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Weekly news - 19th July 2024 |
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In date order, Monday to Friday
Ministerial role: Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention is responsible for health protection and improvement, including tobacco, alcohol, drugs and gambling. The new holder of this position is Andrew Gwynne who was appointed on 9 July 2024. He was elected as the MP for Gorton and Denton in July 2024 | DHSC, UK
Greater Manchester Police to carry antidote to super-strength drugs
Officers will take part in a pilot scheme amid the increasing dangers of synthetic opiates called nitazenes, which law enforcement agencies say, have been linked to more than 100 deaths in the UK | ITV, UK
Children 'given drugs as birthday presents' - report
The research by art outreach charity Helix Arts quoted examples of young people in North Tyneside being gifted drugs by neighbours or family members rather than buying them from dealers | BBC, UK
Cannabis clinics see rise in patients
Private cannabis clinics are seeing a rise in patients as people choose the drug to treat chronic pain and mental health conditions. One medical cannabis clinic in Westminster, Mamedica, said it had seen the number of patients increase by more than 10 times in 2023, rising from 250 to 2,750 | BBC, UK
Call for pharmacies to dispense medicinal cannabis
Expanding the Isle of Man's medicinal cannabis dispensing service should give patients "more choice" and create "lower prices", the health minister has said | BBC, UK
“I would never go to the doctor and speak about steroids”: Anabolic androgenic steroids, stigma and harm
[Open access] This investigation explores the concept of stigma related to people who use anabolic-androgenic steroids when accessing healthcare services. Anabolic-androgenic steroids are used by subsections of the population and have been associated with various health harms. Responding to associated health risks, within the UK, harm reduction and healthcare service provisions have been established. Although these services provide essential support, various barriers, including stigma, exist which can limit engagement with them | DEPP, UK
HOPE will play a crucial role in reducing drug-related harm in Highland
The Highland Alcohol and Drugs Partnership is encouraging people to download an app which aims to help reduce drug-related harm in Highland. The Highland Overdose Prevention and Engagement (HOPE) app has been downloaded by over 1,300 people since it was launched three years ago | NHS Highland, UK
Inside Belfast's Deadly Benzos Boom
Decades of armed conflict have shaped Northern Ireland’s drug scene, which has seen an alarming recent increase in overdoses | VICE, UK
Drug Use and Current Alternatives to Coercive Sanctions in Ireland
This report maps the existing alternatives to coercive sanctions for people found in possession of controlled drugs for personal use in Ireland. The report was commissioned and published by Strategic Implementation Group 5 (SIG-5), a subcommittee within the National Drugs Strategy structures, and produced by the Centre for Justice Innovation | Centre for Justice Innovation, UK
Three dead following suspected dangerous drug batch in South Shields
Three people, a man in his 30s, a man in his 40s and a woman in her 30s, have died following "fatal medical episodes" in one town in northeast England. Police believe the deaths could all be linked | Sky News, UK
Research Briefing: Advertising, marketing and promotion of vaping products
The Labour government has committed to banning vapes from being branded and advertised to appeal to children. This briefing outlines their current regulation | House of Commons Library, UK
Is a new opioid crisis about to devastate the UK? – video
When the Afghan Taliban ceased production of heroin, global supplies were depleted, with new, powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl and nitazenes flooding in to fill the vacuum. With overdoses creeping up and very little on-the-spot testing available in the UK, experts are concerned about how to keep drug users safe | Guardian, UK
ASH Comment on King’s Speech announcement about the Tobacco and Vapes Bill
In today’s King’s Speech the Government announced that reintroduction of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill was an early priority for the Government in the forthcoming session | ASH, UK
Health leaders hail Labour’s plans to phase out smoking as ‘gamechanging’
Modernisation of mental health laws also among raft of bills experts say will improve health of future generations | Guardian, UK
Trends in long term vaping among adults in England, 2013-23: population based study
[Open access] The prevalence of long term vaping increased substantially among adults in England during 2013-23. Much of this increase occurred from 2021, coinciding with the rise in popularity of disposable e-cigarettes. Half of long term vapers now mainly or exclusively use disposable devices. The growth was concentrated among people with a history of regular smoking, but an increase also occurred among people who never regularly smoked, especially young adults | BMJ, UK
Inequalities in distance from tobacconists, off-licences and betting shops
People living in more deprived areas, minority ethnic groups and younger people are more likely to live near tobacconists, off-licences and betting shops | The Health Foundation, UK
“Above and beyond” The key role families play in recovery (PDF)
In this study we ran a survey completed by over 100 people who had previously experienced problems with their drinking and/or drug use and over three quarters said that their families played a key role in their recovery, helping in multiple ways, going above and beyond | Adfam, UK