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Weekly news - 7th June 2024 |
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Thank you to The Association of Police Controlled Drugs Liaison Officers (APCDLO) who have renewed their sponsorship to DrugWise Daily. Their support over many years is much appreciated.
In date order, Monday to Friday
Warning after fourth suspected drugs death
Police have issued an urgent warning about a stronger than usual batch of drugs after the death of a man in his 40s | BBC, UK
Britain has an addiction crisis – is 12-step recovery the answer?
The tenets of Alcoholics Anonymous have been replicated across different forms of addiction treatment, while numerous studies have proven their effectiveness. So why do they remain misunderstood | Independent, UK
DDN June 2024 - out now
Drug consumption rooms are about so much more than needles. As discussion among people involved in facilities around Europe showed (p6), we have a timely opportunity here – to integrate harm reduction with our work on new substances and new risk behaviours and get in place environments that work on so many levels | DDN, UK
New poll shows EVERY parliamentary constituency in Great Britain backs phasing out sale of tobacco
Support in Great Britain averaged 69%, and ranged between 57% and 74% for individual constituencies. Two thirds of 11-15 year olds also back the ban – the first generation to whom the sale of tobacco will be banned | ASH, UK
Charities call on next government to revive ban on smoking ‘as priority’
It comes as analysis reveals majority of Britons back plans to phase out sale of tobacco | Independent, UK
Rapid Action Drug Alerts and Response (RADAR) quarterly report
Drug-related harms remained high in Scotland. The following changes were observed compared to the previous reporting period. Harm indicators: Suspected drug deaths - 17% increase / Naloxone administration incidents -14% decrease / Emergency department attendances - 12% decrease / Drug-related hospital admissions - 24% decrease. Service indicators: Drug treatment referrals - 10% decrease / Number of needles and syringes - 6% decrease. Patterns of polysubstance use remain the key driver of harms. The combinations most associated involve benzodiazepines (most commonly diazepam and bromazolam), cocaine and opioids. Cocaine played an increasing role in harms | Public Health Scotland, UK
Scottish Public Health Observatory update: Estimated quarterly numbers of people prescribed opioid substitution therapy in Scotland (12-month period)
In the 12-month period ending 31 December 2023 (the end of 2023/24 Q3), Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) was prescribed to an estimated minimum of 30,084 people in Scotland. In the 12 months to the end of the previous financial year quarter (2023/24 Q2) an estimated minimum of 30,186 people were prescribed OST | Public Health Scotland, UK
Synthetic Opioids
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to reports of a National Crime Agency warning about synthetic opioids being linked to rising numbers of deaths | They work for you, UK
Urgent warning about 'potentially fatal' ketamine circulating in Manchester
The Manchester Drug Analysis and Knowledge Exchange (MANDRAKE) shared the warning on social media on Tuesday (June 4), saying that xylazine is present in samples of ketamine being sold across the region | Manchester Evening News, UK
iQuit - Stopping smoking when you're pregnant
A leaflet with advice on why and how to stop smoking during pregnancy | Public Health Scotland, UK
US expert panel votes against MDMA therapy
The prospect of MDMA being used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the United States has hit a setback after advisers for the country's health regulator voted against therapy using the party drug | BBC, UK
Merger between Richmond Fellowship and Humankind completed
Further to our previous announcement in December, Humankind have completed the merger process with Richmond Fellowship to form a new national charity to better support those with multiple/complex needs, including mental health, alcohol, drugs and other related areas | Humankind, UK
‘Natty or not?’: how steroids got big
Once upon a time, it was only hardcore bodybuilders who pumped themselves up with testosterone. Today it is no longer niche. But how dangerous is it? | Guardian, UK
Why a Labour government won’t commit to widespread reforms to ease Scotland’s drug death crisis
An incoming Labour government will not overhaul drugs laws to combat Scotland’s drug deaths emergency, Keir Starmer has suggested | Scotsman, UK
Study suggests novel ways to use e-cigarette packaging to better protect consumers
A study funded by Cancer Research UK and led by experts from the Institute of Social Marketing and Health, recruited 31 young people (11–17 years old) and 39 adults in England and Scotland to explore how warning messages on e-cigarette and refill packaging are perceived and whether alternative messages could help encourage smokers to switch to e-cigarettes | University of Stirling, UK