Reports: January |
NPIS reports significant increase in nitrous oxide-related activities
The latest annual report from the National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) shows a marked increase in activity related to nitrous oxide and ketamine | UKHSA, UK
Overdose Prevention Centres, Safe Consumption Sites, and Drug Consumption Rooms: A Rapid Evidence Review
Drug Science is pleased to announce the release of a rapid evidence reviewcollating and synthesizing the existing evidence on Overdose Prevention Centres (OPCs), outlining what we know about their impact on individuals, communities, and public health. The primary objective of this rapid review is to offer a comprehensive understanding of OPCs, for policymakers, politicians, service providers, health departments, current and potential service providers, researchers, and anyone else interested in the health and well-being of people who use drugs | Drug Science, UK
Statistics on Women's Smoking Status at Time of Delivery: England, Quarter 2, 2023-24
7.5% of mothers were known to be smokers at the time of delivery. 0.5 percentage point decrease from quarter 1 of 2023-2024 (8.0%), but above the national ambition of 6% or less | NHS Digital, UK
Best practice in working with people with mental health problems on probation
There are many benefits to making sure that we understand the mental health needs of people on probation and address them. Criminal justice and health agencies need to work together to make sure that people get the support that they need with their mental health. However, currently, the services that are provided are not always suitable to meet this population’s needs, and people on probation can face numerous barriers to accessing care | Clinks, UK
Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Recovery Services National Workforce Census (PDF)
NHS England, together with the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) have developed a 10-year workforce strategic plan, (2024-2034) which outlines the vision for the drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce. To support the continued development of workforce and training plans, the NHS Benchmarking Network were commissioned to develop and undertake a workforce census. This is the second year of the census and provides an update as at the 30th June 2023 compared to the baseline position established as at 30th June 2022 | NHS Benchmarking Network, UK
Deaths among people who were homeless at time of death in Ireland, 2020
Based on national data from closed coronial files, the report shows that 121 people who were homeless died in 2020 – equivalent to 10 deaths per month, and an increase on the 2019 figure of 92. The analysis shows that those who died while homeless were much younger than the Irish average at the time of their death, with a median age of 36.5 for women and 42 for men. Almost all who died had a history of substance use or dependency, and there was a high prevalence of mental health and medical conditions | HRB, Ireland
New report reveals key features of no and low alcohol drinks market
‘No- and low-alcohol drinks in Great Britain: Monitoring report’ was produced as part of an NIHR-funded project which explores whether making non-alcoholic or low-alcohol drinks more available and popular in Great Britain can improve people’s health. The report draws on our analyses of commercial market research data along with our own survey data to provide a detailed description of the no/lo drinks market in Britain, who drinks these products and how that is changing over time. It also offers insights into key topics including pricing, market concentration and differences between the off-trade and on-trade sectors | SARG, UK
Non-opiate and cannabis drug use in minority ethnic groups
This study explores non-opiate and cannabis drug use among minority ethnic groups in England and their support and treatment needs | NatCen, UK
WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030
Progress in reducing tobacco use is a key indicator for measuring countries’ efforts to implement the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control – target 3.a under the Sustainable Development Goals agenda. Countries have adopted this indicator to report progress also towards the tobacco reduction target under the Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases 2013–2020 and the WHO’s Global Programme of Work triple billions target. This report presents WHO estimates of tobacco use prevalence for 2022, numbers of users, and trends projected to 2030. Estimates are at global, regional and country-level | WHO, Switzerland
Portman Group launches first industry wide Alcohol Alternatives Guidance for packaging and marketing
[Yesterday], the Portman Group launched the first industry wide and freely available Alcohol Alternatives Guidance for packaging and marketing to help producers ensure alcohol alternative products are marketed and sold responsibly to consumers. The Portman Group’s Advisory Service will now also offer free, confidential advice to producers launching products in the category and low cost training to the industry will also be available. The full guidance can be read here and the quick read here | Portman Group, UK
People who inject drugs: HIV and viral hepatitis monitoring
Data tables and commentary for the unlinked anonymous monitoring surveys of infections and risk among people who inject drugs (PWID) | UKHSA, UK
The efficacy and safety of medicinal cannabis in adult populations: An evidence review
This evidence review was conducted to inform a Department of Health review of the current Medicinal Cannabis Access Programme on the suitability of cannabis-based products for medical conditions. We found evidence to support the use of prescribed medicinal cannabis for certain conditions for which it is currently approved in Ireland, such as nausea and vomiting in cancer and spasticity in multiple sclerosis... | HRB, Ireland
Guidance: Community pharmacy: delivering substance misuse services
This guidance is for community pharmacies in England that deliver services to people who use drugs and alcohol. It aims to: 1) assist the commissioning and delivery of high quality, safe and effective care that can engage more people in drug and alcohol treatment, and 2) reduce harms associated with the use of drugs and alcohol, including deaths from accidental overdose | OHID, UK
Research and analysis: Helping people in alcohol and drug treatment services into work
This is a summary of the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and qualitative findings from the Individual Placement and Support - Alcohol and Drug (IPS-AD) study. [IPS is an intervention that helps people with health conditions to get paid employment] | OHID, UK
Dispelling six alcohol industry myths about alcohol taxation
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK has experienced year-on-year increases in deaths from alcohol. Between 2019 and 2021 there was a 27.4% increase in alcohol-specific deaths, reaching the highest number on record. Policies to reduce the affordability of alcohol – such as increasing alcohol duty in real terms – are among the most effective and cost-effective ways to reduce harm. It is therefore a particularly bad time to allow alcohol duty to decrease in real terms | IAS, UK
Analysis of the World Drug Report 2023: The promise and peril of going green
With a format including not only the continued use of separate booklets, but also a new complementary online web-based element, the World Drug Report 2023 presents – as ever – an impressive array of largely accessible and user-friendly data and analysis of what the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC or Office) continues to refer to as the ‘world drug problem’. | IDPC, UK
North Dublin Regional DATF alcohol research 2023: an exploration of the nature and extent of alcohol use within North County Dublin
The North Dublin Regional Drug & Alcohol Task Force was established in 2003 under the National Drug Strategy. It is one of 10 regional Task Forces in the country. It brings key stakeholders together to coordinate an evidence informed and health led drug and alcohol strategy in the North Dublin Region. In the last decade the Task Force ramped up its efforts to reduce alcohol related harm | North Dublin Regional Drug & Alcohol Task Force, Ireland
New report — Heroin and other opioids pose substantial threat to health and security in Europe
What are the latest changes in the EU opioids market? How are global geopolitical developments impacting supply? Are heroin trafficking routes changing? To what extent do synthetic opioids pose a threat to Europe? These are among the issues explored in a new analysis — EU Drug Market: Heroin and other opioids | EMCDDA, Portugal
Drugs and Alcohol Work Sector Report on Work Sector Activity 2021 - 2024 (PDF)
This paper summarises the activities of the British Irish Council (BIC) Drugs and Alcohol Work Sector in delivering its agreed Forward Work Plan for 2021-2024 | British Irish Council, UK
Consultation outcome - Creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping consultation: government response
On 4 October 2023 we published Stopping the start: our new plan to create a smokefree generation which also included our proposals to tackle youth vaping and enforce our rules. Following this we published a UK-wide consultation on 12 October and received nearly 28,000 responses. This document sets out the consultation outcomes and the subsequent measures that we will now be taking forward | DHSC et al, UK
Policy paper: Stubbing out the problem: A new strategy to tackle illicit tobacco
‘Stubbing out the problem: A new strategy to tackle illicit tobacco` sets out our commitment to reduce demand for illicit tobacco, and to tackle and disrupt the organised crime gangs behind the illicit tobacco market | HM Revenue & Customs and Border Force, UK
Drug-related and drug misuse deaths in Northern Ireland, 2012 to 2022
Figures show there were 154 drug-related deaths registered in 2022. While this represents a decrease of 59 (27.7%) from the 213 drug-related deaths registered in 2021, it is important to note that registration-based figures build in delays arising from system wide processes which can drive annual fluctuations in the series. Since 2012, NI has seen deaths due to drug-related causes rise by 98% from 110 to a peak of 218 in 2020 and to 213 in 2021. The 2022 total (154) represents a 40% increase on the number of drug deaths registered a decade ago | NISRA, UK
Tackling the Public Health Impacts of Smoking and Vaping
A report, published by Northern Ireland’s Auditor General, has concluded that the health service has made significant progress in reducing smoking prevalence among the local population, but that levels remain concerningly high among some of the most vulnerable groups in society | NIAO, UK