DS Daily - 7th October 2011

Latest drugs data shows more on road to recovery

The number of illegal drug users recovering from addiction has risen significantly in the last year, according to the latest official statistics for England released today by the | National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse, UK

Statistics from the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS)

This report presents information relating to drug treatment in England from 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 | National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse, UK

The figures are analysed in an NTA report

Drug treatment and recovery 2010-11 | National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse, UK

DrugScope responds to 2010/11 figures on drug treatment and recovery

Today’s figures on treatment completions are very encouraging and underline the importance of continued investment in treatment and supporting recovery. Building on the progress that is being achieved, the treatment sector is up for the challenge of meeting the ambitions for improving outcomes and supporting recovery, but it cannot do so without the engagement of other services - such as providers of housing, education and employment support, family services and others | DrugScope, UK

Heroin and crack cocaine use in decline

Experts say turning point had been reached in England's heroin epidemic, with fall particularly sharp among the under 30s | Guardian, UK

Northern Ireland drug addiction figures on the rise

The number of people seeking treatment for drug addiction has risen by almost 30% in the last year, according to the Department of Health | BBC, UK

Police campaign targets Swansea heroin dealers

Heroin dealers are being targeted in a new campaign to highlight what police call the drug's devastating impact in Swansea ... Swansea Drugs Project said the number of heroin addicts seeking help in the city had risen by 40% in the past year | BBC, UK

Delivering alcohol brief interventions in the criminal justice system: evaluation of a pilot project

This document evaluates an alcohol brief intervention pilot project which ran February 2010 to April 2011. It addresses a previous gap in evidence on alcohol problems in offenders in the community, whilst adding to the growing evidence base on the prevalence of alcohol use disorders (AUD) in offenders more generally - Download | Health Scotland, UK

More and more children using cannabis?

The evidence is that for 11 to 15 year olds the proportions who have ever used cannabis has fallen by 5% over the last decade | Drug Education Forum, UK

Views sought on improving support for drug deaths bereaved

The National Forum on Drug-related Deaths wants to hear from people who have been bereaved though a drug-related death to find out more about how key services deal with families and carers after the death of their loved one | Scottish Drugs Forum, UK

Information on plans for Payment by Results in 2012-13

This letter from David Flory, Deputy NHS Chief Executive, provides information on plans for Payment by Results in 2012-13 | Department of Health, UK

Call to legalise HIV home test kits

Almost two-thirds of people would consider using HIV home testing kits if they were legally available and regulated, according to a survey | Independent, UK

Communities 'vital' to rehabilitation revolution

Community groups and voluntary organisations are crucial to making the Government's 'rehabilitation revolution' a reality, Justice Minister Lord McNally said | Justice.gov, UK

The Una Padel Award 2011

The Una Padel Award seeks to reward unrecognised commitment, determination and potential. Nominations are invited in support of those people or organisations you feel have made, or show the potential for making, a real contribution to helping improve the lives of offenders, victims, families and communities | Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, UK

Costs of alcohol already devolved, so give us tax powers, urges Fergus Ewing

A paper set out more details of the proposal, arguing that because Scotland already meets the costs associated with alcohol consumption, it should also receive control of the revenue benefit. It claims it would bring in millions of pounds more each year to Scotland's coffers | The Scotsman, UK

Scottish retailers claim ‘health levy’ will cost jobs

Large supermarkets would need a sales boost of £1 billion just to cover the cost of the planned “tax raid” on major outlets selling cigarettes and alcohol, MSPs have been told | The Herald, Scotland, UK

Legal curbs did restrict cannabis availability and use in Switzerland

Studies of a natural experiment in Switzerland in the 2000s suggested that the effective re-criminalisation of cannabis production and distribution did diminish availability and use of the drug. The results contradict other findings suggesting that national policies have little effect on cannabis use| Drug and Alcohol Findings, UK

Strong marijuana to be treated as Class A drug: cabinet plans

The cabinet on Friday will discuss plans to classify strong marijuana as a hard drug which falls under the opium act | Dutch News, Netherlands

OD drug is saving hundreds

More than 1,000 opiate overdoses have been reversed in the last four years in the state through the use of a nasal-inhaled drug, and more than one-third have occurred north of Boston, new data released by the state revealed | Boston Globe, USA

Feds escalate efforts to close California pot shops

The moves come as a surprise to owners of medical marijuana dispensaries. 'It's a complete about-face' of Obama's promise not to target users of medical pot in states that allow it, one group's attorney says | LA Times, USA

NIH study finds doctors miss many alcohol screening opportunities

Physicians often fail to counsel their young adult patients about excessive alcohol use, according to a study led by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism | NIH News, USA

FDA and NIH announce joint study on tobacco use and risk perceptions

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health today announced a joint, large-scale, national study of tobacco users to monitor and assess the behavioral and health impacts of new government tobacco regulations | NIDA, USA