DS Daily - 30th November 2010

Councils in charge of healthy lifestyle drive

Councils are to be put in charge of encouraging healthier lifestyles under new plans to be unveiled by ministers [BBC, UK]

The Birmingham Drug & Alcohol Awards Night 2010

The Birmingham Drug and Alcohol Action Team (BDAAT) held Birmingham’s first ever awards evening on Tuesday 23 November, to recognise individuals and teams who have really made a difference to tackle drug and alcohol misuse within the city [BDAAT, UK]

Road Casualties: Drinking and Driving, 2009

The latest National Statistics on 2009 Road Casualties Wales [Welsh Assembly Government, UK]

Proposal to open courts on Saturdays

Ministers are considering plans to open courts on Saturdays to deal with weekend surges of alcohol-related crime [The Herald, Scotland, UK]

Gambling Risk and Harm Minimisation Pilots

Responsible Gambling Fund is seeking expressions of interest to lead on the delivery of the third Gambling Risk and Harm Minimisation Pilot. RGF welcomes interest from suitably experienced not-for-profit organisations that wish to develop Tier One and Tier Two gambling related harm support services [RGF, UK]

Drugs, alcohol listed in 20,000 hospital discharges

There were almost 20,000 acute hospital discharges last year - 14,000 of which were for men and 145 of which were under 15 - where a mental or behavioural disorder after taking alcohol or psychoactive substances was part of the final diagnosis [Irish Examiner]

Methadone-trained GPs nearing 1,000 mark

Since the introduction of methadone regulation, the ICGP has trained 830 GPs at Level 1 and 61 GPs at Level 2. The number who have undertaken training is 968, but training is not yet completed for some of these [Irish Medical Times]

It's never too early to talk drugs

It's the talk no parent wants to have with their teenage son or daughter but there is no escape if you suspect that they are experimenting with drugs [Independent, Ireland]

Prison policy said to be a 'disaster'

Prison chaplains have described the prison policy as a disaster for both prisoners and society - Annual report [RTE, Ireland]

30% reduction in alcohol-related harm would save Exchequer €1 billion

Alcohol Action Ireland is calling the Government to implement Budget measures that could earn the Exchequer up to €182 million in additional revenue and help reduce the estimated €3.7 billion in avoidable costs caused by alcohol-related harm each year [Alcohol Action Ireland]

Study shows 20% of women drank while pregnant

Women with the highest levels of education are most likely to drink alcohol during pregnancy, a major national study tracking the lives of 11,100 nine-month-olds has found [Irish Times]

Airports, airlines increase traveler access to alcohol

Some airports now allow liquor to be sold at dawn or around the clock [USA Today]

Drug jail plan to cut inmate addiction

A dedicated "drug jail" would be set up under a Coalition NSW government [Herald Sun, Australia]

Meaningful Alcohol Law Reform Urgently Required In NZ

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists is calling on the New Zealand Government to act urgently and decisively on alcohol law reform to ensure that the New Zealand community is free of wide-spread alcohol abuse and its related harms [Scoop, New Zealand]