DS Daily - 10th December 2012

Drugs: Breaking the cycle

The Home Affairs Committee is today publishing its first report on drugs (PDF) in a decade. After a wide-ranging and in-depth inquiry lasting a year and examining all areas of UK drug policy, the Committee has called for a Royal Commission on the issue | Home Affairs Committee, UK

Consider drugs decriminalisation system, MPs say

The government is being urged by MPs to closely consider a system of drugs de-criminalisation pioneered in Portugal | BBC, UK

Leading drugs charity welcomes new Home Affairs Committee report on drugs

DrugScope, the leading independent centre of expertise on drugs and drugs policy, has today responded positively to publication of the report of the Home Affairs Select Committee, 'Drugs: Breaking the cycle' | DrugScope, UK

Government will not change drugs policy despite critical report

The Government tonight ruled out any shift in drugs policy despite a damning report by an influential group of MPs which said Britain was failing to tackle drug barons or the multi-billion pound global profits of their illegal trade | Independent, UK

David Cameron urged to take 'now or never' step on drugs reform

Cross-party committee says prime minister should set up royal commission on Britain's failing drug laws | Guardian, UK

Make dope legal

Shock verdict by MPs after year-long inquiry into drugs | Sun, UK

Treat addicts, don't lock them up: MPs pave way to legalise drugs as they admit prison sentences are failing to deter offenders

Britain is losing the war on drugs and should consider the radical option of legalisation, a powerful committee of MPs will argue this week | Mail Online, UK

Your move, prime minister: MPs admit war on drugs has failed

MPs will admit to the failure of the war on drugs tomorrow, in one of the most important developments in the debate for a decade | politics.co.uk, UK

Home Affairs Select Committee's Drugs Report: Angelus Condemns Government's "Negligence" on Drug Education

The Angelus Foundation today welcomed the Home Affairs Committee's (HAC) deep concerns about legal highs and condemned the Government's "negligence" over the lack of an effective programme of drug prevention and education | PRNewswire, UK

MPs put pressure on David Cameron over drugs legalisation

David Cameron should establish a Royal Commission to look at whether drugs should be legalised, a powerful group of MPs are expected to say | Telegraph, Uk

Adfam policy briefing

Issues covered include the Government's consultation on its alcohol strategy; new guides for social workers; analysis of emerging trends in 'club drugs'; the impact made by a large treatment provider; and how drug policies affect women | Adfam, UK

Meet the new puritans: young Britons cut back on drink and drugs

Figures show 'cultural shift' as students reject the excesses of the last two decades | Observer, UK

Study raises concerns over online availability of alternatives to illegal drugs

Health risks of ‘legal highs’ are unknown, warn University of Leicester scientists | University of Leicester, UK

The MEAM approach expressions of interest

During 2013 Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) will be offering support to services in at least nine local authority areas who want to design and deliver new coordinated interventions using ‘the MEAM approach’ as a guide | MEAM, UK

The horror of Meth: Before-and-after pictures reveal shocking transformation in faces of users hooked on deadly drug

A new anti-drug advertisement shows the devastating physical transformation addicts experience after years of meth use | Mail Online, UK

Minimum per unit alcohol price has reduced consumption

Canadian studies form a substantial part of the evidence that minimum per unit alcohol pricing really has reduced consumption. From Saskatchewan, support for this first step in the chain expected to improve health and productivity and reduce crime | Drug and Alcohol Findings, UK

Jim McCormick: Wake-up call ends alarm-clock Britain myth

The Chancellor’s claim, says Jim McCormick, that poverty is a result of refusing to work is simply not true a new report shows | Scotsman, UK

Glasgow's poor put every politician to shame

The rise of charities such as With Kids ridicules the notion that austerity will be shared | Guardian, UK

Oliver Sacks: 'We are more likely to see UFOs when our forebears would see angels'

The neurologist on his new book, dabbling in drugs and the changing face of visions | Guardian, UK

Expert round up: flexible commissioning in public services

From managing expectations to focusing on outcomes, our panel share their tips on making flexible commissioning work | Guardian, UK

Shock as party drugs leaving youngsters with diseases of old

ESCALATING use of party drugs by youngsters in Yorkshire is leaving scores with severe health problems usually suffered by the elderly, experts are warning | Yorkshire Post, UK

European Union making bad policy on nicotine – five ways to make it better

On 30 November, the draft EU Tobacco Products Directive was circulated for inter-service consultation (ie. sent round all other Directorates General in the European Commission) | Clive Bates Blog, UK

An unwinnable war

Since 1971, when President Richard Nixon made illegal drugs public enemy number one, the USA has spent vast sums waging war on drugs | Lancet, UK

Campaign on dangers of mixing drugs and alcohol

A hard-hitting campaign is under way in Sandwell to warn people on a night out of the danger of mixing together cocaine and alcohol | Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, UK

Project Solace targets street drinkers

STREET drinkers are being targeted by the police Project Solace team with one offender slapped with a criminal related ASBO | This is Gloucestershire, UK

'Jailing pot smokers is not solution': Manchester drug activist slams 250-plant-a-day GMP cannabis seizures

A Manchester drug activist has slammed the cannabis crackdown which saw Greater Manchester Police seize almost 90,000 plants last year | Mancunian Matters, UK

More motorists admit drink-driving

The number of motorists admitting drinking and driving has almost doubled since 2009, according to a survey | Belfast Telegraph, Ireland

No to ban on booze sponsors for sport

SPORTS Minister Leo Varadkar will not impose a ban on alcohol sponsorship, saying the drinks industry is vital to sport development in this country | Herald, Ireland

Small drug projects ‘will not survive latest cuts’

Many hard-pressed drug projects will not survive the latest cuts to funding following the budget, according to community groups | Irish Examiner, Ireland

Legal pot use raises questions about abuse issues

An official at an Everett drug treatment center and former pot user believes we're setting ourselves up for big problems | HeraldNet, USA

Rise In Mephedrone Addiction Rivals Heroin Use (video)

Video discussing mephedrone use around the world | Huffington Post Live, USA

Marijuana Legalization Is Not Enough! Envisioning a Post-Prohibition World

Pot-smokers of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but your pipe dreams | Huffington Post, USA

Send first-time nonviolent drug offenders to rehab if appropriate

Promise kept: "We will give first-time, nonviolent drug offenders a chance to serve their sentence, where appropriate, in the type of drug-rehabilitation programs that have proven to work better than a prison term in changing bad behavior." | Politifact.com, Tampa Bay Times, USA

Heroin deaths rise as crackdown on prescription drug abuse succeeds

As efforts to crack down on the abuse of prescription drugs have worked, a new problem has emerged with addicts who can no longer get their fix by popping pills turning to the old-fashioned street drug heroin, health and law enforcement officials say | Baltimore Sun, USA

Australian television news coverage of alcohol, health and related policies, 2005 to 2010: implications for alcohol policy advocates

Objective: To describe television news coverage between 2005 and 2010 of alcohol, health and relevant alcohol-control policies, with a view to informing policy advocacy | Wiley Online, Australia