DS Daily - 15th March 2010 |
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The American Way
Let’s stand back and share the view - editorial by Claire Brown. Plus other magazine features [Drink and Drugs News, UK]
Protagonist of choice - cover story DDN
Bringing Thomas McLellan to President Obama’s drug strategy team could reposition addiction treatment at the heart of mainstream healthcare. DDN met a man on a mission [Drink and Drugs News, UK]
Is the Army losing its war against drug abuse?
Fewer positive cocaine tests may mean soldiers have switched to legal highs [Independent, UK]
Government forced to publish consultation paper on the future of drugs classification 2006
We all know and understand that the drug laws are supposedly based on the harm drugs can cause, hence the ABC classification system. What is also becoming common knowledge is that the whole thing is in a mess [UKCIA]
Effect of body mass index and alcohol consumption on liver disease
Analysis of data from two prospective cohort studies [BMJ, UK]
Body mass index and risk of liver cirrhosis in middle aged UK women
Prospective study [BMJ, UK]
British Liver Trust response to BMJ published papers on liver disease
We are delighted to see these two studies featuring prominently together in the British Medical Journal [British Liver Trust]
Professor David Nutt designs ‘harm-free’ alcohol
The government drugs czar (Professor Nutt) who was sacked for saying ecstasy was no worse than alcohol is developing a drink that he claims will give a similar kick to spirits but without the harmful effects [Times, UK]
Gordon Brown's refusal to ban cheap booze is biggest health failing, claims chief doctor
Sir Liam Donaldson, who is about to retire as Whitehall’s most senior doctor, said the Government’s rejection last year of his proposal for minimum prices constituted his biggest disappointment in the role [Telegraph, UK]
Drivers face ban if they drink a pint
The government has signalled that it plans to cut the drink driving limit to less than a pint of beer or a glass of wine [Times, UK]
The answer to teen alcoholism?
The Scottish Youth Commission on Alcohol, which will publish a list of recommendations on Tuesday aimed at changing Scotland’s destructive relationship with alcohol [The Herald, Scotland, UK]
Alcohol Social Marketing For England
Further tools, support and guidance [Alcohol Learning Centre, UK]
Brighton and Hove children admit to drink and drugs
One in six youngsters questioned in a survey of Brighton and Hove pupils said they frequently abused alcohol, drugs or volatile substances, such as glue [The Argus, UK]
First clinic for ADHD adults poised to open
Many adults with ADHD had other problems, such as depression and anxiety disorder ... and ... may also be abusing drugs and alcohol [Scotland on Sunday, UK]
Do needle-exchange programs really work?
Needle-exchange programs designed to cut injection drug users' risk of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and other infections do seem to reduce needle sharing, but there is only limited evidence that they lower disease transmission, a new research review concludes [Canada.com]
The Cocaine Conundrum
Effective treatment remains elusive [Addiction Inbox, USA]
Marijuana legalization? A White House rebuttal, finally
White House 'drug czar' Gil Kerlikowske lays out his most thorough arguments yet against marijuana legalization [Christian Science Monitor, USA]
Mafia deeply entrenched in Australia
Days after police smashed a multimillion-dollar drug ring with alleged mafia links in Sydney and Mildura, a new report by Italy's top anti-mafia investigators has named several Calabrian mafia clans that have created "permanent links" with key family members in Australia [Stuff.co, New Zealand]
Move to 0.02 alcohol limit 'inevitable'
Professor Mike Daube, from Western Australia's Curtin University, said the move would send an important and, in many cases, life-saving signal to motorists amid the "national crisis" that was Australia's road toll [SMH, Australia]
Scientists identify opium poppy codeine and morphine genes
Discovery raises possibility of manufacturing painkillers more cheaply using vats of microbes rather than fields of flowers [Guardian, UK]