Reports: March |
High Returns: The economic benefits of UK cannabis legalisation
This report evaluates the economic impacts of legalising and regulating cannabis for adult non-medical use in the UK from a Treasury perspective of income and spending. The report focuses on government revenues (corporation and income tax, VAT, National Insurance, licensing fees, and, in the scenario of a state monopoly model, profits), savings across the criminal justice system (CJS) from reduced costs on enforcement, and the costs of administering a regulatory model | Transform, UK
National naloxone programme Scotland - Quarterly monitoring bulletin
This release by Public Health Scotland (PHS) presents information on the number of take-home naloxone kits issued by the National Naloxone Programme (NNP) in Scotland. Figures are presented separately for kits issued from community outlets, kits issued in prisons at the point of liberation, kits dispensed via community prescription, and kits issued by Scottish Ambulance Service | PHS, UK
Estimated numbers of people prescribed opioid substitution therapy in Scotland
In the 12-month period ending 30 September 2024 (the end of 2024/25 Q2), Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) was prescribed to an estimated minimum of 29,126 people in Scotland. In the 12 months to the end of the previous financial year quarter (2024/25 Q1) an estimated minimum of 29,476 people were prescribed OST | PHS, UK
Problem drug use in Cork City: a study on prevalence and harms (PDF)
Findings from a four-source capture-recapture analysis estimated that there were 859 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 774–1,079) problematic opioid users in Cork city in 2022, which equates to a prevalence rate of 5.59 (95% CI: 5.04–7.02) opioid users per 1,000 population. In 2022 almost one-third of opioid users in Cork city were unknown to services | University College Cork, Ireland
Alcohol availability at Scottish Football Insights from the ‘Football and Alcohol Scoping Study (FASST)’ project (PDF)
This briefing is based on research funded by the Scottish Football Association (SFA) and Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) and carried out by Dr Richard Purves and Mr. Jack Martin, Institute for Social Marketing and Health, University of Stirling. This research was commissioned by the SFA and SPFL to explore the issues which would need to be considered in a pilot trialling the general sale of alcohol at Scottish football grounds | University of Stirling, UK
Bringing human rights to the heart of drug and addiction policies: guidance for aligning drug and addiction policies with human rights (PDF)
In pursuing its mission to promote the compliance of drug and addiction policy with human rights, the Pompidou Group has taken action in various ways. These include policy papers, expert reports, tools and guidance documents and a broad range of capacity building activities. As a result, this work has led to a number of lasting initiatives and brought about important insights and understanding to help advance policies on drug, substance and behavioural addictions. This guidance document constitutes the next step forward by the Pompidou Group to bring human rights to the heart of these policies | Council of Europe, France
Opiates and Methamphetamine Trafficking on the Balkan Route: Drug Flows, Illicit Incomes and Illicit Financial Flows (PDF)
Between 2019 and 2022, the Balkan route – a major corridor for trafficking opiates and, more recently, methamphetamine – generated an estimated total annual illicit gross income ranging from US$13.9 to US$21.4 billion. Opiates accounted for about 90 per cent of this total, with methamphetamine representing a smaller but growing share | UNODC, Austria
Suspected drug deaths in Scotland: October to December 2024
There were 1,065 suspected drug deaths in 2024. This was 11% (132) fewer than in 2023 (1,197). Suspected drug deaths in Scotland have fallen over recent quarters but remain at a high level | Scottish Government, UK
NHS stop smoking services quarterly
This release by Public Health Scotland (PHS) presents information on NHS Stop Smoking Services in Scotland and their progress towards their annual Local Delivery Plan (LDP) Standard. The LDP Standard for NHS Scotland in 2024/25 is to achieve at least 7,026 self-reported successful twelve-week quits through smoking cessation services in the 40% most deprived areas (60% in NHS Island Boards) | PHS, UK
The Death Penalty for Drug Offences: Global Overview 2024
This report, our 14th on the subject, continues our work of providing regular updates on legislative, policy and practical developments related to the use of capital punishment for drug offences, a practice which is a clear violation of international human rights and drug control standards. The Death Penalty for Drug Offences: Global Overview 2024 presents an analysis of key developments, with a focus on analysing and disseminating available figures and trends on drug-related executions and death sentences | HRI, UK
Record high alcohol related deaths in Wales highlight urgent public health concerns
Latest figures on substance misuse from Public Health Wales have revealed worrying trends in alcohol-related deaths and hospital admissions across the country. The report, which examines data from health, social care, education and criminal justice services highlights the continuing need to recognise and address the growing public health impacts of alcohol consumption | Public Health Wales, UK
Wastewater analysis: Measuring illicit drug consumption
This report presents the findings from the Home Office Wastewater Analysis Programme, including consumption estimates for key illicit drugs in early 2023 and 2024 | Home Office, UK
Alcohol treatment in Australia: Client characteristics and patterns of service use, 2013–14 to 2022–23
Clients accessing alcohol and other drug treatment services often receive multiple episodes of treatment over a number of years. This report describes the characteristics and patterns of service use for 3 client cohorts between 2013–14 and 2022–23 where alcohol was a principal drug of concern (either alcohol only or alcohol and another principal drug of concern (PDOC)). | AIHW, Australia
Drug Trends output: The use of nicotine pouches among people in Australia who regularly consume illicit substances, 2024
There are concerns that nicotine pouches have gained popularity due to their lower cost, ease of concealability, as well as recent laws introducing restrictions to the access of e-cigarettes, however literature on use remains scarce. In 2024, questions on past 6-month use of nicotine pouches, and source of obtainment, were included in the Ecstasy and Related Drugs Reporting System (EDRS) and the Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS). This bulletin aims to examine patterns of use and sourcing of nicotine pouches among these two samples of people who regularly use illicit substances | NDARC, Australia
Trends in smoking prevalence and socio-economic inequalities across regions in England: A population study, 2006 to 2024
[Open access] In addition to national policies and interventions, certain regions in England (particularly in the North) coordinate regional tobacco control programmes. This study aimed to (i) examine trends in tobacco smoking prevalence and socioeconomic inequalities in smoking across regions and (ii) explore how trends in smoking prevalence have differed between regions with and without dedicated regional tobacco control activity | Addiction, UK
Scottish Burden of Disease Future prevalence and burden of chronic liver disease (PDF)
Cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases are long-term conditions. The consequences from chronic liver disease can vary from person to person and can include an increased risk of early death. The prevalence of chronic liver disease is therefore influenced through two main pathways: the incidence of chronic liver disease, and the survival rate of prevalent cases. If improvements in mortality are not met by equivalent improvements in disease prevention, the number of prevalent cases will grow. Preventing and reducing exposure to risk factors such as alcohol use, obesity and hepatitis C and B is key | Public Health Scotland, UK
Latest wastewater data from 128 European cities: more stimulants but less cannabis found
The latest findings from the largest European project monitoring illicit drug use through wastewater analysis are released today in Wastewater analysis and drugs — a European multi-city study, published by the Europe-wide SCORE group, in association with the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). The rise in MDMA, cocaine and amphetamine detections compared to 2023 takes centre stage in this year's study, along with decreases in cannabis detections | EUDA, Portugal
Patients in mental health wards need better quit support as government prepares to ban smoking on hospital grounds
New research - Space to breathe - Findings from a survey of smokefree policies and tobacco dependence treatment services in NHS mental health trusts in England - by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), funded by Cancer Research UK, finds that people admitted to mental health trusts have better access to treatment for smoking than they did 5 years ago but are being let down by a failure to create smokefree care environments. The findings come as the government prepares to ban smoking on all hospital grounds | ASH, UK
Estimated Prevalence of Opioid Dependence in Scotland
The estimated number of people with opioid dependence in Scotland was 43,400 (95% CrI: 41,900 to 45,100). This represents an estimated prevalence of 1.23% (95% CrI: 1.19% to 1.28%) of 15- to 64-year-olds | Public Health Scotland, UK
National drug and alcohol treatment waiting times
9,429 referrals were made to community-based specialist drug and alcohol treatment services: 4,727 (50.1%) were for problematic use of alcohol, 3,397 (36.0%) for problematic use of drugs, and 1,305 (13.8%) for co-dependency (use of both alcohol and drugs) | Public Health Scotland, UK