Weekly news - 17th December 2021 |
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In date order, Monday to Friday
Risk of death from drugs up 55% since 2010 due to government cuts, say experts
UCL study finds lack of access to treatment contributed to fatalities amid criticism that latest strategy will stigmatise users | Guardian, UK
Causes of death among people who used illicit opioids in England, 2001–18: a matched cohort study
In many countries, the average age of people who use illicit opioids, such as heroin, is increasing. This has been suggested to be a reason for increasing numbers of opioid-related deaths seen in surveillance data. We aimed to describe causes of death among people who use illicit opioids in England, how causes of death have changed over time, and how they change with age | Lancet, UK
FPH lead cross-sector call to pilot Overdose Prevention Centres in the UK
FPH have lead a cross-sector call signed by 70 organisations and an additional number of individual signatories for Government to pilot Overdose Prevention Centres in the UK | FPH, UK
Overdose prevention centres will save lives, say UK senior doctors
Experts have joined forces to call for clinics to be set up where drug users can inject in a supervised setting | Guardian, UK
Medical Cannabis (Access) Bill
We have a problem...That problem is that medical cannabis—cannabis-based medical products—is a very helpful and effective treatment for a number of medical conditions, but significant numbers of people who would benefit from being prescribed medical cannabis on the NHS are not able to get the prescriptions that they need | They work for you, UK
Filling the prescription
This article is the first in a series examining the past, present and future of buprenorphine in the treatment of opioid dependence. Buprenorphine is a medication used in opioid substitution treatment (OST), and it has also been used extensively for the management of pain | DDN, UK
New implants approved for NHS to help get drug users off heroin
Buprenorphine implants can be inserted into the arm and can last six months, saving addicts from having to go for daily doses of methadone | Independent, UK
Wakefield drugs warning after two die and two hospitalised
Two people have died and two more are in hospital, after taking what police believe are counterfeit anti-epileptic medication and sleeping pills | BBC, UK
Covid in Scotland: More ambulance calls to lockdown home drinking
Drink-related ambulance callouts initially fell during lockdown but then rose again as home drinking became a problem, a study has found | BBC, UK
The frontline of Britain’s lockdown drink problem as alcohol deaths soar
Britain must urgently address its alcohol problem to stop more record-breaking deaths, one of the country’s leading liver specialists has warned as Channel 4 News was granted exclusive access to a specialist liver unit | Channel 4 News, UK
Medical cannabis for severe treatment resistant epilepsy in children: a case-series of 10 patients
To report the findings of a case-series of 10 children suffering with intractable epilepsies in the UK to determine the feasibility for using whole-plant cannabis medicines to treat seizures in children | BMJ Paediatrics Open, UK
Lockdown and licensed premises: COVID-19 lessons for alcohol policy
[Open access] The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated unprecedented changes in alcohol availability, including closures, curfews and restrictions. We draw on new data from three UK studies exploring these issues to identify implications for premises licensing and wider policy | Drug and Alcohol Review, UK
The Views and Experiences of Drug and Alcohol Treatment Professionals and People Seeking Recovery from Substance Dependency, that Influence Referral To, and Attendance at Twelve Step Groups in the UK: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies
There is a high level of drug related mortality and morbidity in the UK. Although treatment is effective in reducing harm, funding cuts combined with unmet demand present significant public health challenges. Twelve-step groups (TSGs) are an approach to treatment that can improve recovery outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. This review examined the factors that influence referral to and attendance at TSGs in the UK, through the views and experiences of drug and alcohol treatment professionals (DATPs) and people seeking recovery from substance dependency | PHI, UK
Drugs: Rehabilitation
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to provide high quality rehabilitative care for people addicted to harmful substances and help ensure that deaths from substance abuse are reduced | They work for you, UK
The Right to Recovery consultation response
The Right to Recovery consultation relates to a draft proposal which has been lodged by Leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Douglas Ross MSP MP, as the first stage in the process of introducing a Member’s Bill in the Scottish Parliament | FAVOR, UK
Malta becomes first EU nation to legalise cannabis
Adults will be allowed to carry up to seven grams of cannabis, and grow no more than four plants at home| BBC, UK
Publication on suspected drug deaths
A report on the number of suspected drug deaths during the first nine months of 2021 shows a small decrease (4%) on the same period last year | Scottish Government, UK
Teen use of illicit drugs decreased in 2021, as the COVID-19 pandemic continued
The percentage of youth who had ever used any illicit drug other than marijuana decreased by more than 25% in 2021. Specifically, in 12th grade this percentage was 27% smaller in comparison to the previous year, in 10th grade the decline was 31%, and in 8th grade the drop was 30% | University of Michigan, USA
Overlooked: Why we should be doing more to support families and friends affected by someone else's drinking, drug use or gambling (PDF)
This latest research looks at the number of people negatively impacted by someone else's drinking, drug taking or gambling. In line with our 2019 research which looked at families affected by substance use, Adfam found that 5.5 million people are currently dealing with the negative impacts of a friend or family member's drinking, drug talking or gambling | Adfam, UK
Majority of motorists putting themselves at risk of drink driving
A survey commissioned by the UK’s leading independent road safety charity, IAM RoadSmart, has revealed that the majority of motorists are unaware of the amount of alcohol that will tip them over the limit, while half admit they are prepared to drive the morning after festive drinks or their Christmas party | IAm RoadSmart, UK
Making UK drug policy a success: Reforming the policy making process
Bad practice in drug policymaking is the hidden driver of the UK’s current crisis, finds the CDPRG’s new report — with polling data showing the majority of MPs from all parties believe it needs an evidence-based update | CDPRG, UK