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Weekly news - 2nd February 2024

 

In date order, Monday to Friday

Press release: Disposable vapes banned to protect children's health

Disposable vapes will be banned in the UK as part of ambitious government plans to tackle the rise in youth vaping and protect children’s health | DHSC et al, UK

Disposable vapes to be banned for children's health, government says

Disposable vapes are set to be banned as part of plans to tackle the rising number of young people taking up vaping, the government says | BBC, UK

Consultation outcome - Creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping consultation: government response

On 4 October 2023 we published Stopping the start: our new plan to create a smokefree generation which also included our proposals to tackle youth vaping and enforce our rules. Following this we published a UK-wide consultation on 12 October and received nearly 28,000 responses. This document sets out the consultation outcomes and the subsequent measures that we will now be taking forward | DHSC et al, UK

Policy paper: Stubbing out the problem: A new strategy to tackle illicit tobacco

‘Stubbing out the problem: A new strategy to tackle illicit tobacco` sets out our commitment to reduce demand for illicit tobacco, and to tackle and disrupt the organised crime gangs behind the illicit tobacco market | HM Revenue & Customs and Border Force, UK

Drug Alert – Crack Cocaine

We have been made aware of a suspected contaminated batch of crack cocaine in the Midlands. People have reported difference in colour, with it being yellowish and only having to use a very small amount before having seizures and being rendered unconscious and then breathing has stopped. Hospital treatment has been needed and people reported being violent and not having recollection of the time between using and waking up in hospital | Cranstoun, UK

Drugs Policy

To ask the First Minister, in light of the Scottish Government’s plans to open the first safe drug consumption room in Glasgow later this year, what assurances he can provide that other areas of drugs policy, including spaces for residential rehabilitation, will not be deprioritised | They work for you, UK

Cocaine user's warning as drugs deaths soar

Cheaper and purer street drugs are contributing to a stark rise in cocaine deaths in the north-east of England, experts say | BBC, UK

Open consultation: Impact assessment (accessible)

Current wording of the Licensing Act 2003 does not allow technology to play a part in the age verification process for alcohol sales; a person must make the decision whether an individual is old enough to purchase alcohol, using physical identification. There is a need to consider the secure and appropriate use of age assurance technologies which can help to establish if an individual is old enough to purchase age restricted products | Home Office, UK

Safe inhalation pipe provision (SIPP): protocol for a mixed-method evaluation of an intervention to improve health outcomes and service engagement among people who use crack cocaine in England

[Open access] Over 180,000 people use crack cocaine in England, yet provision of smoking equipment to support safer crack use is prohibited under UK law. Pipes used for crack cocaine smoking are often homemade and/or in short supply, leading to pipe sharing and injuries from use of unsafe materials. In this paper, we introduce the protocol for the NIHR-funded SIPP (Safe inhalation pipe provision) project and discuss implications for impact | Harm Reduction Journal, UK

Drug-related and drug misuse deaths in Northern Ireland, 2012 to 2022

Figures show there were 154 drug-related deaths registered in 2022. While this represents a decrease of 59 (27.7%) from the 213 drug-related deaths registered in 2021, it is important to note that registration-based figures build in delays arising from system wide processes which can drive annual fluctuations in the series. Since 2012, NI has seen deaths due to drug-related causes rise by 98% from 110 to a peak of 218 in 2020 and to 213 in 2021. The 2022 total (154) represents a 40% increase on the number of drug deaths registered a decade ago | NISRA, UK

Drugs crisis in Northern Ireland laid bare as figures show 40% rise in deaths

Caitlin White was like any other 15-year-old girl. She enjoyed spending time with friends and worked hard in school - with a particular love of art. However, in May 2017, everything changed. In a woodland in Portadown, Caitlin took an ecstasy pill and collapsed while there with friends | ITV, UK

Tackling the Public Health Impacts of Smoking and Vaping

A report, published by Northern Ireland’s Auditor General, has concluded that the health service has made significant progress in reducing smoking prevalence among the local population, but that levels remain concerningly high among some of the most vulnerable groups in society | NIAO, UK

Smoking-related illnesses put 35,000 in hospital a year, report says

Almost 35,000 people are hospitalised each year due to smoking-related illnesses, an NI Audit Office report has said. The number of people smoking has dropped by about 10% since 2011. But prevalence remains "concerningly high" among some of the "most vulnerable" groups | BBC, UK

Vaping: Children as young as seven caught with vapes

Richard Owen from Idris Davies School in Rhymney, Caerphilly, warned punishment is not enough to tackle the issue, with some users taking up to 15 toilet breaks a day to vape | BBC, UK

Rough sleeping in London up 23% to highest level in a decade

City hall counts 4,389 people sleeping on streets in fourth quarter of 2023, with mayor accusing No 10 of ‘turning a blind eye’ | Guardian, UK

Study lays out options for Scotland’s first drug checking services

An extensive study led by the University of Stirling has laid out options and key considerations for Scotland’s first drug checking services (DCS). The project, which was funded by the Scottish Drugs Death Taskforce, found that demand was high for a range of different DCS across the three different pilot areas in Scotland – Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow | University of Stirling, UK

Scottish Drug Checking Project summary (PDF)

Briefing paper. This study, which ran from January 2021-May 2023, created a programme of work to research, and plan/prepare for delivery of, drug checking services in Scotland. The study developed the evidence base on drug checking, to inform and The study developed the evidence base on drug checking, to inform and build infrastructure for the delivery of drug checking services in three cities: Aberdeen, Dundee, and Glasgow | Crew, UK

Alcohol management in care homes - A good practice guide for care staff (PDF)

This guide aims to help care staff deliver a high standard of care in relation to alcohol. It is based on the findings of a research study which gathered the views and experiences of care staff, people living in care homes, their families and CQC inspectors. It takes account of legislation, standards for care set out by CQC and codes of conduct for adult social care workers and nurses | University of Bedfordshire, UK

Drinking alcohol in a care home - A guide for care home residents and the general public (PDF)

FAQs for care home residents and their families around alcohol. This guidance is based on independent research funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research School for Social Care Research | University of Bedfordshire, UK

Release to open Harm Reduction Hub in London

Release is opening a Harm Reduction Hub in London – here the charity explains how you can help | DDN, UK