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Daily news - 3rd September 2024 |
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UK news
Healthcare utilisation and associated costs for methadone versus buprenorphine recipients: Examination of interlinked primary and secondary care electronic health records in England
[Open access] Overall health care costs of patients in England prescribed methadone were slightly higher than those prescribed buprenorphine, but the difference was so small that it "should not determine treatment decisions", and may have been due to differences between the patients on the two types of opioid addiction treatments | DAR, UK
Naloxone: 'Miracle' anti-overdose drug used in Northamptonshire Police pilot to prevent deaths
A former drug addict - who nearly overdosed twice - is training police to use a "miracle" anti-overdose drug to help save lives | ITV, UK
Killer tactics
This report from the Alcohol Health Alliance, Action on Smoking and Health and Obesity Health Alliance highlights common strategies and tactics used by the tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy food and drink industries to delay and disrupt public health policymaking and protect their business models | AHA, UK, UK
Recovery Month (September 2024) – a time to celebrate everyone’s journey from addiction to recovery
Now in its 34th year, Recovery Month celebrates the success of those in recovery from all addictive behaviours | Forward Trust, UK
Tobacco Harm Reduction: A Deep Dive with Professor Ann McNeill - audio
Ever wondered about the complexities of tobacco harm reduction? This episode of 'Addictions Edited: the monthly take-home' brings you a fascinating conversation with Professor Ann McNeill, a leading expert in tobacco addiction. Hosted by Dr Rob Calder, this episode dives into the history, challenges, and future of tobacco harm reduction | SSA, UK
MORE KARE
Welcome to the MORE-KARE trial. MORE-KARE is a new and innovative multi-centre investigation of increasing alcohol abstinence with ketamine-assisted psychological therapy in severe alcohol use disorder | University of Exeter, UK
Store under review after selling alcohol to minors
Gloucestershire Constabulary are calling for the review of Bargain Beer and Wines, known as Bargain Booze, in Cheltenham | BBC, UK
Crime boss told cocaine profits would be 'life changing'
A Scottish gangster who masterminded an international cocaine smuggling operation was told the potential profits would be "life changing" | BBC, UK
International news
What the outdoor smoking ban in Australia could tell us about UK's future
Jack Berman takes a long drag and then exhales, slowly, in the covered terrace of a 150-year-old pub in a Sydney beach suburb | BBC, UK
Australian teenagers’ mental health problems linked to vaping, study finds
High school students with depression or poor wellbeing are twice as likely to have vaped at some time, survey of 5,000 shows | Guardian, UK
Czech Health Ministry Wants to Ban Sweet-Flavoured Electronic Cigarettes
The Czech Health Ministry is drafting an amendment to a decree that could significantly impact the e-cigarette industry | Prague Morning, Czech Republic
Nitazene test strips: a laboratory evaluation
[Open access] Nitazenes are highly potent, sometimes deadly, synthetic opiate-type drugs which have emerged on illicit markets as countermeasures have targeted fentanyl. In this Belgian study, a new test strip was able to detect a wide range (but not all) of these drugs, potentially alerting users to the danger | Harm Reduction Journal, USA
Pharmacy Naloxone Standing Order and Community Opioid Fatality Rates Over Time
Massachusetts municipalities which allowed naloxone kits to be supplied by pharmacies without the customer having a prescription recorded an estimated 16% fewer opioid-related deaths each year after the change | JAMA Network Open, USA
Fentanyl vaccine heads for clinical trials, with goal of saving lives
A fentanyl vaccine developed by researchers at the University of Houston is expected to head to clinical trials sometime in the middle of next year, with the hope of being a groundbreaking solution to a deadly crisis | Medical Xpress, USA
Transgender people have more severe mental health histories and spend more days in substance use disorder treatment than cisgender peers
A lack of research comparing treatment outcomes between cisgender and transgender patients has resulted in a knowledge gap – it is unclear what the specific needs of transgender patients are and how best to address them in treatment. This study analyzed substance use disorder patient care data to determine potential differences in mental health comorbidities and treatment engagement between transgender and cisgender people receiving treatment | Recovery Research Institute, USA
“Secret shopper” study of adolescent residential addiction treatment
Substance use disorders among adolescents is a pressing public health concern. Residential treatment is a vital health care service for adolescents, but there is little publicly available information about how programs function, their costs, and how readily they can be accessed, especially among private programs. This study where members of the research team reached out to programs as “secret shoppers”, (i.e., pretended to be “shopping” for adolescent residential treatment) documented these key pieces of information about adolescent residential treatment across the U.S | Recovery Research Institute, USA
Has Quebec entered a new era of drug-related deaths?
For the last decade, people who use drugs in Quebec have been partially sheltered from Canada's drug overdose epidemics. But since 2020, the picture has changed | Medical Xpress, USA
Depressed adolescents twice as likely to vape
A University of Sydney led study has revealed a dual mental health and vaping crisis among Australian youth, with high school students struggling with mental health, stress and wellbeing more likely to have tried e-cigarettes | University of Sydney, Australia
Ecstasy and Related Drugs Reporting System (EDRS)
Self-reported sexual engagement among a sample of people who regularly use ecstasy and/or other illicit stimulants in Australia, 2023 | NDARC, Australia
Most Aussies back drug injecting rooms, research shows
Research published on Tuesday found opposition to supervised injecting rooms has declined markedly over the past 20 years, down from 38 per cent to 27 per cent | Canberra Times, Australia
Blogs, comment and opinion
Why Scotland’s drug deaths crisis will only get worse without radical reform
Scotland needs politicians to be bold and develop a new drugs policy that serves our communities and saves lives | Scotsman opinion, UK
Labour’s Proposed Vape Ban Is a Blow to Harm Reduction
Labour’s recent proposal to ban disposable vapes, citing concerns over youth access and environmental impact, is a significant misstep. While these issues warrant attention, an outright ban ignores the crucial role disposable vapes play in harm reduction, particularly for smokers looking to quit | Volteface, UK
Nitrous-Oxide: What is it good for?
Discovered in 1722 by Dr Joseph Priestley, nitrous oxide (N2O) is now an essential medicine and a popular recreational drug | Drug Science blog, UK
Should you vape 6-methylnicotine?
6-methylnicotine, a nicotine alternative, is used in vapes to bypass Australian restrictions. It is more potent but its safety is uncertain, with potential cytotoxic effects. Recent research found labeling inconsistencies, raising safety concerns. With new laws banning all vapes' importation, including those with 6MT, it is safer to use nicotine vapes from reliable sources | Colin Medelsohn, Australia