 in 10 (9%) do it frequently, according to new statistics published [yesterday]. The Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England report for 2023 showed regular or occasional vaping in high school children had increased from 6% in 2018. The report also shows only 11% of young people have smoked at least once, the lowest level recorded by the survey | NHS England, UK
Rachel Reeves considers raising tax on vapes in autumn budget
Exclusive: news comes as figures show a quarter of 11 to 15-year-olds in England have tried vaping | Guardian, UK
Press release: Virtual reality and wearable technology pilot to cut drug deaths
The government will fund research into wearable technology, virtual reality and artificial intelligence in a bid to support people with drug addictions | Department of Health and Social Care, Office for Life Sciences and Andrew Gwynne MP, UK
Virtual reality to be used in UK trial to help people beat cocaine addiction
Research is one of 11 projects part of a £12m government plan to reduce drug overdoses with new technology | Guardian, UK
Alcohol-Free Childhood campaign wins First Minister backing
The First Minister John Swinney has given his support to a joint campaign aimed at ensuring that children and young people in Scotland grow up free from the harmful effects of alcohol marketing | Alcohol Focus Scotland, UK
The impact of Scotland's minimum unit pricing for alcohol policy on people accessing services for alcohol dependence: A difference-in-difference structured interview study
Alcohol-dependent clients seen at treatment services in England and Scotland were interviewed before and after Scotland effectively banned the sale of strong, cheap drink. There was no evidence that as a result the sample in Scotland reduced drinking or improved health, but neither were there any significant negative impacts on family or economic deprivation | DAR, UK
Minimum alcohol pricing looks set to be introduced in NI
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt is seeking the backing of his executive colleagues to bring the legislation to the assembly | BBC, UK
Duty review boosts production of low-strength beers
Last year's Alcohol Duty Review has seen 100m alcohol units removed from the market and a “boom” in new lower-strength products, the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has said | Morning Advertiser, UK
Alcohol for fans to be trialled at women's matches
Allowing fans to drink alcohol will be trialled at two Women's Championship clubs this season, says Women's Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL) chief executive Nikki Doucet | BBC, UK
Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs: Recruitment
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to proceed with the recruitment process for members of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, as announced by the previous government on 2 August 2023 | They work for you, UK
International news
What can we know about legal minors who inject drugs? Exploring register data in three high-income countries
Research on legal minors who inject drugs is rare and beset with methodological problems. We explore the potential of register data for researching this population and present illustrative analyses contributing to the knowledge base | DEPP, UK
Ex-Olympic snowboarder accused of running killer drug cartel
A Canadian snowboarder who previously competed in the Olympic Games is wanted by authorities for allegedly running a violent drug cartel that committed murder and trafficked tonnes of Colombian cocaine from Mexico to the US and Canada | BBC, UK
California man arrested for using drone to deliver drugs – including fentanyl
Christopher Patrick Laney was also charged in connection with overdose and death of customer | Guardian, UK
Health and Economic Outcomes of Offering Buprenorphine in Homeless Shelters in Massachusetts
A simulation study estimated that offering buprenorphine to opioid-dependent clients at clinics based in homeless shelters would reduce overdose deaths by 9% over 10 years and generate net savings due to reduced health care and prison costs | JAMA Network Open, USA
CDC reports record drop in drug overdose deaths
The CDC reported that 94,758 individuals died because of drug overdoses in the 12-month period ending May 2024—a 15% drop from the previous 12-month period. The agency estimates that number may rise to 98,820 when finalized, which would be a 12.7% drop | Medical Xpress, USA
Youth Tobacco Product Use at a 25-Year Low, Yet Disparities Persist
Current tobacco product use among U.S. middle and high school students has dropped to the lowest recorded level in 25 years. This is according to newly released data from the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS). Within the past year alone, at least half a million fewer students are using tobacco products, contributing to this important progress | CDC, USA
Ozempic and similar drugs may lower risks for opioid and alcohol use disorders
A new study published in the scientific journal Addiction has found that people with opioid or alcohol use disorder (OUD, AUD) who take Ozempic or similar medications to treat diabetic/weight-related conditions appear to have a 40% lower rate of opioid overdose and a 50% lower rate of alcohol intoxication than people with OUD and AUD who do not take Ozempic or similar medications | News Medical, USA
Study finds legalization didn't increase recreational cannabis use among young adults in country of Georgia
A new study from researchers at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center (BMC) has found that cannabis use among young adults in the country of Georgia, did not increase following recreational use legalization, despite having easier access. The work is published in the journal Addiction | Medical Xpress, USA
DULF Unveils Defense Strategy for Compassion-Club Criminal Charges
The Drug User Liberation Front (DULF) in Vancouver has outlined its intended defense to criminal charges against two of its founders for distributing tested heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine. It’s framing the charges, against a compassion club designed to save lives, as unconstitutional | Filter Magazine, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
Achieving a smoke-free country—a best buy for the UK chancellor
The UK government has set out a bold mission to improve the nation’s health. This is an urgent and essential task, not just to improve individual wellbeing, but because poor health is a huge drain on the economy. The mission will require action across all arms of government. Unless smoking is tackled, there is no prospect of delivering on Labour’s manifesto commitment to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions. We therefore urge the chancellor to use the budget on 30 October to invest in creating a smoke-free UK as quickly as possible and make the tobacco industry pay | BMJ Opinion, UK
How growing alcohol price gap between Scotland and England is a gift to organised crime
Organised criminals will realise there’s money to be made in moving alcohol from England to Scotland, and with it will come drugs and other illegal goods | Scotsman, UK
Wine tax is proportionate and necessary
Taxing alcohol products according to their strength will nudge producers and consumers to lower-strength products, easing the burden on the NHS | Guardian letters, UK
Cheap grog, new drunkenness offence and mandatory rehab: why 9 experts think proposed NT alcohol reforms would be a disaster
The new Northern Territory government is planning a swathe of changes to alcohol policy. If implemented, these changes fly in the face of what evidence shows works to reduce alcohol-related harms. Some are also out of step with the rest of Australia | Conversation, Australia