Reports: May |
The need for responsible alcohol delivery
The ways we shop for alcohol have changed, with more of us choosing to have alcohol delivered to our homes, our workplaces and elsewhere, instead of, and/or as well as, acquiring alcohol via the traditional means of physical shops, bars and pubs. This trend increased noticeably during the COVID-19 pandemic and has shown few signs of slowing down. Alcohol can now be ordered, online or via telephone, for delivery in as little as 15 minutes and at competitive prices. There had been some research into alcohol delivery in the US and Australia, but no-one had yet investigated the issue in the UK | Alcohol Change UK, UK
Official Statistics: Alcohol Profiles for England: May 2024 update
Update of indicators in the Alcohol Profiles for England interactive tool. This new update now includes data on working years lost which shows: In 2022, there were 151,010 potential working years of life lost in England due to alcohol-related conditions which was an increase of 18.2% from 127,708 in 2016; the rate of potential working years of life lost due to alcohol among males was more than double the rate in females; For both males and females, the rate of potential working years of life lost due to alcohol was highest in the North East region and lowest in the London region | OHID, UK
Consultation outcome: Proposals to expand access to take-home naloxone supplies
Responses to the consultation were overwhelmingly supportive of the UK Government and devolved administration’s proposals for enabling more organisations and individuals to supply take-home naloxone. There was widespread agreement that the proposed list of named services and professionals should be able to supply take-home naloxone without a prescription. Responses agreed with the need for training requirements, including on the storage and supply of naloxone, as well as how to support those people supplied with naloxone | Department of Health and Social Care, Department of Health (Northern Ireland), The Scottish Government, and Welsh Government
10-year strategic plan for the drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce (2024–2034)
Dame Carol Black’s independent review of drugs called for the drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce to be rebuilt to deliver better outcomes for the people it serves. In response, the government committed to developing a comprehensive workforce strategy and invested an additional £532 million between 2022 and 2025 to improve the capacity and quality of drug and alcohol treatment. This additional funding is supporting the expansion of the workforce by the end of 2024/25 with: 1) 800 more medical, mental health and other regulated professionals. 2) 950 additional drug and alcohol and criminal justice workers. 3) additional commissioning and co-ordinator capacity in every local authority | NHS England, UK
Consultation outcome: Proposals to expand access to take-home naloxone supplies
Responses to the consultation were overwhelmingly supportive of the UK Government and devolved administration’s proposals for enabling more organisations and individuals to supply take-home naloxone. There was widespread agreement that the proposed list of named services and professionals should be able to supply take-home naloxone without a prescription. Responses agreed with the need for training requirements, including on the storage and supply of naloxone, as well as how to support those people supplied with naloxone | Department of Health and Social Care, Department of Health (Northern Ireland), The Scottish Government, and Welsh Government
New figures show youth vaping has plateaued while adult vaping is at an all-time high
The latest findings from Action on Smoking and Health (ASH’s) annual surveys of young people and adults find that 11% of British adults vape, up from 9% in 2023. However, rates of vaping among 11–17-year-olds have not increased, with 7.6% of young people vaping occasionally or regularly, and 17% of young people having ever vaped, similar to the levels reported in 2023. The new data is being presented at the International E-cigarette Summit in Washington today | ASH, UK
Smoking and mental health: a framework for action in Wales
Smoking contributes to poor mental health and increases inequalities in physical health and premature mortality. Smoking is a leading contributor to the 7–23-year lower life expectancy among people with severe mental illness (SMI) compared to the general population | RCPsych, UK
Needle exchanges help stop the spread of infection
New figures from the Public Health Agency (PHA) show a total of 31,851 transactions were made by the Needle and Syringe Exchange Service (NSES) across Northern Ireland in 2023. Helping to stop the spread of infection from potential drug-related litter and sharing of injecting equipment, the NSES also provides those who use the service with direct contact with a health professional who can help them engage with additional services they may require | Public Health Agency, UK
A review of systematic reviews on the health effects of vaping in children and adolescents (PDF)
Vaping among children and young people is rising in Northern Ireland. This review was carried out by the Institute of Public Health (IPH) to inform the development of policy and regulation on vapes in Northern Ireland. This report found 12 systematic reviews investigating the public health effects of vaping among children and adolescents. It found strong, high-quality evidence of an association between vaping and subsequent tobacco cigarette use based on longitudinal data. This review of systematic reviews also found some evidence to support the association between vaping and having asthma, increased coughing, mental health, marijuana use, and alcohol use | IPH, Ireland and UK
General Report of Activities 2023 – key achievements and governance: a year in review
The General Report of Activities is an annual publication providing a detailed progress report of the EMCDDA’s activities over a 12-month period. It catalogues the Centre’s achievements in each area of its annual work programme. The report is a useful information source for all those seeking comprehensive information on the Centre and its work | EMCDDA, Portugal
Evaluation of the National Mission on Drug Deaths-Frontline staff survey 2023
This report presents findings from a 2023 survey of staff working in frontline alcohol and drug services in Scotland. The survey findings highlight some positive aspects about working in alcohol and drug services. More than eight in ten (82%) reported that they enjoy working in the sector a lot or all of the time. Seven in ten agreed that they get the support (70%) and the training (75%) they need to do their job a lot or all of the time. However, the findings highlight several less positive aspects. More than half (56%) of respondents felt under pressure a lot or all of the time | PHS, UK
Addiction Family Support : An Overview of Why Our Charity Is Re-Branding From DrugFAM To Addiction Family Support(PDF)
After nearly two decades of dedicated service as DrugFAM, we’re thrilled to unveil our new identity as Addiction Family Support. Our journey began 18 years ago with a mission to support people affected or bereaved by a loved one’s addiction. This rebrand represents an exciting chapter, providing a clearer representation of our services. While our name may have changed, our commitment to delivering the same high-quality support remains resolute | Addiction Family Support, UK
Snus Use in English Professional Football (PDF)
Anecdotal evidence from players and staff suggests that snus (a smokeless tobacco pouch placed between the lip and gum) is commonly used among professional footballers in England. Snus use has been associated with a variety of health conditions in the general population, but at present, there is no available evidence about how and why professional football players use snus to inform wellbeing plans. The aim of this research was to explore snus use in men’s and women’s professional English football to better understand prevalence, motivations, sources, and perceived health and performance effects | Loughborough University, UK
Illegal synthetic opioids: Can Europe prevent a crisis?
Potent synthetic opioids, illegally produced, are starting to emerge in Europe. Considering the damaging harms caused by the opioid crisis in North America, which has led to a substantial surge in overdose deaths, it is crucial that European leaders understand the challenges associated with synthetic opioids. In this Perspective, we present and discuss the current situation in Europe concerning synthetic opioids, and draw on earlier and ongoing crises involving this group of substances to reflect on likely challenges ahead and ways to improve preparedness | RAND Corporation, USA
National Opioid Pharmacotherapy Statistics Annual Data collection
On a snapshot day in 2023, 53,272 clients received pharmacotherapy treatment for their opioid dependence across Australia (excluding Western Australia). There were 3,082 dosing points and 3,123 authorised prescribers of opioid pharmacotherapy drugs | AIHW, Australia