Reports: October |
Adult smoking habits in the UK: 2023
Cigarette smoking habits among adults in the UK, including how many people smoke, differences between population groups, changes over time and use of e-cigarettes | ONS, UK
Smoking profile for England: statistical commentary, October 2024 update
An overview of the extent of smoking, smoking-related harm and the measures being taken to reduce this harm at a local level in England | OHID, UK
Vaping set to overtake smoking in the United Kingdom as research and policy endorses tobacco harm reduction - new GSTHR Briefing Paper
This latest Briefing Paper focuses on the remarkable shift from smoking to vaping that has taken place in the United Kingdom in recent years. It explores some of the reasons behind the UK’s rapid and growing embrace of vaping, and provides another important case study showcasing the potential of tobacco harm reduction through the adoption of safer nicotine products (SNP), following our recent Briefing Paper on the effect heated tobacco products have had in Japan | GSTHR, UK
How to regulate cannabis in Britain (PDF)
CLEAR, the longest-established cannabis reform group in the UK, has
published the third edition of its plan for regulating cannabis. This
has been updated and revised to incorporate ‘Taxing the UK Cannabis
Market’, the largest, most comprehensive study ever undertaken on the
subject | CLEAR, UK
Deaths linked to potent synthetic opioids
This report contains information on the numbers of deaths associated with potent synthetic opioids (nitazenes or fentanyls). The data has been collected by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and the National Crime Agency | OHID, UK
Alcohol: A commercial driver of crime (PDF)
Alcohol and crime have a closely interconnected relationship, with alcohol consumption being a contributing factor to crime and antisocial behaviour. Alcohol plays a key role in crimes such as public order offences, domestic violence, assault and murder, as well as rape and sexual assault | Alcohol Action Ireland, Ireland
Analysis reveals families and communities impacted by drug-related deaths in Scotland
A review which analysed the circumstances of each person who experienced a drug related death in Scotland in 2019 and 2020 has been published by Public Health Scotland. Since 2018, Scotland has consecutively had the highest rate of drug related deaths in Europe | Public Health Scotland, UK
National drug related death database (Scotland)
Scotland has a cohort of people with problematic drug use who have multiple complex health and social care needs. Many people who had a DRD shared similar characteristics: they were male, aged over 35, socially deprived, lived alone and had a history of long term and / or injecting opioid use and near fatal overdose | Public Health Scotland, UK
Young people face ‘troubling’ challenges to social mobility, Commission reveals
This Social Mobility Commission report examines young people’s mental health, truancy, use of alcohol and drugs and the support they receive in the home. Children aged 11-15, from more advantaged families, were found to be more likely to use alcohol, drugs and vape. 32% of young people from better off families self-reported consuming alcohol in the last month compared to 19% from poorer families. A similar trend is shown when looking at young people’s experiences of drug use with 23% of those from more wealthier families having taken drugs in the past month compared to 17% of those from less well off families | Social Mobility Commission, 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
Review into the operational effectiveness of the Care Quality Commission: full report
Final findings and recommendations of the review into the operational effectiveness of the Care Quality Commission | DHSC, UK
Colombia: Potential cocaine production increased by 53 per cent in 2023, according to new UNODC survey
Cultivation of coca bush in Colombia increased by 10 per cent in 2023 to 253,000 hectares, while potential cocaine production reached 2,664 metric tons, according to a new survey released by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). This represents a potential 53 per cent increase in cocaine production over 2022 and marks the 10th consecutive year (since 2023) that estimates of potential cocaine production have risen in the country | UNODC, Austria
Dublin city taskforce report
Though there is much to be positive about Dublin, the function of the city centre has profoundly altered, accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Fewer people traveling to work, a shift in shopping and socialising patterns and concerns that the streets are not safe have contributed to a growing reluctance to engage in city centre activities. As fewer people have cause or desire to walk the city’s streets, particularly after business hours, the resulting lack of activity adds to the sense of emptiness and neglect and emboldens anti-social behaviour and visible drug taking. To address these issues, the Taskforce aligned behind three common missions: 1)More people living in the city centre, 2)Streets that look cleaner and feel safer and 3)A healthy, vibrant, always-on city that respects its heritage | Taoiseach's Taskforce for Dublin, Ireland
Joint Committee on Drugs Use interim report (PDF)
The Committee has considered all of the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use and provided a reasoned response to each one based on its work to date. The Committee has published additional recommendations. Those recommendations and the Committee’s responses are a step along in targeting the urgent changes needed around drug policy and drugs use in Ireland | Houses of the Oireachtas, Ireland
Alcohol licensing, England and Wales, April 2023 to March 2024
Includes statistics on premises licences, club premises certificates, personal licences, late night refreshment and 24-hour alcohol licences | Home Office, UK
The Global State of Harm Reduction 2024
The Global State of Harm Reduction is the only report that provides an independent analysis of harm reduction in the world. Now in its ninth edition, the Global State of Harm Reduction 2024 is the most comprehensive global mapping of harm reduction responses to drug use, HIV and viral hepatitis. Each regional chapter presents data on the availability of harm reduction services and addresses two key issues that require special attention. The report also includes three new thematic chapters focused on harm reduction for Indigenous people, people in prison and youth. We also continue to include data to map the implementation of viral hepatitis services for people who use drugs | HRI, UK
Alcohol brief interventions: A review of strategy and recommendations for policy
This report follows the work of a programme board that was established to support Public Health Scotland to undertake a review of the Alcohol Brief Intervention programme in Scotland. This report documents a series of recommendations and actions to consider whether and what form the Scottish Alcohol Brief Intervention programme should continue | Public Health Scotland, UK
Research shows effect that minimum pricing policies could have on reducing smoking rates in Scotland
New research commissioned by Public Health Scotland has assessed the potential effectiveness of minimum pricing policies for tobacco that could help reduce smoking rates and improve health in Scotland. View the ‘Model-based appraisal of the potential effects of minimum pricing for tobacco in Scotland’ report. View a position statement from Public Health Scotland on stopping tobacco smoking and youth vaping | Public Health Scotland, UK
Rapid Action Drug Alerts and Response (RADAR) quarterly report
The Drugs Team at Public Health Scotland has compiled this RADAR quarterly report of drug-related indicators. The objective of this report is to monitor drug-related harms, service usage and toxicology data, in order to provide an early warning of emerging drug trends and identify actions to reduce and prevent drug harms and deaths | Public Health Scotland, UK