Weekly news - 24th December 2020 |
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DrugWise Daily wishes all its readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you for all your support and see you in 2021. Here's hoping it's a better year!
Jackie and Harry
In date order, Monday to Friday:
Drug deaths in Scotland: Minister Joe FitzPatrick loses job
Public Health Minister Joe FitzPatrick has lost his job in government after Scotland recorded its highest ever number of drug deaths | BBC, UK
Nicola Sturgeon to meet with activist keen to create safe sites for drug addicts to inject
The First Minister will meet activist Peter Krykant on January 7 | Daily Record, UK
Residential rehabilitation - service mapping: report - 2019 to 2020
A data summary of a national mapping exercise reviewing existing service provision, pathways and funding models which informed the data for the Residential Rehabilitation Working Group: recommendations on drug and alcohol residential treatment services | Scottish Government, UK
National Intelligence Network on drug health harms briefing - December 2020
This briefing note includes topics covered at the October 2020 meeting of the National Intelligence Network on drug health harms and has been updated with the latest information. These notes are for directors of public health, commissioners, drug treatment services and needle and syringe programmes. The network exchanges intelligence on blood-borne viruses, new and emerging trends in drug use, and drug-related deaths, and explores how to use this intelligence to improve practice. Information is shared nationally to inform commissioning and practice | PHE, UK
Cannabis users ‘fail to grasp health risks of smoking,’ study says
Study shows that consumers of drug are not aware they could be risking a lifetime of tobacco addiction | Guardian, UK
Medical cannabis eases seizures in childhood epilepsy
Medicinal cannabis could offer patients significant relief from intractable epilepsy, but cost and access barriers remain, a review has found | Imperial College, UK
Overdose Deaths Accelerating During COVID-19
Over 81,000 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States in the 12 months ending in May 2020, the highest number of overdose deaths ever recorded in a 12-month period, according to recent provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) | CDC, USA
'Extremely dangerous' illegal drug being sold in Llanelli
Prescription drugs being sold illegally in a Carmarthenshire town have been laced with opiates and are extremely dangerous, police have warned | BBC, UK
New report explores open sale of low-THC cannabis products and regulatory responses in Europe
An increase in the open sale of cannabis products in Europe has raised questions around the possible legal and commercial status of these products. In a new report released today, Low-THC cannabis products in Europe, the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) presents an initial overview of the current situation in this increasingly dynamic area | EMCDDA, Portugal
Saving Lives From Overdose During a Pandemic (PDF)
A new report offers recommendations aimed at federal, state, and local policymakers to address the opioid epidemic during the pandemic, which has seen sharp increases in fatal and nonfatal overdoses. The recommendations detail policy solutions in the areas of data and surveillance, harm reduction, and treatment, with special considerations for vulnerable populations | John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA
Drug Overdose Deaths in the United States, 1999–2019
Deaths from drug overdose continue to be a public health burden in the United States. This report uses the most recent data from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) to update statistics on deaths from drug overdose in the United States, including information on trends from 1999 through 2019 by sex and age group, and by specific types of drugs involved (i.e., opioids and stimulants) | CDC, USA
National drug and alcohol treatment waiting times
Between 1 July - 30 September, 97.2% of the 9,342 people who started their first drug or alcohol treatment waited 3 weeks or less, an increase from the same quarter in the previous year (95.1%), which may be in part attributable to a fall in the number of completed waits during the quarter (10,486 in 1 July - 30 September 2019) | Public Health Scotland, UK
16,000 students took our drugs survey. Find out how and what they’re taking this term
In a survey of over 16,000 uni students across the country, from 14 different UK universities, it’s clear that drug use is still prevalent at uni despite national lockdowns, rules of six and tier systems aplenty | The Tab, UK
Telford girl's 'miracle' response to medical cannabis
A seven-year-old with a rare form of epilepsy has made an "amazing" recovery after beginning a medicinal cannabis oil treatment, her family said | BBC, UK
US sues Walmart for alleged role in opioid crisis
In a lawsuit filed on Tuesday, prosecutors said the retail giant filled hundreds of thousands of questionable prescriptions, "knowingly" violating vetting rules | BBC, UK
Impact of COVID-19 on drug markets, drug use, drug-related harms and responses in south European Neighbourhood Policy countries
Since the beginning of 2020, the world has been experiencing an unprecedented public health emergency caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, which has led to progressive introduction of social distancing and other control measures by national governments | EMCDDA, Portugal
Government pledges further £310 million to tackle homelessness
Councils will receive additional government support to prevent vulnerable people becoming homeless | Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, Kelly Tolhurst MP, and The Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP, UK