DS Daily - 31st January 2013 |
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Launch of the EU drug markets report
The European drug market is a complex phenomenon, with new realities now emerging to challenge long-held certainties. Two EU agencies — the EMCDDA and Europol — have thus joined forces to provide the first state-of-the-art overview of this market in its entirety [This report will be launched later today] | EMCDDA, Portugal
Update of NICE Needle and syringe programmes (NSP) guidance: call for evidence
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is seeking relevant evidence from researchers, practitioners and other organisations working in the field relating to the provision of NSP to performance and image-enhancing drug (PIED) users and the use of drop boxes, outreach schemes and vending machines for out-of-hours provision of injecting equipment | NICE, UK
Drug testing in the workplace: the report of the Independent Inquiry into Drug Testing at Work (PDF)
In the light of Scotland Yard Chief's calls for professional workers to face drug-testing here's the DrugScope/JRF 2004 report examining the debate about workplace testing; the business case for testing; the scientific, legal, ethical, social, economic and cultural dimensions; and the growth and development of testing in the UK | DrugScope/JRF/NEF, UK
'Met chief’s idea to drug-test workers is nonsense'
A senior doctors’ leader has branded Met chief Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe’s suggestion that all workers should face mandatory drug tests as “nonsense” | London Evening Standard, UK
Mandatory drug testing 'bonkers' - Professor David Nutt -video
Professor David Nutt has said the suggestion that people should face mandatory drug testing by their employers is "bonkers" | BBC, UK
Today it’s office drug tests. Tomorrow you’re sacked for having a fag
he police are going to start drug-testing at work - but what's next? | Independent Voices, UK
Child poverty: Take parental addiction into account, urges Duncan Smith
Parental addiction and other factors should be taken into account when considering a new definition of child poverty, a cabinet minister is to say | BBC, UK
Claire Squires inquest: Drug 'important factor' in marathon runner's death
An "amphetamine-like" drug was probably an important factor in the death of a runner who collapsed near the finish line of the London Marathon, a coroner has heard | BBC, UK
Tasered Dale Burns 'killed' by designer drug
The inquest of a bodybuilder who died after being Tasered by police has been told that a designer drug he had taken was responsible for his death | BBC, UK
Isle of Wight £90m cocaine yacht trial: Two men jailed
Two men caught in possession of £90m worth of cocaine on a yacht off the Isle of Wight have been jailed | BBC, UK
Alcohol use by the young in Scotland
One thing that is immediately clear is that more young adults in Scotland appear to be drinking above recommended levels than in England and Wales | MentorThinks blog, UK
SIPS Primary Care research: not just a leaflet
The SIPS trial, a £4 million study applying brief intervention approaches in key settings, has published the Primary Care results in the BMJ. The A&E and Probation results will follow shortly | Alcohol IBA Blog, UK
If drug education is central to the government’s prevention strategy why don’t they know more about it?
The government’s annual report to the European Monitoring Centre on Drugs and Drug Abuse (EMCDDA) has been published and as always it has a chapter on Prevention | MentorThinks blog, UK
ASH briefing on e-cigarettes (PDF)
Electronic cigarettes are marketed as alternative nicotine delivery devices for people to use in places where smoking is not permitted since they do not produce smoke. Preliminary tests suggest that they are relatively harmless in comparison with smoking. There are, however, a number of problems with e-cigarettes | ASH, UK
Russia scraps US anti-drug accord after 10 years
The Russian government has abandoned an agreement with the US on fighting crime and the drugs trade, in an apparent sign of worsening relations | BBC, UK
Colombia plans to decriminalise ecstasy in a bid to battle the nation's rampant drug problems
Colombia may decriminalise the use of synthetic drugs, including ecstasy, as part of its plans to tackle social problems caused by its widespread drug problems | Mail Online, UK
Colombia in talk over ecstasy law - video
Colombian ministers are discussing proposals to legalise the personal use of synthetic drugs such as ecstasy, in an effort to tackle drug use, trafficking and related issues | BBC, UK
In Mali, military intervention is not enough
Throughout west Africa, organised crime and drug trafficking pose as great a threat as extremism | Guardian, Comment is free, UK
Homeless sign up for Recovery College
An innovative college for homeless people in London, the first of its kind in the country, is attracting hundreds of students | BBC, UK
Healy-Rae drink-drive permit plea is rejected
Michael Healy-Rae has tabled a Dail request, asking Transport Minister Leo Varadkar to introduce new laws allowing for his brother Danny's controversial drink-driving permits | Irish Independent, Ireland
Rapid on site HIV testing: increases life expectancy and is cost effective
Incorporating rapid HIV testing in drug treatment programs is both cost effective and increases life expectancy for an HIV-positive person, according to an NIH-funded study | AIDS.gov Blog, USA
Alcohol Marketing Entices Underage Youth With Drinker Identity And Brand Allegiance
A study was conducted on how alcohol companies use drinker identity and brand allegiance to market their products to underage youth. These two factors are used to market alcohol to experimental underage drinkers | Botvin Lifeskills, USA
Does Drug Treatment Work?
Addiction is a chronic disease that can be successfully treated. We need to look no further than the millions of Americans who are in long-term recovery today from drug and alcohol addiction to see that recovery is possible | ONDCP, USA
Program defends methadone users’ rights
When Laura Shaver flew to Toronto last November to help put together a resource guide for safer crack smoking, she never thought that her methadone treatment back in B.C. would be affected | Globe and Mail, Canada
Methadone complaint support announced
Methadone users having trouble getting their fix have a new method to report complaints without going through bureaucratic red tape, it was announced Monday | 24 hours Vancouver, Canada
New school based drug and alcohol education program will target at-risk personality types
In an Australian first more than 3,000 Year 8 school children have been enrolled in a drug and alcohol prevention trial which aims to reduce the development of substance use problems in young people by targeting at-risk personality types | NDARC, Australia
Secret website harboured drugs smorgasbord, court hears
A judge has expressed fears about a secretive eBay-like online marketplace a man used to buy illegal drugs for his "smorgasbord" trafficking operation | Age, Australia