DS Daily - 24th May 2010

Made to measure

The personalisation agenda (cover story) might seem a long way off as we wait for the axe to fall on public services. So much of this issue is about working ‘smarter’ to give our our essential services the best chance of surviva. Editorial - Claire Brown. Also a list of Features [Drink and Drugs News, UK]

The DDN training directory

The 2010 directory providing a comprehensive list of training providers [Drink and Drugs News, UK]

BMA Welsh secretary on dangers of alcohol

Although socially acceptable, alcohol can also be an addictive drug. Alcohol misuse can be harmful to the individual as well as placing a substantial burden on families and society [Wales Online]

Wales confirms plans to move ahead with minimum alcohol pricing

Wales is to go ahead with plans to introduce minimum alcohol pricing following the omission of such measures from the UK government's coalition document [Healthcare Republic, UK]

Nation’s health at risk from cheap alcohol

The Government must address a massive increase in alcohol-related liver deaths Professor Jon Rhodes, British Society of Gastroenterology; Professor Ian Gilmore, Royal College of Physicians; Dr Nick Sheron, Alcohol Health Alliance [Times, UK]

Alcohol abuse 'created by price'

Audio - Chief Constable Peter Fahy of Greater Manchester Police, gives his opinion of how minimum pricing will affect crime [Radio 4, BBC, UK]

Health Secretary backs Tesco plan to stop selling cheap alcohol

Nicola Sturgeon says decision is step in right direction, but opposition parties say company is acting to boost profits [Times, UK]

New Tesco stance on alcohol is not to be dismissed

Excessive drinking is one of the most serious issues facing the country according to 70% of shoppers who responded to a questionnaire from Tesco [The Herald, Scotland]

Drink price law is worth millions

Tesco was yesterday accused of backing the SNP’s plans for a minimum price on alcohol purely because it would boost profits in Scotland by millions of pounds [Daily Express, UK]

Briefing: Alcohol pricing

Terry’s tariff – The head of Tesco, Sir Terry Leahy, says the best way to reduce binge drinking is for the government to set a minimum price for alcohol. Could it work? [Times, UK]

Theresa May will have to think again about drinking

Reviewing the licensing hours is one thing, but the British need reminding that it is possible to drink with dignity [Telegraph, UK]

Majority of Britons want 'health warnings on alcohol packaging'

Almost two in three adults believe alcohol packaging should come with health warnings, a survey has found [Telegraph, UK]

Rankin recruited for NHS anti-binge-drinking ad

NHS trust in Birmingham recruits photographer for hard-hitting viral campaign on consequences of drinking too much [Guardian, UK]

Report: Alcohol companies go online to lure young drinkers

Alcohol companies are increasingly using the latest new media technologies - including cellphones, social networking sites, YouTube and other features of the expanding digital universe - to reach young drinkers, a new report contends [USA Today]

Scheme launched to help youngsters avoid pitfalls of drugs

A total of 700 families will take part in the two-year experiment involving the Strengthening Families Programme (SFP), part funded by the Welsh Assembly Government [Wales Online, UK]

Drug treatment policy needs a dose of evidence

Grand promises from governments mean little without decent analysis [Guardian, UK]

Unthinkable? Repeal drugs laws

The regulatory framework for drugs is probably the one thing discussed with the least publicity and the most fervour [Guardian, UK]

UKHRA Re-launch

On the 29th of April at the International Harm Reduction Conference in Liverpool there was a re-launch even for one of the main harm reduction groups in the UK [Injecting Advice, UK]

Healthcare needs of the homeless

A recent study that examined the health needs and relative healthcare costs of people who were homeless or living in certain types of insecure or short-term accommodation [Department of Health, UK]

Video: UKESAD 2010 Highlights

UKESAD 2010 was an inspiration, our highlights capture the spirit of the conference with a selection of clips from the key presentations and interviews including White House drugs adviser Keith Humphreys, Chairman of Castle Craig Hospital Peter McCann and founder of Intuitive Recovery Peter Bentley [Inexcess TV, UK]

Support for addicts after drug raids

Health chief has pledged to be "on hand" to provide support services for drug addicts following a wave of police raids against suspected dealers in the Lothians [The Scotsman, UK]

Why anti-drug campaigns can have the reverse impact

The most effective anti-drug ads for teenagers show the targeted drug and mount strong arguments against its use. Sounds plausible, but this US study found that when it comes to cannabis and the youngsters most likely to use it, the reverse was the case [Drug and Alcohol Findings, UK]

Corrupt jail staff double pay with drug sales

Corrupt prison staff are more than doubling their monthly salaries by selling heroin, cocaine and other illegal drugs to inmates, according to an authoritative report [Times, UK]

The general practitioner: Patient minded

Over the years, substance abuse has become her specialist area of concern, and in retirement she intends to continue working two days a week at a new alcohol and heroin detox centre in central Birmingham [Observer, UK]

Proposals for a review of the drugs classification system FOI release in full and the appeal

Apparently the Misuse of Drugs Act can’t apply to drugs which have widespread public acceptance according to the Home Office [UKCIA]

France: a mock supervised injection facility as a step forward for harm reduction

In order to draw a discussion on the SIFs issue in France, a group of associations opened one in Paris on the World Hepatitis Day on May 19th, 2009 [IDPC]

New organisation launch: the International Centre for Science in Drug Policy

The International Centre for Science in Drug Policy (ICSDP) is an international network of scientists, academics, and health practitioners committed to improving the health and safety of communities and individuals affected by illicit drugs - website [IDPC]

The Power of Video Advocacy

An Interview with the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union [Open Society Institute]

Low brain serotonin transporter levels in ecstasy users

Levels of the serotonin transporter are low in the brains of users of ecstasy, according to a US National Institute of Drug Abuse-funded study by Toronto’s [Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Canada]

Plan to slow spread of disease includes new needle exchange

The Vancouver Island Health Authority expects a needle exchange site planned for Nanaimo to be operational as early as late summer [Canada.com]

Chronic pain vs. addiction: New guidelines fuel debate on opioids

The guidelines, written by a national team of physicians, researchers, pharmacists and experts, including those from colleges of physicians and surgeons of Canada, will be updated in the next few years [Vancouver Sun, Canada]

Some say government's new strategy to fight drug addiction needs more funding

Overall, the White House has asked Congress to increase spending next year by 3.5 percent on the broad spectrum of drug-control activities [Washington Post, USA]

Methadone Interactions With Other Medications and Abused Substances

The March/April 2010 issue of the American Journal on Addictions, published on behalf of the American Society of Addiction Psychiatry, has devoted the issue to key articles on methadone and buprenorphine interactions with other drugs [American Journal on Addictions]

Drug overdose: Medical marijuana facing a backlash

Montana and other states that have legalized medical marijuana are seeing a backlash, with public anger rising and politicians passing laws to slow the proliferation of pot shops and bring order to what has become a wide-open, Wild West sort of industry [Washington Post, USA]