DS Daily - 8th April 2010 |
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Public Accounts Committee criticises lack of evaluation on drug strategy spend
DrugScope’s Chief Executive, Martin Barnes, commented on the report’s findings [DrugScope, UK]
Mephedrone: a legal and potentially lethal high
The use of mephedrone, a synthetic drug often touted as a legal alternative to amphetamine or cocaine, has become widespread, with increasing reports coming from Europe, North America and Australia [UNODC]
Mephedrone ban backed by Commons
A ban on mephedrone and other so-called "legal highs" has been backed by MPs [BBC, UK]
Meow meow users given seven-day amnesty
The so-called legal high will be officially outlawed as a Class B substance later today following a vote in the House of Lords [Daily Mail, UK]
Mephedrone use 'more widespread' on Isle of Man
More people are using the illegal drug mephedrone in the Isle of Man despite it being banned [BBC, UK]
Drug Politicking “Wash up”
Now we’re into the election period, there is horse-trading going on between the parties as part of what is known as the “wash-up” to push through outstanding legislation on which all agree - Comments [Eric Carlin, UK]
Hard drugs and weak evidence
Over the past 12 years, the government has spent billions on tackling problem drug use. Has it been money well spent? The official answer, we learn today, is "haven't the foggiest" [Mark Easton, BBC, UK]
Is the government right to ban 'legal high' mephedrone?
Vox Pop [Children & Young People Now, UK]
National Needle Exchange Forum Meeting
PowerPoint presentations from the NNEF meeting last month in Southampton [NNEF, UK]
Pathways to Recovery
A Manifesto for Drug and Alcohol Treatment [EATA]
Elizabeth Pisani - TED talk
Elizabeth's TED talk is entitled “Sex, drugs and HIV - let's get rational” and is a wonderfully and timely talk that asks for a greater focus on science/evidence based policy. Something all the political parties would do well to take note of [Injecting Advice, UK]
Anthrax Outbreak Update
Confirmed cases 32 - Deaths 11 [Health Protection Scotland, UK]
Budget tax increase on cider rescinded
Last month's budget tax rise for cider has been rescinded in the run up to the general election [Alcohol Concern, UK]
Set national alcohol treatment target and provide funding boost for services
Alcohol Concern today called on MPs and candidates in the General Election to support alcohol treatment services in their local constituencies by calling for a national alcohol treatment target and for the government to provide a funding boost for alcohol services [Alcohol Concern, UK]
Record number of drugs tests to be carried out at London 2012 Olympics
Around 5,000 tests will be carried out - more than 10% more than the Beijing 2008 Games [Daily Mail, UK]
Impulsivity and Addiction
The perils of a hypersensitive dopamine system [Addiction Inbox, USA]
ONDCP's Open Government Plan
Office of the Director [ONDCP, USA]
Cash for addicts’ sterilisation
A controversial charity that pays drug addicts £200 to be sterilised is to launch in the UK today, as its methods are attacked as immoral by Scottish experts [The Herald, Scotland, UK]
Sibling Online Support
Australia’s first national support website for brothers and sisters of drug and alcohol users/often associated with mental health [Sibling Support, Australia]
'Alcohol and indigenous violence linked'
Indigenous Australians are up to 20 times more likely to commit offences of violence, due overwhelmingly to alcohol abuse, says a new study [The Age, Australia]
US-Afghan relations sink further as Hamid Karzai accused of drug abuse
Former UN diplomat Peter Galbraith questions Afghan premier's mental stability [Guardian, UK]
U.S. now focused on getting rid of Taliban instead of opium crops in Afghanistan
Thousands of Afghan migrant workers expected here in the next few weeks for the spring opium harvest will find at least as much work as last year [Washington Post, USA]