DS Daily - 3rd November 2010

Bigger welfare state 'reduces hard drug use'

Research shows providing generous social security system is more effective than criminalising addicts [Guardian, UK]

ACMD advertisement for appointment of new chair and members

This is an advertisment for appointment of a chair and eight members to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. The closing date is 18 November 2010 [Home Office, UK]

Evidence not Exaggeration

Drug harms in the UK: a multi-criteria decision analysis [David Nutt's Blog]

For individuals wanting a bottom line about the harms of drug use, the finding that heroin, crack cocaine and metamfetamine were most harmful to individual users is important. Policy makers are interested in overall harms or the harms to society ... but the fact remains that alcohol tops the list of overall harms largely because it is a legal, widely used drug [NHS Choices, UK]

Britain's drugs hypocrisy is a giant self-inflicted wound

No minister has the guts to do what's needed on narcotics: make it harder to drink alcohol, and legalise and tax the rest [Guardian, UK]

Prop 19 to legalise marijuana defeated in California

However, activists cling to high hopes that political process has educated voters for next battle [Guardian, UK]

Teenager tells of drugs hell aged just 11

A city teenager has described her shocking descent into violence, drug addiction, and homelessness after being injected with heroin by a family friend at the age of just 11 [Edinburgh Evening News, UK]

How legalising drugs would deal with the local baron

How can anyone bray about personal freedom while declaring that one drug, alcohol, cannot be banned, but cannabis must? [Daily Mail, UK]

Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2009/10

3.5 Alcohol or drug related violent crime [Scottish Government, UK]

Survey sees drug crime fear rise

The number of people who fear drug dealing or mugging is taking place in their community has risen slightly for the first time in five years [BBC, UK]

Celebrating Successful Partnerships

The LEAP (Lothians & Edinburgh Abstinence Programme) team have scooped a Partnership in Practice Award at NHS Lothian’s annual staff awards in recognition of their work with Access to Industry Transition Project [NHS Lothian, UK]

Alcohol consumption and family life

This study examined how parents teach young children (aged 5 to 12) about alcohol. It explored parental attitudes towards alcohol, and family drinking practices, using a national survey and in-depth case studies. Summary - Full report [Joseph Rowntree Foundation, UK]

Pre-teens learning about alcohol: drinking and family contexts

Childhood experiences are crucial to forming future drinking habits. Much emphasis has been placed on understanding the impact of problem drinking within the family, yet much less is known about how children learn about alcohol in so-called 'ordinary families' - Summary - Full report [Joseph Rowntree Foundation, UK]

Government set for embarrassment over alcohol and tobacco control

On Monday High Court proceedings were initiated against the Home Secretary for her abdication of power under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 with respect to alcohol and tobacco control [Drug Equality Alliance]

Government urged to tackle 'passive drinking'

Too many areas are "plagued by shouting, vomiting, fights, urination and other rowdy behaviour" and lax licensing controls must be reformed in favour of simpler laws which give communities greater influence campaigners said [Independent, UK]

Drugs surge leads to rural resettlement call

A Kerry TD has called for tighter scrutiny of applicants for rural resettlement because of a growing drugs problem countrywide [Irish Examiner]

California Rejects Marijuana Legalization

California voters rejected a ballot initiative on Tuesday that would have legalized marijuana for recreational use, but disappointed supporters of the measure lighted up anyway outside their campaign headquarters here and vowed to continue pushing for a day when cannabis is treated like tobacco and alcohol, not heroin and cocaine [New York Times, USA]

State's picking ex-cons' poison, hopes new drug Suboxone will keep inmates off heroin

State officials plan to give some junkies an addictive drug while they're in prison and supply them with it when they're paroled [New York Daily News, USA]

Mephedrone, the New Drug in Town

Most people in the United States have never heard of it. Very few have ever tried it. But if Europe is any kind of leading indicator for synthetic drugs (and it is), then America will shortly have a chance to get acquainted with mephedrone [Addiction Inbox, USA]