DS Daily - 3rd December 2013

DDN December issue

In December’s issue, DDN reports from the second annual Families First conference, where delegates heard how there’s still a long way to go to convince commissioners to bring family support to the fore. Also in the magazine – social entrepreneur of the year Jacquie Johnston-Lynch talks about the challenges facing the recovery movement and the 2013 review of the year looks back on the ups and downs of a changing treatment landscape | DDN, UK

MEAM conference – Improving support for people with multiple needs. 9th December

Less than a week to go! This event brings together those working to tackle substance misuse, mental ill health, homelessness, and offending alongside those with direct experience to explore how to improve the support provided to people with multiple needs | MEAM, UK

Global Drug Survey 2014 - participate in the biggest worldwide survey about drug use

Thousands of people around the world have already filled in the Global Drug Survey 2014 but the researchers are looking for more responses before the survey deadline of 20 December | GDS, UK

Benzo fury and NBOME are going to the legal high graveyard

Ministers announced last week that two more legal highs are to be banned, joining mephedrone and Ivory Wave in the graveyard of illegalised internet drugs | VICE, UK

'Cannabis scratch-and-sniff cards' given out by council

A council is giving out "cannabis scratch and sniff" cards to Birmingham residents in a bid to tackle cultivation of the drug | BBC, UK

How Wales' drinking culture costs every house £900 a year

A shift in focus is needed to deal with the country's costly alcohol culture, say experts | Wales Online, UK

EU seeks 'ban on all currently available e-cigarettes'

EU wants all electronic cigarettes removed from shop shelves because they 'normalise the action of smoking' | Telegraph, UK

The Economist explains - How harmful is crack cocaine?

Hollywood seldom depicts junkies in suits and ties. But in recent weeks several public figures have admitted taking hard drugs while working in high-powered jobs. Toronto’s serially scandalous mayor, Rob Ford, has admitted that he smoked crack cocaine two years ago, while in office | Economist, UK

Top 20 things scientists need to know about policy-making

There are some common misunderstanding among scientists about how governments make their policy decisions | Guardian, UK

Police force becomes first to 'breathalyse' suspected drug-drivers at roadside

Motorists suspected of driving after taking illegal drugs are set to be given roadside breathalyser-style tests for the first time in Britain | Northern Echo, UK

Drug Consumption Rooms: What the residents say - video

...we decided to ask the residents of Birmingham if they would like a Drug Consumption Room (DCR) in their City | Social Impact Films, UK

Implications for alcohol minimum unit pricing advocacy: what can we learn for public health from UK newsprint coverage of key claim-makers in the policy debate? [open access]

This study offers the first insights into how key claim-makers have presented arguments about MUP in the media | Science Direct, UK

Electronic Cigarettes – a perspective on regulation from the E-cigarette Consumer Association (ECCA UK)

All quotes attributed in the following piece are from the transcripts of the E-Cigarette Summit, held at the Royal Society in London, on November 12, 2013 | NSP, UK

Protect Your Teen From Dangerous Dark Net Drugs

More than 60 percent of teens report that drugs are purchased, bought, and used at their school. Unfortunately for parents, teens are accessing some of the most dangerous drugs such as heroin and cocaine from no other place than their parent's house | Huffington Post, UK

Withdrawal of council tax support leads to 30% increase in court proceedings

Councils that passed on government's cut to means-tested council tax relief report doubling in rate of liability orders sent to non-payers | Guardian, UK

MOPAC-MPS Crime Prevention Strategy: 2013-2016

This document outlines how The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime and the Metropolitan Police Service will work together in order to prevent crime from happening in London | London.gov.uk, UK

Breaking Bad inspires parents to name their children after drug dealers instead of royals

Breaking Bad and other hugely popular TV shows have inspired more baby names this year than the royal family, according to the latest lists released by website BabyCentre | Independent, UK

Drugs 'worth up to £30m' seized at Brownhills warehouse

Three men have been arrested after police seized 200kg of cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy pills with an estimated street value of up to £30m | BBC, UK

Crackdown launched to thwart rise of dangerous legal highs in Lincolnshire

A massive crackdown has been launched on legal highs in Lincolnshire by police, trading standards and public health officials | Grimsby Telegraph, UK

Is cannabis culture finally going mainstream? As Colorado welcomes legal marijuana, The Denver Post has appointed a ‘weed editor’

As two US states prepare for its legalisation on 1 January, there are signs that recreational marijuana has not just entered Colorado’s constitution, but also joined the cultural mainstream | Independent, UK

Developing countries told 'tax tobacco to save lives'

Poorer countries should consider adopting or raising tobacco taxes to help save lives, a group of leading economists says | BBC, UK

How decriminalizing addiction and prostitution could save a Tel Aviv neighborhood

After studying the denizens of one of the most derelict spots in Israel two researchers recommend providing the down-and-out with safe spaces for 'deviant' behavior | Haaretz, Israel

Americans Want Congress Members To Pee In Cups To Prove They're Not On Drugs

While most Americans like the idea of drug testing for welfare recipients, they LOVE the idea of drug testing for members of Congress | Huffington Post, USA

Impaired Driving in Canada (PDF)

Driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs remains the most prominent factor contributing to serious road crashes in Canada. Although significant progress has been made over the past three decades, impaired drivers continue to present a significant risk to the safety of all road users. In the 10-year period from 2000 through 2009, 8,431 people died on Canadian roads in crashes involving a drinking driver | CCSA, Canada

Cannabis to improve memory

Cannabis could be harnessed to treat Alzheimer's disease, US scientists say | Australian, Australia

Young link drug abuse to job fears

An increasing number of West Australian youth are concerned about drug and alcohol use in their communities with economic downturn and employment uncertainty fuelling the trend, a survey has found | West Australian, Australia

Let’s end stigma over pregnancy drinking

For women who are alcohol-dependent, not consuming alcohol during pregnancy is not simply a matter of choice. Alcohol dependence is a condition that requires significant supports, and for women who are pregnant and alcohol-dependent, these supports are simply not available | Herald, Australia