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Weekly news - 12th July 2024 |
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In date order, Monday to Friday
New law on child exploitation by drug dealers in Labour crime crackdown
The King’s speech, due on 17 July, is expected to outline measures including a new offence of child criminal exploitation, Labour sources confirmed, among a series of new laws and reforms across the policing and justice system | Guardian, UK
Speech: Statement from the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
New Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting MP, delivers a statement setting out his mission for saving the NHS | DHSC, UK
Smoking a key lifestyle factor linked to cognitive decline among older adults
Smoking may be among the most important lifestyle factors affecting how quickly our cognitive skills decline as we age, suggests a new study led by UCL researchers | UCL, UK
Cannabis medications could be eligible for FDA approval under proposed DEA rules
For the first time, cannabis plant would drastically shift federal legal status from narcotic to regulated medication | Guardian, UK
WHO releases first-ever clinical treatment guideline for tobacco cessation in adults
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a comprehensive set of tobacco cessation interventions, including behavioural support delivered by health-care providers, digital cessation interventions and pharmacological treatments in a first guideline on tobacco cessation | WHO, Switzerland
New Labour government must reintroduce Tobacco and Vapes Bill in next parliamentary session
Open letter to the prime minister/secretary of state for health from health exprets, On behalf of 1409 doctors, academics, nurses, and other health professionals | BMJ, UK
Benefits of outdoors on mental health and substance use
Research by the University of Stirling and The Salvation Army has identified potential short and long-term benefits of accessing the outdoors for people experiencing mental health issues or using substances – with one participant describing the opportunity to get outdoors and take part in organised activities as “life changing”. | Salvation Army, UK
Cancers caused by smoking reach all time high
The number of cancer cases caused by smoking in the UK has reached an all-time high of 160 cases every day, new analysis from Cancer Research UK shows. The number of cases has increased by 17% since 2003, meaning over 20 additional people a day are being diagnosed with cancer caused by smoking compared to 20 years ago | Cancer Research UK, UK
National benchmarking report on implementation of the medication assisted treatment (MAT) standards
This report provides an assessment of progress on implementation of medication assisted treatment (MAT) standards 1–10 as of April 2024 across all 29 Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP) areas. It does not report directly on outcomes, but recommends actions to address gaps | Public Health Scotland, 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 2023/24 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) | Public Health Scotland, UK
First UK university to train all student nurses to use drug overdose kits
All student nurses at a university in Yorkshire are to receive training on how to use naloxone, the life-saving medication that can reverse overdoses caused by opiates | Nursing Times, UK
Opioids, the leading factor in drug-related deaths in Wales
Latest figures from Public Health Wales show that opioids contributed to more deaths in Wales in 2022-23, than any other substance. There were 125 opioid deaths, 64 involving heroin or morphine and the remaining 61 deaths involved at least one other opioid such as methadone, codeine or tramadol. However, more people than ever before are carrying naloxone, a life-saving drug that can reverse the effects of opioid poisoning. Naloxone was used in 303 overdose events in Wales last year, helping to prevent many deaths | Public Health Wales, UK
What was Rishi Sunak's smoking ban bill, who opposed it, and what happens next?
Health experts write to Sir Keir Starmer and Health Secretary Wes Streeting, urging them to reinstate the ‘once-in-a-generation’ Tobacco and Vapes Bill | Standard, UK
What happened to UK's first ketamine-assisted clinic?
The Awakn clinic was billed as "an entirely new paradigm for mental health, where we are moving from palliative care towards permanent cure", by the centre's leaders. But less than four years later, the Bristol clinic has shut down | BBC, UK
Top school to start testing pupils' urine for drugs
A top state secondary school and sixth form is set to begin drug testing students as part of a new safeguarding policy | BBC, UK
Calls to make 'cuckooing' a crime as cases increase
The Catalyst Support charity, in Guildford, said there has been a rise in cuckooing across the county | BBC, UK
Expert reaction to study finding that second-hand vaping exposure to nicotine is very low compared to second-hand smoking
A study published in JAMA Network Open looks at second-hand nicotine exposure and second-hand smoking. Prof Peter Hajek, Professor of Clinical Psychology, and Director of the Health and Lifestyle Research Unit, Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) provides a short critque | SMC, UK