DS Daily - 27th August 2010

Trends in UK deaths associated with abuse of volatile substances, 1971-2008

Volatile Substance Abuse Mortality Project - Annual report [International Centre for Drug Policy (ICDP) St George’s, University of London, UK]

Fall in drug-related deaths but misuse still a challenge

Scotland continues to face a challenge over drug misuse, the Minister for Community Safety has said, despite statistics published last week revealing a five per cent reduction in the number of drug-related deaths [Police Professional, UK]

Drugs Rehabilitation Scrutiny Review

The keynote recommendation of this scrutiny review is brutally simple, namely that the success of rehabilitation services must be measured in terms of the number of people that are rehabilitated - and that services must be urgently re-engineered with eyes on the prize of rehabilitation [Northamptonshire County Council, UK]

Towards a new Drug Strategy: tell us your views

The government plans to publish a new Drug Strategy in December 2010. If you work with those affected by drugs, or want to share your views ahead of the strategy, this is a chance to have your say [Directgov, UK]

Alison Chesney and Eddie Killoran Memorial Lecture

The Conference Consortium has established an annual public memorial lecture in memory of Alison Chesney and Eddie Killoran. Both Alison and Eddie were well known and respected figures in the drugs field over many years [Conference Consortium, UK]

Comprehensive analysis of drug-based treatments for heroin addiction

A major new text analysing research on all types of drug-based interventions for heroin addiction including maintenance, opiate-blocking drugs, and managing withdrawal, challenges current UK government thinking [Drug and Alcohol Findings, UK]

Drug addicts: 'Don't take our money'

Recovering drug addicts in Weston have hit out at plans to stop benefits for people who refuse treatment - claiming it would lead to higher levels of crime [The Weston Mercury, UK]

Headteacher's delight as nearby needle exchange scheme is dropped

The headteacher at a Northampton primary school has said she is "really pleased" that plans to run a needle-exchange scheme at a pharmacy, which backs on to the playing field, have been shelved [Northampton Chronicle, UK]

New Primary Care Substance Misuse Service in Greenwich

CRI is delivering a new Primary Care service for people who are drug and alcohol dependent in Greenwich - and other news from [CRI, UK]

Coalition should pause before taking an axe to drug treatment budget

Matt Cavanagh, special adviser to the Labour Government between 2003 and 2010 [Left Foot Forward, UK]

Homelessness Prevention and Relief: England 2009-10

The experimental official statistics on homelessness prevention and relief in England that took place outside the homelessness statutory framework in 2009-10 [Communities and Local Government, UK]

Government consults on the new drugs policy

After deciding what it will be of course [UKCIA]

AERC Alcohol Academy survey: 1st year review

The AERC Alcohol Academy is reviewing its first year and seeking feedback and suggestions for its future scope [Alcohol Policy UK]

Diageo boss says 'no' to minimum pricing

No evidence higher prices curbs abuse, says chief executive [The Publican, UK]

Councils urged to copy Glasgow licensing model

Councils across Scotland should follow Glasgow’s lead in banning the creation of additional pubs, clubs or off-sales in so-called “alcohol hotspots” in a bid to drive down crime and anti-social behaviour, Labour’s health spokesman has said [The Herald, Scotland, UK]

Tobacco firms' use of YouTube probed

The tobacco industry may be using websites such as YouTube to get around a ban on advertising cigarettes, a study says [BBC, UK]

Opioid addiction is like other chronic relapsing conditions

The treatment of choice for heroin addiction is opioid-agonist treatment and is supported by numerous studies stretching over 40 years. It needs to be stressed that the outcomes for detoxification from opioids are poor. Dr Garrett McGovern, GP Specialising in Substance Abuse [Irish Medical Times]

Family support network for substance abuse to be launched

The Mid Tipperary Drugs Initiative is hosting a launch of its family support network in Tipperary Regional Youth Service Building [The Nationalist, Ireland]

Use of opiate doda spreading in B.C.: experts

Consumption of the opiate doda, an illegal and addictive concoction made from dried poppy pods, is out of control in Metro Vancouver's South Asian community [CBC News, Canada]

Obama Takes a Crack at Drug Reform

For those of us who fought long and hard to reform the notorious 100-to-one crack/powder cocaine disparity in federal law, the Fair Sentencing Act, signed by President Obama on August 3, is at once a historic victory and a major disappointment. It's both too little, too late and a big step forward - Ethan Nadelmann [The Nation, USA]