DS Daily - 8th May 2012

NTA Action Plan 2012-13

The Department of Health has approved the NTA's work programme for 2012-13 - Download | National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse, UK

Response to government priorities 2012

ACMD have issued a response to government priorities | ACMD, UK

Response to drug problems hampered by government reforms, research shows

Report finds ability of public services to overcome addiction and break the cycle of illicit drug use and crime has been reduced | Guardian, UK

Road to ruin?

Challenging the governments recovery road map | Drink and Drugs News, UK

Over the wall

John Podmore spent 25 years as a prison governor and inspector. He tells David Gilliver why the system isn’t working, particularly for people with drug and alcohol problems | Drink and Drugs News, UK

Drug-driving law set to be introduced in Queen's Speech

Drug-driving in England and Wales could become a specific offence, with a potential jail term and fine, under a new law expected in the Queen's Speech | BBC, UK

Minister accepts SDF national emergency plan proposal

A Scottish Drugs Forum proposal to set up a formal national Emergency Plan to deal with future outbreaks of infections among drug users as been accepted by the Scottish Government | Scottish Drugs Forum, UK

Heroin misuse one of the biggest problems facing communities in Swansea

New Swansea council leader David Phillips aims to 'heal divide' on 'moral crusade' | BBC, UK

Ritalin use for ADHD soars fourfold as child psychologists warn of untested drug cocktails

Pupils as young as three are at risk, warn experts as prescriptions soar | Guardian, UK

John Bercow: more MPs seeking help for alcoholism

Commons Speaker John Bercow said more MPs are seeking help for alcoholism as Parliament attempts to crack down on Westminster's drinking culture | Telegraph, UK

Alcohol – Minimum Unit Price

Having recognised the disproportionate effect of alcohol-related harm in Greater Manchester, the GM Health Commission wanted to explore whether minimum unit price would offer a potential solution. Briefing note - Factsheet on Alcohol | Greater Manchester Health Commission, UK

North East tops the table for young people in alcohol treatment

Work carried out by Balance, the North East Alcohol Office, has shown that during 2010-11 more than 600 under 18s were in treatment in the North East – making up around 7% of the 9,450 people receiving alcohol treatment in the region | Balance, UK

10-minute web alcohol check-up and advice leads 1000s to cut back

Spending just ten minutes each on a drinking feedback and advice web site is leading over 2000 heavy drinking Dutch men a year to reduce to safer levels was the implication of this randomised trial from the Netherlands | Drug and Alcohol Findings, UK

Computer-Facilitated Substance Use Screening and Brief Advice for Teens in Primary Care: An International Trial

Computer-facilitated screening and provider brief advice appears promising for reducing substance use among adolescent primary care patients | Pediatrics

Plymouth police to check on anti-social drinkers

Drinkers arrested for anti-social behaviour will get the chance to avoid prosecution by staying sober for a month | BBC, UK

Border checks on drugs and guns 'dropped' at Heathrow

Labour urges Theresa May to probe claim that long queues and staff shortages have forced customs to drop guard on smuggling | Guardian, UK

New Health and Social Care Act will hinder analysis of national health needs

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 will have “severe implications” for collecting and monitoring data about the health needs of the population in England, warn experts in the BMJ | British Journal of Healthcare Computing

Portugal's harm reduction services are in danger

More and more harm reduction projects are preparing for the possibility of having to shut down because of the uncertainty on the future | Drug Reporter, Hungary

Chief drug expert against imposing criminal responsibility on addicts

Yevgeny Bryun, the chief drug abuse expert at the Healthcare and Social Development Ministry, has spoken out against the introduction of criminal responsibility for drug abuse | Russian Legal Information Agency

Foreclosed Houses Become Homes for Indoor Marijuana Farms

Organized marijuana growers are shifting to the suburbs from rural and commercial areas, helped by a housing crisis that created a glut of affordable, spacious houses and a stream of new residents to previously more stable communities | New York Times, USA