DS Daily - 17th April 2012

Why we must look at legalising drugs

A former British MI6 chief has joined growing calls to end the “war on drugs” and consider legalising them | The Sun, UK

Durham Prison facing 'troubling' drugs problem

Durham Prison is facing "troubling" drugs problems, with as many as one in three prisoners testing positive in drug tests, inspectors have said | BBC, UK

One In Eight Prisoners 'Develop Drug Problem In Jail'

A poll of a quarter of all inmates at Durham Prison last year found 13% had developed a problem with drugs since being held in the category B local prison | Huffington Post, UK

13th Prisoner Survey (2011) Female Offenders

Scottish Prison Service

Calderdale Substance Misuse Service: Addict recovery 'slow'

Addicts in part of West Yorkshire spend years in treatment schemes with limited chance of recovery, according to a report | BBC, UK

Name and shame binge drinkers in court, says Widdecombe

She said the law needed to be used to 'bring a sense of shame' to stop people drinking to excess and behaving badly | Daily Mail, UK

Consultation launched on standardised tobacco packaging

A UK-wide consultation seeking views on whether tobacco products should be sold in standardised packaging has been launched | Department of Health, UK

Magistrates to have power for summary justice

Magistrates will have the power to hand out summary justice in police stations or community centres under a planned overhaul of out of court penalties to be revealed next month | Telegraph, UK

The Household Benefit Cap

This note explains how the cap will operate and summarises reactions to it, including attempts to amend the benefit cap as the Welfare Reform Act progressed through Parliament | Parliament, UK

A Practical Guide to Commissioning Services for Young People

This document is designed to help local authorities explore how young people can be involved in commissioning young people’s services | Local Government Association, UK

Zero tolerance urged on illegal street drinking

Business leaders have called for zero tolerance on illegal street drinking in Cork City amid concern that it could damage tourism | Irish Examiner

Drunk drivers may face new sanctions

Motorists caught over the alcohol limit or driving dangerously may be subject to a new range of sanctions, including retraining or the requirement to fit an alcolock or speed monitoring system to their vehicle | Irish Times

Doctor wants action on First Nation drug crisis

Some First Nations say 80 per cent of their population is hooked on prescription painkillers | CBC News, Canada

Preventing Drug Use in Our Communities

The National Prevention and Health Promotion Strategy is about to celebrate its first anniversary | RWJF, USA

Feds bust online drug market in international sting

Operators running an online narcotics marketplace through an anonymous virtual network facilitated sales of illegal drugs to 3,000 people in 34 countries and every single state in the U.S., according to a federal indictment unsealed Monday in Los Angeles | LA Times, USA

Interview with Sarz Maxwell M.D. of the Chicago Recovery Alliance

The interview covers a variety of issues such as methadone, stigma and discrimination related to those clients on Methadone Treatment and Injecting Drug Users, the interview also covers Naloxone the life saving medication - Listen | INEF, Ireland

USA lags behind Latin America on drug policy reform

In Cartagena this weekend, President Obama once again showed that the USA is failing to follow where the more courageous politicians of Latin America would like him to lead in ending the American war on drugs | University of Kent, UK

Regulating a novel drug

An evaluation of changes in use of Salvia divinorum in the first year of Florida's ban. Data suggests the classification of Salvia divinorum as a Schedule I drug was followed by a substantial reduction in recreational use | International Journal of Drug Policy