DS Daily - 20th August 2010

Temporary bans to fight back against ‘legal highs’

Swifter action to tackle new ‘legal highs’ through temporary bans was promised today by James Brokenshire, Minister for Crime Prevention [Home Office, UK]

Drug addict benefit withdrawal considered

People dependent on drugs and alcohol who refuse treatment could have their welfare benefits withdrawn under plans being considered by the Home Office [BBC, UK]

Drug addicts who refuse treatment face losing benefits

Drug addicts who refuse treatment could have their welfare benefits withdrawn, it has been reported [Telegraph, UK]

Treasury plans 'will cut off 400,000 of society's most vulnerable'

Fund that provides accommodation for pensioners, victims of domestic violence, and the homeless, threatened with 40% cuts [Guardian, UK]

Coroner confirms mephedrone death

A 19-year-old man died from mephedrone poisoning, a coroner has confirmed [BBC, UK]

Drug treatment 'consensus statement'

Updated with latest signatories [DrugScope, UK]

CBT plus drugs most effective cocaine addiction treatment

This comprehensive review found strong evidence that some drugs can help treat cocaine dependence and that cognitive-behavioural therapy is a powerful tool to manage cravings and stresses, especially when allied with effective pharmacotherapies [Drug and Alcohol Findings, UK]

Naloxone programme aims to reduce drug overdose deaths

Heroin users in Tayside are to be provided with a new life-saving drug designed to give them extra time to get medical treatment if they overdose [The Courier, UK]

Why not tax my drug addicts?

Most adults I see in my clinic make their choice. Regulation could work better than prohibition [Guardian, UK]

Police losing fight against new drugs and legal highs

The Government is facing an uphill battle in the drugs war with legal highs being imported from the Far East on a massive scale [The Mirror, UK]

Ketamine is 'magic drug' for depression

A single dose of the drug Ketamine acts like "magic" lifting people out of depression in hours and lasting more than a week, scientists claim [Telegraph, UK]

What about me?

The parent who is also a drug user is one of the most emotive topics in the drugs debate [The Herald, Scotland, UK]

Alcohol brain damage warning

Experts have warned that thousands of Scots are suffering from alcohol-related brain damage but are not being correctly diagnosed [The Herald, Scotland, UK]

Statistics on Smoking in England 2010

This statistical report presents a range of information on smoking which is drawn together from a variety of sources [NHS, UK]

More smokers quitting than ever, but rates still too high

In the year to March 2010, 757,537 people set a quit date through NHS Stop Smoking Services – a 13 per cent increase on the previous year. And after four weeks, 373,954 people managed to successfully quit – 11 per cent more than in the last year [Department of Health, UK]

Doctors condemn tobacco industry attempts to overturn legislation

Doctor's leaders in Wales have condemned the tobacco industry for lobbying to overturn legislation which would ban point of sale displays of tobacco. They are calling on Welsh MPs to help protect the young by ensuring the legislation goes ahead [Dentistry, UK]