DS Daily - 11th September 2012

DrugScope Survey on the Public Health Reforms

The 2012 Health and Social Care Act has introduced sweeping reforms that will see the delivery of public health services in England, including drug and alcohol treatment and prevention, become the statutory responsibility of local authorities from April 2013. DrugScope has produced a short survey in order to help shape the debate and inform national and local priorities | DrugScope, UK

Second case of anthrax confirmed in England

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is aware that a person who injected heroin has died from anthrax infection in Blackpool Victoria Hospital. This death has occurred three weeks after another person who injects drugs also died in Blackpool from confirmed anthrax infection | Health Protection Agency , UK

Heroin users warned after second anthrax death

Hospitals and walk-in clinics across the UK warned to expect further cases after second drug user dies in Blackpool | Guardian, UK

DfE and ACPO Drug Advice for Schools

The Department and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) have jointly produced this publication. It's non-statutory and helps answer some of the most common questions raised by school staff in this area | Department of Education, UK

Therapy add-ons to detox and maintenance; new prevention tactics

Latest bulletin collating additions to the Effectiveness Bank. Two syntheses of research contrast the impacts of psychosocial therapy in methadone maintenance versus detoxification, and a team of US researchers has been trying to make universal youth drug use prevention more feasible for schools and colleges by targeting all common substances and other health-relevant behaviours in one brief package | Drug and Alcohol Findings, UK

Dual Diagnosis: Findings from the CCAS Research Programme

This poster summarises key findings and publications covering: depression and anxiety disorders in routine methadone treatment, reliability of brief screening tools, and outcome measurement | SMMGP, UK

Fears as use of Mephedrone Meow Meow hits Cheltenham

Spiralling numbers of young people are said to be getting their highs from lethal drug mephedrone | This is Gloucestershire, UK

Photographs from the ‘Frontline’

Researcher will confront exhibition visitors with the real lives of drug users and the places they use to inject | University of Huddersfield, UK

Painkiller addiction

Woman's Hour today 10:00 | BBC Radio, UK

Silent Voices

Supporting children and young people affected by parental alcohol misuse. Briefing | Children's Commissioner for England, UK

Children of alcoholics 'need more support'

The government should pay as much attention to the parents who drink too much as it does to those who misuse illegal drugs, says a report | BBC, UK

Call for sheriffs to join patrols to see effects of binge-drinking

Dr Evelyn Gillan, chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland, said sheriffs were failing to appreciate the damage inflicted by cheap alcohol and suggested they join officers on weekend patrols of cities, including Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen | The Herald, Scotland, UK

Shock new figures show 12% rise in children with a drink problem

More than 3,000 – some as young as 12 – were forced to seek help last year, according to new figures | The Mirror, UK

Mental Health (Discrimination) Bill

On 14 September 2012, the Mental Health (Discrimination) Bill will be debated in the House of Commons. We want to make sure that as many MPs as possible attend the debate and support the bill so that it passes into law | Mind, UK

Suicide prevention strategy launched

But there are new challenges to be addressed and at a time when we have economic pressures on the general population, it is particularly timely to revisit a national strategy that has demonstrated clear progress | Department of Health, UK

Localisation of the Social Fund

Commons Library Standard Note | Parliament, UK

Homelessness transition fund

Round 3 of the Mains Grants programme is now open | Homelessness transition fund, UK

Prisoners released early in bid to reduce re-offending

Prisoners serving sentences for crimes ranging from possession of drugs to robbery are currently working out their time in the community rather than being locked up in jail | Independent, Ireland

Last chance to have your say on access to reoffending data

New Philanthropy Capital and the Ministry of Justice would like your views on a proposed system for giving charities and social enterprises access to reoffending data. The closing date is this Friday, 14th September! | New Philanthropy Capital, UK

Growing the social investment market

This document sets out key initiatives across government to grow the social investment market and make it easier for social entrepreneurs to access capital | Cabinet Office, UK

A users report from taking Methoxetamine (MXE)

None of what is said here is to be taken as an endorsment of the substance | INEF, Ireland

Understanding changes in heroin availability in Europe over time

Emerging evidence for a slide, a squeeze and a shock | Addiction journal

Alcohol is the most used date rape drug

The Rape Crisis Network Ireland said that while there was little evidence to show that better-known rape drugs, such as Rohypnol, were being used, alcohol was regularly involved in sex attacks | Irish Examiner

A father's plea: End the war on drugs

Javier Sicilia is one of Mexico's most highly regarded poets and the leader of the Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity. His son, Juan Francisco, was murdered last year | CNN, USA

Risk factor trends: age patterns in key health risk factors over time

This report presents comparisons over time for different age groups for key health risk factors, including overweight and obesity, physical inactivity, poor diet, smoking and excessive alcohol consumption | AIHW, Australia

Depression and substance use in young people

A systematic review of integrated treatments for depression and substance use in young people | NDARC, Australia

The latest Newsletter from Family Drug Help at SHARC

The topic for this edition is KIDS. How are children impacted by their parent’s addiction? Where do grandparents/significant others turn to when they suddenly find themselves in charge of children? How does it affect children as they grow up? What resources are out there for those looking after children? | Family Drug Help, Australia