DS Daily - 30th March 2012

A better future for families

The Government must harness family-based treatments if it is serious about tackling the UK's addiction epidemic, according to a major new report | Addaction

20 Years of eATA – A Brief History

eATA ceased trading in March 2012, after 20 years representing the sector, and, subject to approval of members in at an EGm in April 2012, will be merged into Drugscope | eATA

Payment by results will transform public services for the better

The government's open public service agenda will put an end to the process-fetishism of the past and save taxpayers billions - Oliver Letwin | Guardian, UK

Its purpose is to provide a reflective space for practitioners, academics and other interested people to engage in dialogue about professional practice, policy development and the role of prisons in society | Prison Service Journal, UK

Advocating for Needle and Syringe Exchange Programmes in Prisons

This new series of briefings based upon research presented in the Global State of Harm Reduction offers an up to date overview of the current state of needle and syringe exchange programmes in prisons and answers key questions that commonly arise when advocating for NSPs in prisons | Harm Reduction International

West alcohol-related injuries higher than the national average

More than 6,000 people in Devon and Cornwall ended up in hospital after a drunken night out, annual figures show | This is Plymouth, UK

Charities leaving Work Programme claim payments too low

Some charities say they are pulling out of the government's Work Programme for the long-term jobless, claiming the payments received are inadequate | BBC, UK

Charity for homeless withdraws from Work Programme

The Single Homeless Project says the money it received was insufficient to cover the costs of helping people to find work | Third Sector, UK

Early signs of homeless crisis emerge

Homeless charities warn that cuts will deprive homeless people of the support services on which they rely. The first signs of a homelessness crisis in England's towns and cities are emerging, with increases in rough sleeping, street drinking, crime and anti-social behaviour as a result of cuts to hostel and housing services, according to a recent report | Crime Reduction Partnership, UK

Government employment programmes

This note sets out the main publically funded employments programmes for people out of work and looks at their characteristics | TUC, UK

Synthetic drug fentanyl causes overdose boom in Estonia

Everyone knows someone who has died. In the circles of Estonian friends who use "china white", death is a constant possibility | BBC, UK

North American defence ministers to tackle drug trade in Ottawa meeting

Drug trafficking, cyber attacks, intelligence sharing and border security are some of the issues MacKay has discussed with U.S. Defence Secretary Leon Panetta and Mexico's Secretary of National Defence, Gen. Guillermo Galvan Galvan | Winnipeg Free Press

Co-operation urged as way to combat drug war

It’s time for greater military co-operation in North America’s long war on drugs, Defence Minister Peter MacKay and his U.S. and Mexican counterparts said Tuesday | Herald News, Canada

Quick Facts About the Bureau of Prisons

Drug Offenses: 95,528 (48.7 %) | Bureau of Prisons, USA

New York law stubs out synthetic marijuana

Synthetic marijuana, which is sold openly in shops and gives smokers a high, was banned Thursday across New York after being linked to serious health risks | The Raw Story, USA

Prescription Drug Abuse

Governors To Develop Best Practices For States | Huffington Post, USA

Colombian lawmakers propose bill to decriminalise drugs

Lawmakers in Colombia have proposed decriminalising the cultivation of the coca leaf and marijuana to deprive traffickers of revenue | BBC, UK

Richard Branson turns from adventuring to drug war critic

The British billionaire argues criminal punishment fails to stem drug abuse, and is calling on countries to decriminalize drug use and eliminate criminal penalties on narcotics consumers or even consider legalizing drugs | Reuters

CentreLines

In this edition of Centrelines we spotlight Louise Mewton's research into the measurement of alcohol use disorders among young people | NDARC, Australia

Reducing alcohol and other drug use in remote Northern Territory communities

The Australian Government is investing $2.31 million to tackle the impact of alcohol and other drug use in Katherine, Tiwi, the Daly region, and the greater Darwin region in the Northern Territory | HealthInfoNet, Australia

OP-ED Narcotics Watchdog Turns Blind Eye to Rights Abuses

On several recent occasions, the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) has refused to offer an opinion on sanctions that violate international law – even if those sanctions are imposed in order to comply with the drug control treaties | Inter Press Service