Weekly news - 11th December 2020 |
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In date order, Monday to Friday:
Commissioner for Public Appointments’ decision notice: public body appointments process for Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, administered by Home Office (PDF)
The Public Appointments Order in Council (OIC) November 2019 states that the Commissioner for Public Appointments ‘may conduct an enquiry into the procedures and practices followed by an appointing authority in relation to any public appointment whether in response to a complaint or otherwise | Commissioner for Public Appointments, UK
Essays on alcohol-related harm and interventions
See five essays about alcohol-related harm and alcohol interventions from Drug and Alcohol Findings. These explain the background and evidence around topics that sometimes prompt heated debate, and are a popular way to get up to speed on the issues which matter in alcohol policy and practice | Drug and Alcohol Findings, UK
US House passes federal cannabis decriminalisation bill
The US House of Representatives has passed a bill to decriminalise cannabis at the national level for the first time | BBC, UK
DDN 2020 December/Jan
Our news in this issue leads with the positive results of the heroin assisted treatment pilot in Middlesbrough – a scheme whose dramatic impact has resulted in funding to evaluate it, Armedand which will hopefully encourage further roll-out. These are the moments we must look for in a terribly difficult year. Our review of the last 12 months (p14) reminds us of the painful decisions and swift adaptations we all had to make – but it also tells the story of services rising to the challenge and gives much-needed glimpses of hope | DDN, UK
Residential Rehabilitation Working Group: drug and alcohol residential treatment services - preliminary recommendations
This report provides a set of recommendations to the Scottish Government and other partners involved in reducing the harms caused by problematic use of alcohol and drugs - recommendations which aim to improve access to residential rehabilitation treatment | Scottish Government, UK
Statistics on Smoking, England 2020
There were 74,600 deaths attributable to smoking. Decrease of 3% from 2018 (77,000) and 9% from 2009 (82,000) | NHS Digital, UK
Deaths of despair: cause-specific mortality and socioeconomic inequalities in cause-specific mortality among young men in Scotland
Increasing mortality among men from drugs, alcohol and suicides is a growing public health concern in many countries. Collectively known as “deaths of despair”, they are seen to stem from unprecedented economic pressures and a breakdown in social support structures | International Journal for Equity in Health, UK
Drug misuse in England and Wales: year ending March 2020
There was no change in the overall level of any drug use1 in the last year across England and Wales for the year ending March 2020 compared with the previous year. Findings from the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) showed that around 1 in 11 adults aged 16 to 59 years had taken a drug in the last year (9.4%; 3.2 million individuals). The proportion of adults aged 16 to 24 years who reported any drug use in the last year, however, was higher (21%; 1.3 million individuals) | ONS, UK
Seizures of drugs in England and Wales, financial year ending 2020
Contains figures for seizures of drugs made by local police forces and the UK Border Force | Home Office, UK
Public health grant cuts 'worst in poorest areas'
In deprived communities like Bensham in Gateshead, poor housing and a lack of jobs are feeding ill health. Cuts to public health projects targeting smoking, obesity or addiction haven't helped - say the IPPR | BBC, UK
Psychedelic drug DMT to be trialled in UK to treat depression
Exclusive: UK regulators give go-ahead for drug to be trialled ahead of possible treatment alongside psychotherapy | Guardian, UK
Theresa May accused of breaking rules in blocking drugs expert
Exclusive: in 2018 the then prime minister barred expert from drugs advisory panel | Guardian, UK
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government launches £46m “Changing Futures” programme
There are an estimated 363,000 people across England experiencing multiple disadvantage across a combination of substance misuse, homelessness, poor mental health, domestic abuse and contact with the criminal justice system | Collective Voice, UK
Drugs: Misuse
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans the Government has to increase access to community services to support people suffering from substance misuse disorders | They work for you, UK
Drugs activist Peter Krykant ready to go to court as he fights to save addicts
The man running a van where addicts can safely inject drugs has thrown down the gauntlet to Scotland’s law chief by refusing to accept a caution | Daily Record, UK
England’s health care gatekeeper endorses mutual aid
Taking a leap away from its comfort zone, England’s gatekeeper to public provision of health and social care embraced non-professional and unregulated interventions in the form of mutual aid groups. Did NICE really have enough evidence? | Drug and Alcohol Findings, UK
Google to let YouTube users opt out of gambling and alcohol ads
Company will roll out feature in UK next year but without guarantee it will filter out 100% of adverts | Guardian, UK