DS Daily - 5th February 2010

Through a glass darkly

Crime, family break-up, drunks and drugs: the Conservatives—and apparently plenty of voters—think that Britain has a “broken society”. Does the claim stand up? [The Economist, UK]

SMMGP Policy Update January 2010

[SMMGP, UK]

SMMGP Clinical & Policy Updates

[SMMGP, UK]

Carmarthenshire council leader's 'legalise heroin' call

Meryl Gravell OBE said she despaired of the number of deaths in Llanelli - the largest town in the county - attributed to heroin [BBC, UK]

Drinking causes damage you can't see

A new information website [NHS, UK]

Alcohol charity says new changes to licensing laws are still too weak

The government urgently needs to add a public health objective to the Licensing Act and must create new mechanisms for residents views to be considered. [Alcohol Concern, UK]

Councils to be able to impose blanket bans on 24 hour licences in problem areas

Local authorities are to get the power to impose blanket bans on the sale of alcohol after 3am in entire streets or city centres affected by alcohol-related anti-social behaviour and disorder [Department for Culture, Media and Sport, UK]

24-hour drinking is cut ...

... to 21 hours: Law to shut bars applies for just three hours [Daily Mail, UK]

US task force says cutting alcohol outlets improves public health

The review which led a national US task force to recommend limiting the concentration of retail alcohol outlets as an important public health measure to curb excessive alcohol use and related harms [Drug and Alcohol Findings, UK]

North East health bosses call for minimum alcohol price

Health bosses in the North East have urged the government to introduce a minimum price for alcohol [BBC, UK]

Smoking: Progress without principles

There was no principled argument about when the state should and should not act, as it seeks to discourage smoking without trampling over liberty [Guardian, UK]

Public split on cannabis legalisation

Some 50% of the population think cannabis should be fully legalised while 25% want a complete ban, according to the latest Maurice de Hond opinion poll [Dutch News]

U.S. - Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission's Drug Trafficking Working Group

The Russian Federation and the United States share the belief that solving this problem requires the efforts of the Governments of both countries [ONDCP, USA]

White House Drug Policy Director Hails Expansion of Insurance Coverage for Addiction Treatment

New regulations requiring private group health insurance plans to offer benefits for treatment of substance abuse disorders that are comparable to benefits for other illnesses will help remove a barrier to treatment for millions of Americans, [ONDCP, USA]

The NSDUH Report - Substance Use Treatment Need among Uninsured Workers

An estimated 3.0 million uninsured full-time workers (16.3 percent) needed substance use treatment in the past year; specifically, 13.3 percent needed alcohol use treatment, 5.6 percent needed illicit drug use treatment, and 2.7 percent needed both alcohol and illicit drug use treatment [SAMHSA, USA]

Obama grows the drug war, with enforcement a clear priority

According to 2011 funding "highlights" released by the ONDCP (PDF link), the Obama administration is growing the drug war and tilting its funds heavily toward law enforcement over treatment [The Raw Story, USA]

Motivational systems in adolescence

Possible implications for age differences in substance abuse and other risk-taking behaviors [Brain and Cognition]

NIDA's Blending Initiative

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) in 2001, launched the Blending Initiative, a wide-ranging effort that combines and coordinates the knowledge, skills and resources of researchers, treatment providers, policy makers and technology dissemination programs; and in doing so, removes many of the obstacles that commonly impede technology transfer [Counselor, USA]

Addiction Treatment Around The World

Since the United States operates under a very bureaucratic system, many treatment centers are not invested in this type of outcomes-based treatment, Dr. Lynn said. For example, he explains that with the exception of a few sporadic programs, there is very limited outreach to drug and alcohol addicts in the United States [Counselor, USA]