Drugs

Article Type: Round up From: Drugs and Alcohol Today, Volume 12, Issue 2

Addiction – a global problem with no global solution

The Lancet in 1996 introduced a six-part series on addiction with the emphasis on relevant brain mechanisms, detoxification, treatment myths and drug policy. Now in 2012, a three-part series examines addiction from a global perspective. The first in the series addresses the global burden of disease due to illicit drug use, and estimates that about 200 million people worldwide use illicit drugs each year. The second paper, examines the effectiveness of drug control initiatives, and explores evidence-based interventions to prevent drug use initiation in young people and to reduce drug use in established drug users. The third paper, discusses whether international drug conventions protect public health, or otherwise, and concludes that national policies aligned with risks of different drugs are needed. The Lancet, Volume 379, Issue 9810, page 2,7 January 2012. www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2812%2960003-8/fulltext

ReDNet NewsBites

ReDNet NewsBites is new e-mail service from The Recreational Drugs European Network (ReDNet) project providing weekly up-to-date news bites on “legal highs” from around the world, NewsBites is part of the activities of the ReDNet project. www.rednetproject.eu/

DfE and ACPO drug advice for schools

Drugs and drug-related incidents – advice for local authorities, head teachers, school staff and governing bodies from the Department for Education and the Association of Chief Police Officers, UK. www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationDetail/Page1/DFE-00001-2012

Sentencing guidelines

Following a 12-week consultation the Sentencing Council has published its new definitive guideline on drug offences, which has been issued in accordance with section 120 (4) of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009. The guideline covers the following offences; importation, supply, production, permitting premises to be used and possession. http://sentencingcouncil.judiciary.gov.uk/guidelines/forthcoming-guidelines.htm

Guidance for the use of substitute prescribing in the treatment of opioid dependence in primary care

Guidance produced by the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Substance Misuse Management Group for General Practitioners covers the use of substitute medication, which can be an important element in the treatment of opioid dependent patients and their medically assisted recovery. www.smmgp.org.uk/html/guidance.php#004

Drug enforcement in an age of austerity – key findings from a survey of police forces in England

This briefing describes the key findings from a survey conducted by the UK Drug Policy Commission, which looks at the ways in which action to tackle the problems associated with illicit drugs might be changing in the current context of decreasing expenditure and increasing localism. www.ukdpc.org.uk/current.shtml#localism

International Narcotics Control Board – 2011 Annual Report

Focuses on drug abuse and social exclusion and warns of illegal internet pharmacies targeting young audiences via social media and highlights regional drug trends. www.incb.org/incb/en/annual-report-2011.html

International Narcotics Control Board Estimated World Requirements for 2012 – Statistics for 2010

Presents the statistical information on narcotic drugs provided to the INCB by countries and territories. www.incb.org/incb/en/narcotic-drugs-technical-report_2011.html

Responding to new psychoactive substances

A briefing from EMCDDA that describes some of the practical and legal obstacles facing Member States when responding to such new substances. It underlines the importance of national early-warning systems in detecting and identifying new substances as the first step towards assessing the risks of, and ultimately controlling, potentially dangerous new drugs. www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/drugs-in-focus/responding-to-new-psychoactive-substances