Daily news - 12th October 2018 |
 |
UK news
Rescheduling of cannabis-based products for medicinal use:Written statement - HCWS994
Today, the Government is laying the Misuse of Drugs (Amendments) (Cannabis and Licence Fees) (England, Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2018 (“the 2018 Regulations”) in the House. These regulations reschedule cannabis-based products for medicinal use and will come into force on 1 November 2018 | Parliament.uk, UK
Government announces that medicinal cannabis is legal
For the first time in the UK, expert doctors have been given the option to legally issue prescriptions for cannabis-based medicines when they agree that their patients could benefit from this treatment | Home Office and The Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP, UK
Doctors allowed to prescribe cannabis-based medicine in UK
Sajid Javid announces change after publicity over treatment of young people with epilepsy | Guardian, UK
Open consultation. Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018
We seek feedback on the practical changes that will affect the tobacco and e-cigarette industries if the UK leaves the EU with no deal. We welcome feedback on any practical issues that you think should be considered as part of the implementation of changes | DHSC, UK
Sub-Intervention Review Report for 2017/18
The report will help local commissioners and services to review whether an appropriate range of treatment and recovery support interventions are being delivered locally. It can also help identify gaps in provision. The site contains restricted statistics and you will need a password to access the report. If you are a commissioner or service provider and you do not already have a password to access the site please contact the NDTMS | NDTMS, UK
'Out of control': prison watchdog warns of synthetic drug crisis
Rising substance abuse is causing preventable deaths behind bars, says report | Guardian, UK
Annual Report 2017 -18 - Media Release (PDF)
Prisoners are dying preventable deaths, particularly as a result of the alarming levels of drug abuse in jails, and some prisons and their health providers struggle to learn from investigations into deaths, according to Acting Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) Elizabeth Moody | Prison and Probation Ombudsman, UK
Review of self-inflicted deaths in prison custody 2016
This report presents the findings of a review of the self-inflicted deaths in prison custody in 2016, with a particular focus on the way in which mental health concerns were identified, assessed and managed, to see whether a pattern of common factors exists. [Includes a look at the role of substance use] | MoJ, UK
Chelmsford Prison sees nearly half of inmates fail drugs tests
Nearly half of prisoners failed drugs tests at a prison that holds large numbers of gang members, a report said | BBC, UK
Prince William urges police to use 'Al Capone' tactics to catch drug kingpins
The Duke of Cambridge has urged international law enforcement to follow the tactics used to snare Al Capone to catch drug lords and people traffickers, in a bid to end the illegal trading of ivory | Telegraph, UK
Seven arrested following west Belfast drugs raid
Three men and three women in their forties and a 17-year-old girl have been arrested on suspicion of a number of drug offences | BBC, UK
Aberdeen drug dealer ordered to hand over £46,000
A former project manager in the oil industry caught dealing cocaine after his flat sprung a leak has been ordered to hand over £46,000 of crime profits | BBC, UK
International news
Crime-reducing drug treatment systems
Last of the 25 cells of the Drug Treatment Matrix explores research on how local treatment systems can protect the community – treatment in itself, and treatment offered or imposed by law enforcement authorities. Asks whether coercion and/or collaboration with enforcement undermine treatment’s community protection impacts, and whether to maximally reduce crime, treatment systems should focus on coercion or voluntary engagement | Drug and Alcohol Findings, UK
Cannabis Reform: The Issue Uniting a Polarised America
Despite the tense political climate in the run-up to the US’ mid-term elections, one issue enjoys broad support across the political spectrum: cannabis reform | Talking Drugs, UK
Canada struggling to find police capable of detecting drug-drivers as country prepares for legal marijuana
Canada is frantically training police officers to spot drug-impaired drivers ahead of the legalisation of recreational marijuana next week | Telegraph, UK
El Chapo: Who is the Mexican drug baron and Sinaloa cartel kingpin and how was he brought to justice?
Farmer's son Joaquin Guzman rose from rural poverty to succeed Pablo Escobar as world's wealthiest narcotics trafficker, leaving behind a trail of bloodshed | Independent, UK
Alcohol labels warning of risk from drinking while pregnant 'will save lives'
Australia-New Zealand agreement to mandate labels that were previously voluntary | Guardian, UK
Alcohol Bill is finally passed by the Oireachtas
Legislation on minimum unit pricing clears all stages six years after it was first mooted | Irish Times, Ireland
Lithuania parliament votes to legalise medicinal cannabis use
Lithuania's parliament on Thursday passed a law that will allow doctors to prescribe marijuana-based medicine in the Baltic EU state | Medical Xpress, USA
Trump Administration Seeks Public Comments On Marijuana Reclassification
The federal government wants your input on whether marijuana should be reclassified under global drug treaties to which the U.S. is a party | Forbes, USA
These Two Landmark Reports Should Light a Fire Under Drug Policy Reformers
Two landmark reports about drugs and harm reduction have been released in the past few weeks: Regulation: The Responsible Control of Drugs by the Global Commission on Drug Policy, the organization of former world leaders; and No Fire, No Smoke: The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction by Harry Shapiro on behalf of Knowledge-Action-Change, a health agency associated with the Global Forum on Nicotine | Filter Magazine, USA
Juul boosts lobbying amid FDA scrutiny
E-cigarette maker Juul is ramping up its Washington lobbying operation as it tries to head off potential regulatory threats from the Trump administration and Congress | The Hill, USA
Flavoring, additive ingredients in e-cigarettes may increase inflammation and impair lung function
Flavoring and additive ingredients in e-cigarettes may increase inflammation and impair lung function, according to new research | News Medical, USA
Study identifies effective ketamine doses for treatment-resistant depression
A study led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators identifies two subanesthetic dosage levels of the anesthetic drug ketamine that appear to provide significant symptom relief to patients with treatment-resistant depression | EurekAlert, USA
Cannabis v wine in California
Dopers and topers go head to head in wine country | Economist, USA
The main high from Canada’s cannabis legalisation is financial
Street weed will not disappear soon | Economist, USA
Pregnancy warning labels mandatory for all alcohol
Alcohol will have to include a pregnancy warning label under action agreed to by the Australian and New Zealand governments | SBS news, Australia
Heroin death spike hits the ACT
Three Canberrans died from suspected heroin overdoses this week, with police calling for public assistance to crack down on the drug trade | Age, Australia
Responding to local synthetics incidents
Over 45 people in New Zealand have died in the past year from synthetic cannabinoids. Hundreds more have experienced serious side effects like psychosis and overdose. Synthetic cathinones are also being mis-sold as other common drugs leading to serious side effects and at least one death in New Zealand | NZDF, New Zealand
Blogs, comment and opinion
Generational divide in trends in abstention from alcohol; more young people abstaining than older people
Older people might have something to learn from their younger counterparts when it comes to drinking patterns, says Dr Linda Ng Fat | IAS blog, UK
What’s wrong with young people today? They don’t get drunk any more
There are plenty of theories to explain falling alcohol use among millennials. But maybe we’re missing the point | Guardian, UK
I'm 21 and I don't drink – I'm glad to hear my generation is making this the norm
I don't face judgement or peer pressure – people my age are willing to accept everyone's individuality and right to their own choices | Independent Voices, UK
Dealing with Spice - Why More Enforcement Won’t Help
Because cannabis is banned, ‘Spice’ was developed as a ‘legal high’ alternative. Repeated attempts to ban Spice have failed to stop use rising among homeless people, and in prisons. More enforcement won’t help | Transform blog, UK
Mabel Dodge Luhan’s First Peyote Trip
Today’s post comes from guest poster Dr. Chris Elcock, an adjunct professor at the Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3 in Lyon, France, whom you might remember from his previous articles on the early years of cannabis activism and LSD in New York. Today he explores the first recorded peyote trip in Manhattan, which occurred in 1914 | Points blog, UK