|
|
DRINK & DRUGS NEWS ::
DDN News listing
This page contains details of the latest news published in Drink
& Drugs News.
05.05.08
UN issues stark warnings on Afghan opium trade
The huge scale of opium cultivation in Afghanistan is creating unmanageable
problems in the region and worldwide, according to a new series
of 'illicit drug trend' reports issued by the United Nations Office
on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The reports focus on Afghanistan, central
Asia, Pakistan and the Russian Federation and cover opium cultivation
and opiate production as well as seizures, trafficking - including
the trafficking of precursor chemicals - and health consequences.
A report focusing on Iran will follow later in the year. The reports
are designed to feed into evidence-based policy and strengthen data
collection and analysis. UNODC last year outlined its plans to tackle
the health, social and security implications of the Afghan heroin
trade with the so- called 'rainbow strategy'. This included measures
to increase the number of opium-free provinces in Afghanistan, strengthen
cross-border co-operation, reduce the smuggling of precursor chemicals
and secure central Asia's borders through increased intelligence
co-operation. Last year's opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan
was on the largest scale ever, covering 193,000 hectares. In the
past, most of the processing of opium into heroin took place in
the neighbouring countries of Iran, Turkey and Pakistan, but the
reports state that Afghanistan itself is now a major centre of heroin
production, made possible by the smuggling of chemicals such as
acetic anhydride into the country. The bumper opium harvests are
also creating large scale drug problems in the region itself, say
the reports, as twice as much opium is produced in Afghanistan as
is consumed worldwide. There are now thought to be around a million
illicit drug users in Afghanistan, while as recently as 2005 there
were fewer than 100 treatment centres in the whole country. www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/illicit-drug-trends-of-afghan-opiates.html
Drugs and alcohol identified as today's 'social evils'
Drugs and alcohol were identified as among the main 'social evils'
facing the UK today in a large scale consultation carried out by
the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF). More than 3,500 people were
surveyed for What are today's social evils? In addition to a web-based
consultation, a number of discussion groups were organised across
England and Scotland to involve potentially excluded groups such
as BME populations, young people, ex-offenders, care leavers and
people with learning difficulties. 'Although the contributions of
the unheard voices stand out because of their personal experience
of many of the social evils identified, it is striking how similar
the social problems identified by each group were,' says the report.
Among the other social evils identified were individualism, consumerism,
inequality, decline of community and decline of the family. Those
taking part identified drug and alcohol misuse as a cause of ill
health, poverty and family breakdown as well as a consequence of
family breakdown, weak communities, child abuse, poverty, unemployment
and lack of opportunities. 'The misuse of drugs and alcohol stands
out as a social evil that is both the cause and consequence of many
other problems,' says the report. Some participants also criticised
celebrity culture and the media for glamourising drugs and alcohol.
The consultation revisited the concept of social evils identified
when Joseph Rowntree first set up the foundation in 1904. Then he
identified 'poverty, war, slavery, intemperance, the opium trade,
impurity and gambling' as the 'great scourges of humanity'. www.socialevils.org.uk
Rehab delivery guidance issued
Guidance setting out the process for assuring delivery of the capital
development programme for inpatient and residential rehabilitation
drug and alcohol services has been issued by the Department of Health.
More than £54m was allocated to PCTs last April to improve
substance misuse services through a strategic bidding process. The
new document includes guidance on the reallocation of funds if a
scheme is unable to complete within 'reasonable timescales', which
will be managed by the NTA and regional forums. Capital development
programme for inpatient and residential rehabilitation substance
misuse (drug and alcohol) services 2007/08 and 2008/09 addendum
guidance has been sent to PCT and SHA chief executives, as well
as mental health trusts and regional offender managers to provide
additional guidance to the regional forums and DAATs. If another
bidding round is required, regional forums have been invited to
attract bids from providers through local partnerships that meet
previously published criteria including monitoring, consultation,
care pathways, aftercare and a strategic approach.
Schools could be judged on drug use
The extent of drug use among pupils could become one of the targets
used by Ofsted inspectors to judge a school's performance, according
to a leaked discussion document from the Department for Children,
Schools and Families. According to the ideas set out in Indicators
of schools' performance in contributing to pupil wellbeing, seen
by The Guardian newspaper, a new range of measurements of things
like drug use, teenage pregnancy and bullying could be added to
existing criteria such as exam results and numbers of excluded pupils.
The document follows from last year's Children's Plan, in which
the government set out its intentions to make child wellbeing a
priority. Speaking at the time of the launch, secretary of state
for children, schools and families Ed Balls said the government's
job was to 'intervene early to prevent children engaging in risky
behaviours like drug taking or binge drinking, disengaging from
education or getting into crime' (DDN, 14 January, page 5). Teachers'
associations have condemned the proposals as an ill-conceived extension
of 'target culture.'
Third wave of prison treatment approved
The third wave of Department of Health funding for the integrated
drug treatment system for prisons (IDTS) has been approved for treatment
in 38 more prisons, following implementation in 53 prisons in the
first and second waves. IDTS aims to provide more integrated drug
treatment, with a particular emphasis on clinical and CARATs services.
It proposes to create multidisciplinary teams, as well as improved
clinical management, better targeting of interventions to match
individual need and strengthening links with PCTs, treatment providers
and criminal justice integrated teams (CJITs). The prisons selected
for the third wave include Leeds, Whitemoor, Reading, Belmarsh,
Lincoln and Dovegate. Prisons were selected on a range of criteria
including priorities for clinical treatment in prisons not yet receiving
additional funds and prisons serving areas with a prevalence of
drug related deaths above 7 in 100,000 population. IDTS commissioning
plans will be jointly agreed with local DATs.
'50 of the best' from IHRA
The International Harm Reduction Agency (IHRA) has launched the
latest of its '50 best' document collections, this time focusing
on alcohol harm reduction. Designed as a resource for policymakers
and researchers, the free archive draws together 50 high quality
papers outlining the thinking behind - and evidence base for - different
harm reduction interventions and initiatives. It offers a 'one-stop
resource for anyone who is interested in how practical, targeted
harm reduction interventions can be applied to alcohol,' says IHRA.
Effective alcohol policies will need to engage all relevant stakeholders,
the agency maintains - 'including people who drink alcohol and the
alcohol vendors and manufacturers.' Document collection available
at www.ihra.net/Alcohol
HarmReduction. IHRA's 19th international conference takes place
in Barcelona from 11-15 May. Full reports to follow in DDN.
Swindon fly high
Alcohol Concern's first 'kitemark' has been awarded to the Swindon
Community Safety Partnership in recognition of the quality of its
alcohol strategy. The charity's Local Alcohol Strategies Kitemarking
Initiative aims to champion good practice and help local authorities
develop their strategies. Strategies are reviewed based on criteria
from the Local Alcohol Strategies Toolkit jointly developed by the
Home Office and Alcohol Concern. The kitemark initiative focuses
on health promotion, service user involvement, treatment and interventions
as well as cutting levels of alcohol-related crime. 'This new kitemarking
process is further demonstration of Alcohol Concern's commitment
to helping alcohol leads in their drive for constant improvement
at the local level,' said chief executive Don Shenker. 'The new
PSA and LAA targets demand ambitious things of the alcohol sector
and we expect that those who sign up to a kitemark review will find
it a challenging but ultimately helpful experience.'
Other News in brief...
Marketing makeover?
The Portman Group is inviting drinks companies to support an initiative
aimed at positively influencing the drinking habits of young people,
including looking at how marketing could help make drunkenness 'socially
unacceptable'. 'Companies recognise the level of public concern
surrounding harms associated with some young adults' drinking,'
said chief executive David Poley. 'There's been a growing movement
among industry over recent months to use its marketing to promote
responsible drinking, and a number of companies have developed their
own campaigns. We hope to develop an initiative aimed at young adults
that can be supported by producers, retailers and media owners.
This will demonstrate our shared commitment to making drunkenness
socially unacceptable.' www.portman-group.org.uk
30 years of support
London-based residential crisis intervention service for chaotic
drug users, City Roads, is celebrating its 30th anniversary with
a series of events including a function at the Tate Modern this
week. Those admitted to City Roads are both supported to recover
from their immediate crisis and offered long term holistic care.
Part of Cranstoun Drug Services, City Roads admits people for up
to 21 days. 'We help people to identify the motivations behind their
drug use and look at the immediate and longer term consequences
of continuing to use drugs,' said service manager Eileen Doyle.
'We support people to regain control of their lives and adopt a
realistic achievable plan for a future without drugs. Peoples' lives
have often reached gridlock when they arrive here.'
WHA focuses on alcohol
Health ministers from across the world will discuss alcohol-related
public health problems at the World Health Assembly, the WHO's supreme
decision making body, in Geneva later this month. The discussions
follow on from the 2005 resolution Public health problems caused
by harmful use of alcohol, the first WHA resolution on alcohol in
more than 20 years. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/2008/wha61/en/index.html
CATS out of the bag
Action on Addiction's new Centre for Addiction Treatment Studies
(CATS) has opened its door to students. Working in partnership with
the University of Bath, the centre was the first in the country
to offer foundation degree and B.Sc. (Hons) courses in addictions
counselling. 'Helping committed and talented people gain knowledge
and confidence so that they can go out and make a difference to
the lives of people affected by addiction - that is what I most
enjoy and value in my work and in the work of my colleagues,' said
Tim Leighton of CATS. Other speakers at the launch included Dave
Mulvaney of RAPt, Annette Dale-Perera of NTA and Professor John
Strang of the National Addiction Centre.
Wandsworth the way
Wandsworth Drug Project staff helped raise awareness of drug and
alcohol issues among local young people at a joint event by the
Wandsworth Drug Project and the Khalsa Centre Panjabi Class in Tooting,
south London. More than 700 people attended the event, the aim of
which was raise awareness of substance misuse issues and of the
services on offer to residents of the London borough of Wandsworth
for substance misuse problems. Members of the project gave a presentation
on drug and alcohol issues and distributed information as well as
setting up a stand where members of the Sikh community could go
for advice. Wandsworth Drug project is part of the Wesminster Drug
Project (WDP) service. 'This was a magnificent achievement and a
demonstration of the effectiveness of cooperation between different
organisations within the community,' said Titania May, WDP community
outreach practitioner. 'Hopefully this will be a long term relationship
working to the benefit of both WDP and The Khalsa Centre Panjabi
Class, as with many of the other relationships the community outreach
team has forged in Wandsworth.'
21.04.08
Drug 'revolution' needed
A specialist Prison and Addiction Unit (PandA) has been set up by
centre-right think tank the Centre for Policy Studies, with the
remit of challenging what it sees as the government's 'fundamentally
flawed' drug policy. Areas the unit will focus on include the integrated
drugs treatment strategy for prisons, the implications of harm reduction,
effective and ineffective treatments of addiction and what a prevention
policy could look like, as well as 'the centralisation and management
of treatment and why it is wrong' and 'the liberalisation of the
control of supply of drugs and alcohol and its damaging consequences'.
The government's new drugs strategy is 'woolly and vague', says
the unit, and harm reduction is a 'misconceived, "early retirement"
strategy to reduce crime by pasturing addicts out on prescribed
substitute drugs. The necessity of abstinence, which in other European
countries is recognised as the key step on the road to recovery,
is absent from UK treatment policy.' It also describes the NTA as
a 'monolithic treatment bureaucracy' and DATs as 'local area bureaucracies'
and 'expensive quangos'. 'I believe nothing short of a revolution
in drug abuse treatment in the UK is required,' said PandA panel
member and professor of drug misuse research at the University of
Glasgow, Professor Neil McKeganey. 'This must recognise the unparalleled
harms of illegal drug use and addiction and must focus first and
foremost on getting addicts off drugs.' The Centre for Policy Studies
website is at www.cps.org.uk
Half-term crackdown on underage drinkers
Police seized more than 44,000 pints of alcohol from underage drinkers
during a national campaign involving 39 police forces across England
and Wales, following a smaller pilot campaign last October (DDN,
28 January, page 4). More than 5,000 young people surrendered alcohol
to the police during the campaign, which ran from 18-24 February,
with a quarter of them telling the police they were 15 or under.
However, over 23,000 young people in total came into contact with
the police during the alcohol confiscations, and more than 3,500
'directions to leave' were issued. Young people in underage drinking
'hot spots' were approached by police, based on tip-offs or local
intelligence, and alcohol confiscated when it was found. Almost
70 per cent of the alcohol seized was beer and 14 per cent cider,
while spirits accounted for 5 per cent and wine and alcopops 6 per
cent each. In 70 per cent of cases it was not known, or the children
refused to say, how they had obtained the alcohol. Of the 30 per
cent that did say, however, half stated that they had bought it
from a shop themselves. Home Office minister Vernon Coaker said
there would be more campaigns, and called for more information sharing
between police and local agencies regarding repeat offenders in
order to address problems as early as possible. 'Confiscating alcohol
is just one part of our strategy to address the damage and disruption
that underage drinking causes to youngsters, their families and
the communities they live in,' he said. 'We are working across government
to combine tough enforcement of the law with effective alcohol education
for children and parents and to help young people find alternative
things to do.'
NHS 'failing dependent drinkers' says Alcohol Concern
The NHS is failing to deliver adequate treatment to dependent drinkers,
says a new report from Alcohol Concern. The government's focus on
binge drinking has meant health services have targeted resources
towards short interventions for those entering A&E departments
after 'drunken mishaps', instead of more intensive treatment for
people with chronic alcohol problems, according to The poor relation
- has the emphasis on 'localism' really improved alcohol commissioning?
The report used information made available after a Freedom of Information
request was sent to each PCT, and reveals that levels of support
and PCT investment in treatment varied enormously across the country,
with support for those wanting professional help for chronic drinking
close to unavailable in some areas. Dependent drinkers could wait
anything up to a year to gain access to structured treatment, compared
with a three week maximum for those accessing drug rehabilitation
programmes, it says. 'Helping people to stop binge drinking is important,
but we must not lose sight of the more than 1 million dependent
drinkers, many of whose lives would benefit from more intensive
help,' said Alcohol Concern's new chief executive, Don Shenker.
'The findings of this research show that people with drink problems
are being let down at the very moment they need support. The postcode
lottery of alcohol services needs to end now, or the needless costs
of alcohol related harm will just continue to spiral.' Mr Shenker
was appointed chief executive earlier this month, following three
years as the organisation's director of policy and services, and
stated that his first priority would be to engage with members to
build a solid coalition to lobby government. 'I feel extremely honoured
to have been given the opportunity to lead Alcohol Concern,' he
said. 'There has never been a better time to be knocking on government's
door to strengthen alcohol control and intervention policies. The
evidence is clearly on our side. We must continue the excellent
progress the field has achieved so far and campaign hard for increased
funding for a range of alcohol interventions and for much tighter
policy controls to reduce the rising costs of alcohol misuse.' The
poor relation - has the emphasis on 'localism' really improved alcohol
commissioning? available at www.alcoholconcern.org.uk/servlets/doc/1303
Other News in brief...
Drug role for Barclays chief
Group CEO of Barclays, John Varley, has become honorary president
of the UK Drug Policy Commission, where he will encourage business
and community involvement as well as advise on strategy. 'There
are good opportunities to improve collaboration between business,
government and the community, in particular through projects which
consider how recovering drug users can best reintegrate into society
and work,' he said.
Out of Mind
Dr Marcus Roberts, formerly head of policy at mental health charity
Mind, has become DrugScope's new director of policy, having previously
headed DrugScope's policy division between 2003 and 2006. Carlita
McKnight - previously of Voluntary Action Camden - also joins as
membership development officer. 'We are delighted that Marcus is
joining the DrugScope staff team once again,' said chief executive
Martin Barnes. 'His broad policy perspective and insight into the
intersections between drug use, mental health and criminal justice
issues will be invaluable.'
BZP crackdown
Benzylpiperazine (BZP) pills have been classified as a C1 controlled
drug in Australia and New Zealand, although there will be a six
month amnesty period for possession. Know as 'party pills' in New
Zealand, the substance mimics the effects of MDMA. In the UK, the
Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs is awaiting the results
of a Europe-wide risk assessment on the drug by the European Monitoring
Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA).
Triple LEAP
Three more patients have completed the LEAP (Lothians & Edinburgh
Abstinence Programme), bringing the total to 17 since its launch.
The intensive three-month programme, a partnership between NHS Lothian
and local DAATs, operates seven days a week and includes group work,
family therapy and one to one counselling, as well as aftercare
support and access to self help groups (see DDN,
14 January, page 6). 'The project is extremely challenging and
it is very satisfying and encouraging to see three more patients
achieve so much in such a short time,' said clinical lead Dr David
McCartney.
Proxy proactive
A new scheme to target 'proxy sales' - adults buying alcohol for
children - has been launched by the Safer Portsmouth Partnership.
Trading standards officers are working with the police to increase
undercover work and patrols, and the 'Proxy Watch' campaign will
also see the distribution of thousands of posters, leaflets and
cards, as well as a six-month cinema advert campaign warning adults
not to commit an offence. 'On operations with police we find children
as young as 12 with alcohol from proxy sales,' says head of trading
standards at Portsmouth City Council, Rob Briggs. 'This is the first
campaign of its type designed to directly tackle the issue of proxy
sales, and if it's successful we hope that other councils will take
it on.'
Alcohol accreditation
RAPt's alcohol dependency treatment programme has become the first
to be awarded full accreditation status by the Correctional Services
Accreditation Panel (CSAP). RAPt was commissioned by the National
Offender Management Service (NOMS) to develop a pilot programme
for alcohol-dependent offenders in response to a lack of treatment
opportunities for offenders whose crimes are related to alcohol
rather than drugs, and 77 per cent of participants rated their risk
of relapse as either low or very low post treatment. 'We have now
been able to show that it is possible to provide good quality interventions
for this group of offenders,' said RAPt's head of services Gail
Jones. 'The development of an alcohol-specific rehabilitation programme
is good news for men in prison who have historically been unable
to access treatment - it is also good news for their families and
victims.'
CAN do
Bedford-based community drug programme CAN has increased its capacity
by moving to bigger premises with more client rooms. Extra client
rooms mean the organisation can now offer relapse prevention, anger
and stress management, life skills, healthy living and building
self esteem groups, among others. Individual key working and counselling
and group complementary therapies will also be available.
Digging the dirt
Work has begun on a new 18 bed residential detoxification and rehabilitation
facility in Harlow, Essex - Grade II listed Passmore's House had
fallen into disrepair until Vale House Stabilisation Services put
in a successful bid to the NTA for funding to convert the building
into a 12-bed detox and six-bed residential rehab facility. 'This
is the culmination of five years' planning and development and I
am delighted to see that finally construction is underway,' said
chief executive Chris Hannaby. Also present were Vale House Stabilisation
Services chair Michael Baker QC, Labour MP for Harlow Bill Rammel
and Malcolm Bushell of Mulalley Construction. The unit should be
open by this time next year, and interested commissioners should
contact Chris Hannaby on channaby@valehouse.org
Opening up
More than 40 Imams, Muslim community leaders and local councillors
took part in an open forum in Ilford, east London, recently to discuss
the often taboo subject of drug misuse in the Muslim and Asian communities.
Hosted by the founding members of the 'Joining the Loop' partnership
- Imam Haroon Patel and Rabbi Aryeh Sufrin - the event also aimed
to raise awareness of the partnership and ensure that community
leaders were better placed to direct people to faith-sensitive treatment
services. 'There are no boundaries to those who can find themselves
struggling with addiction,' said Drugsline's executive director
Rabbi Aryeh Sufrin. 'We need everyone to reach out and spread the
message in their communities to let them know that these services
exist.' Drugsline offers support, information and counselling in
languages including Bengali, Gujarati, Urdu, Hebrew and Yiddish.
07.04.08
Three-year cash boost to improve prison treatment
Extra funding has been announced by the Ministry of Justice and
Department of Health to help improve prison drug treatment. The
new financial year will see £24m spent developing integrated
drug treatment in prisons, followed by £39m in 2009/10 and
£43m the following year. The announcement coincides with the
creation of a national prison drug treatment review group, chaired
by Lord Kamlesh Patel. A report by PricewaterhouseCoopers commissioned
last year said a more strategic and evidence-based approach to service
delivery was needed, which the review aims to address. 'This extra
money will ensure better quality and more consistent drug treatment
is provided across all prisons,' said public health minister Dawn
Primarolo. 'This offers a real chance for offenders to break free
from a cycle of drugs and crime. The PricewaterhouseCoopers review
shows how we can do more to help prisoners with drug problems and
I am delighted Lord Patel has agreed to head up a new group to drive
forward these improvements.' The extra cash has been welcomed by
Action for Prisoners Families (APF), but the organisation maintains
that problematic drug use is not something that can be tackled through
punishment, and is calling for more support for prisoners on release
to help prevent relapse and a return to crime. 'We are pleased that
the government recognises the importance of effective drug treatment
in prison in reducing re-offending and the harm caused to individuals,
their families and communities,' said APF director Lucy Gampell.
'People who are addicted to illegal substances like heroin and crack
cocaine tend to commit offences, most of which are acquisitive,
to fund their addiction. Drug abuse is destructive of social relationships
and disproportionately affects individuals and families who are
already poor and socially excluded.' Meanwhile justice secretary
Jack Straw has announced that specialist drug courts are to be extended
to up to four more magistrates courts. Two courts - in London and
Leeds - are already operative, with the aim of bolstering closer
working across agencies and treatment providers to tackle drug-related
acquisitive crime (DDN, 3 December 2007, page 5). 'Crucial to the
success of drug courts is the element of continuity,' he said. 'Offenders
become used to seeing familiar faces on the bench in court.' This
meant a lower likelihood of missed court appearances and reconviction,
he said. Offenders are also required to undergo regular drug tests.
Doctors train to identify problem drinkers
The government has promised to train 60,000 new doctors over the
next decade to identify and treat people with an alcohol problem.
Medical schools have been given £650,000 for the new financial
year to research how best to incorporate alcohol misuse training
into the curriculum. The first tranche of medical schools will then
test the changes, and every medical school in the country will have
alcohol training on its curriculum within three years, says the
Department of Health. Already qualified doctors will be offered
training via an e-learning package to be made available later in
the year, and a new web-based teaching facility will become available
to the entire NHS in the autumn. The Department of Health calculates
that for every £1 invested in specialist alcohol services
for problem drinkers, the NHS saves £1.65 and the public purse
overall £5. 'Doctors and nurses are our eyes and ears when
it comes to identifying problem drinkers,' said public health minister
Dawn Primarolo. 'It's absolutely essential that we give them the
training they need to get drinkers the help they need before they
become a burden to themselves and the NHS. There are around 10 million
people drinking at levels which are, or could be, causing serious
harm. It's those people we must get to.'
HubCAPP one stop shop for local initiatives
A new online database of local alcohol initiatives has been launched
by Alcohol Concern, with funding from the Department of Health.
The aim of the Hub of Commissioned Alcohol Projects and Policies
(HubCAPP) is to bring together extensive case histories of local
projects and provide commissioners with proof of what is effective.
Alcohol teams are invited to submit case histories covering planning,
screening, prevention, education, enforcement and brief intervention
work. The resource will allow commissioners in England to share
their experiences of planning and implementing local alcohol strategies,
and help them argue their case for alcohol initiatives. 'The new
HubCAPP website has been designed to showcase alcohol projects,
initiatives and strategies that will make it much simpler to plan
and commission new measures to reduce alcohol harms,' said Alcohol
Concern's acting chief executive Don Shenker. 'We hope that commissioners
share their current alcohol work on the site and allow others to
learn from this, speeding up the process for alcohol commissioning.
With new PSA targets to reduce alcohol harm, we hope this new portal
will support the creation of more local initiatives to improve health
and reduce crime.' www.hubcapp.org.uk
Merseyside Trust under fire from service users over use of shock
tactics
Merseyside Care NHS Trust has provoked an angry reaction from online
service user forums with a campaign that uses a 'Get Clean' slogan
and imagery to get drug users into treatment. But addictions service
manager Bob Dale has defended the Trust's use of controversial tactics
as a way of getting noticed to save lives. The campaign uses pictures
of a mocked up range of household cleaning products, including washing
powder, shower gel and washing up liquid, with the words 'get clean',
'fast track drug detox and treatment', a freephone number and the
address of a local drop-in centre. The large images have already
been posted on local bus shelters, sides of buses and phone boxes.
Members of the National User Network (NUN) say the campaign could
not have had genuine input from service users and reported that
groups in their areas were 'horrified' at the insulting and negative
labelling of drug users. An ex-drug user, Kevin Manley, called for
Mr Dale's resignation on his online blog. But Bob Dale told DDN
that his research had been thorough; that a focus group from the
Kevin White Unit, a local inpatient detox unit, had chosen the name
and theme of the campaign and suggested the advertising sites. He
had then previewed the campaign at an event with a lot of drug and
alcohol treatment services in the area, and had made a point of
gaining approval from the NTA's regional representative. According
to Mr Dale, just one person at the open meeting suggested that the
campaign might upset a few people, but in the main it had been 'positively
received and highly praised'. 'We were in the dark about how best
to reach people,' he said. 'We wanted to give them simple access
into treatment. Before, we were getting a lot of anecdotal stuff
about how long you had to wait to get into treatment. This campaign
gives one message, one number. A lot of the time it's about windows
of opportunity - you've got to grasp them'. Mr Dale added that he
welcomed suggestions for future initiatives, but had no intention
of withdrawing the 'Get Clean' campaign, as it was already attracting
a 'steady response' from new treatment clients.
Europeans growing old disgracefully?
The prevalence of illicit drug use among older adults is rising
and the forecast for the future is 'troubling', according to the
EU's drugs agency, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and
Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). More than a quarter of Europe's population
will be 65 or above by 2028, and the proportion of patients over
40 receiving treatment for opiate problems more than doubled (to
17.6 per cent) in the three years to 2005, according to Substance
misuse among older adults: a neglected problem. Estimates from the
US, it says, suggest that the number of those over 50 needing drug
treatment could rise by up to 300 per cent by 2020. Older adults
are at risk of substance misuse because of a range of factors including
psychological problems, painful medical conditions and financial
worries, it says. The number of older people in Europe needing treatment
for substance misuse will more than double between 2001 and 2020,
it estimates, and says problem use of prescribed drugs like opiate-based
painkillers and benzodiazepines often goes undetected. The EMCDDA
is calling for improved screening procedures to detect substance
misuse in older people, particularly around the misuse of medication.
'The increasing number of older adults with substance misuse problems
will place new and greater demands on treatment services,' said
EMCDDA director Wolfgang Götz. 'Programmes that are accustomed
to dealing mainly with young populations will need to adapt to meet
the needs of this older group.' Available at www.emcdda.europa.eu/html.cfm/index439EN.htm
Care will be central to Scottish drug policy
Scotland's imminent new national drugs strategy will focus on helping
people into recovery, the Scottish government has said. A Scottish
Advisory Committee on Drugs Misuse (SACDM) sub-group found a need
for 'a major change in the philosophy of care for people with problem
substance use in Scotland' in its recent report, Essential care.
'We have a real opportunity to put a strategy in place that commands
widespread professional, political and public support,' said community
safety minister Fergus Ewing. 'We will publish a new drugs strategy
for Scotland before summer and its main focus will be recovery.
It is essential that people experiencing drug problems have access
to a range of wider services including employment, housing and health
that help them to move on and rebuild their lives.' The strategy
would include input from service users, he promised. The Scottish
Drugs Forum has pointed out that any proposals to link treatment
to benefits as set out in the English drug strategy (DDN, 10 March
2008, page 5) would have to be 'negotiated' with the Scottish government,
as 'devolved administrations have the powers to address the problems
of drug misuse as they see fit.' Meanwhile, the Scottish government
has announced that funding for alcohol screening, prevention and
treatment will more than double this year. Scottish NHS boards will
share £25m, part of an £85m package to tackle alcohol
misuse over the next three years. 'Far too many Scots are drinking
above the recommended amounts on a regular basis - often without
realising that they are doing so and without understanding the impact
it is having on their health,' said public health minister Shona
Robinson.
Other News in brief...
Wired in to recovery
'Wired In' is the new identity of the Wired initiative, led by our
Background Briefings contributor, Professor David Clark. 'Our new
logo emphasises recovery, because the concept is so poorly understood
in the UK and needs to be put centre stage if we are to help people
effectively tackle substance use problems,' said Prof Clark, who
has also begun a blog, 'the prof speaks out' at http://davidclarkwired.blogspot.com.
Wired In has just announced ten new lead sponsors for its popular
news portal Daily Dose - essential progress to its ongoing sponsorship
campaign. www.dailydose.net
New look for EATA online
The European Association for the Treatment of Addiction (EATA) has
revamped its website to make it more fresh and user-friendly. 'We
wanted a cleaner and more modern design, and to ensure it was easier
to use - both for our members and visitors to the site, said EATA
chief executive Sharon Carson. 'Now we are planning to regularly
inform our members about the services our website can offer them,
such as the forums where members can share knowledge and build links
with each other.' Visit the new site at www.eata.org.uk
CHAMPing at the bit
There is still time to enter the 2008 Mentor UK CHAMP (Promoting
Children's Health through Alcohol Misuse Prevention) awards. The
awards, worth £20,000 each, recognise initiatives that help
prevent children and young people from misusing alcohol and are
awarded in separate categories for schools, communities and projects
led by young people themselves. This year's applications include
classroom-based projects, sports schemes and websites created by
young people. If you think your project would be a deserving winner
visit www.mentorfoundation.org
/uk/awards by 20 April.
Call for minimum drink pricing
Addaction has called for a minimum price setting for alcohol, following
last month's alcohol tax increase in the chancellor's budget. 'An
increase in alcohol duty across the board is to be welcomed because
the young people we work with drink the cheapest booze they can
buy - not pricey alcopops,' said director of operations Richard
McKendrick. 'However this must be combined with legislation that
will see minimum prices fixed to avoid supermarkets absorbing the
costs before they are passed on to the consumer.'
Alcohol Awareness week
Local initiatives will mark alcohol awareness week from 7-14 April,
many with support from Alcohol Concern's support pack, which helps
to encourage safer drinking. In the run-up to the week, London-based
charity the United Kingdom Alliance has challenged the government
and churches to highlight the advantages of healthy and safe alcohol-free
lifestyles. 'There is a major omission in the government's alcohol
strategy as it does not include campaigning to highlight the benefits
of alcohol-free lifestyles', said the charity, which campaigns for
the Christian Church to play a greater role in reducing alcohol
problems by 'demonstrating that a life can be enjoyed without booze'.
Views on education needed
The Drug Education Forum needs your views to help improve drug education
in England. Information gathered through the forum's questionnaires
will be passed on to the government's review secretariat and used
to inform future education policy. The online questionnaire takes
5-10 minutes and closes on 18 April. Visit www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=gC2Ap2_2br
3kCdbIN1AdHIfw_3d_3d
Evening help
Drugsline has extended its support and counselling services, and
now offer an evening care session for those requiring therapeutic
support. The Thursday evening sessions were made possible by a fundraising
event organised by Drugsline volunteers last year. For more information
call 020 8554 3220.
Brighton boost
A new Brighton-based service to help people with substance misuse
and stress issues has been launched by the Crawford Lorenz Partnership
(CLP). The service will provide three hour therapeutic modules including
counselling, shiatsu and ear-acupuncture at times that can accommodate
clients' work commitments. www.crawfordlorenz.co.uk
Clinical governance consultation
The NTA has published its draft guidance on clinical governance
in drug treatment for consultation, including how it can help services
and commissioners. The consultation is available at www.nta.nhs.uk/
areas/clinical_governance/default.aspx Consultation closes on
14 May.
10.03.08
'Support' and 'responsibility' the twin focus of new ten-year
strategy
The government's new ten-year drug strategy offers support to substance
misusers in return for responsibility on their part, according to
prime minister Gordon Brown. Among the key policies of Drugs: protecting
families and communities are using the benefit system to 'reintegrate
people into society' and examine how claimants can be 'incentivised'
to engage with treatment services, making sure arrangements are
in place to refer people from job centres to advocacy, treatment
and housing advice, prioritising parents' access to treatment where
children are thought to be at risk and more support for grandparents
bringing up the children of substance misusers. 'It is based on
the principle that with rights to state support comes responsibility
- responsibility not just to look for work, not only to get the
skills necessary to get into work, but now to rid yourself of drug
addiction,' said the prime minister. 'And in return there will be
targeted support to help you help yourself.' In terms of criminal
justice, powers to seize the assets of drug dealers are to be extended,
prison treatment improved, use of community sentences with a drug
rehabilitation requirement increased and efforts made to target
drug-misusing offenders causing the most crime. Improved public
information campaigns and community engagement are also promised.
NTA chief executive Paul Hayes said the strategy demonstrated that
'treatment is at the heart of the government's approach to protecting
families and communities from the damaging effects of drug misuse'.
The threat of benefit cuts, however, has been criticised by the
field as ill-thought out and 'headline grabbing'. Addaction said
it was difficult to see how it would work, while Turning Point warned
of 'unforeseen consequences' on health and crime. 'We would want
to see clear evidence from pilot programmes that such a policy would
keep people in treatment and would not lead to problems becoming
more intractable,' said spokesperson Harry Walker, while DrugScope
said such announcements did nothing to tackle the problem of stigma.
Transform branded the strategy 'a miserable regurgitation of past
mistakes', and agencies also called for improvements in funding,
joined-up working and closer integration with efforts to tackle
alcohol-related harm. The new drug strategy is online at http://drugs.homeoffice.gov.uk/drug-strategy
True cost of drugs more than £100bn, says Addaction
The cost of substance misuse-related crime over the ten-year period
of the government's previous drug strategy (1998-2008) was £100bn,
and the total health costs £10bn, according to a briefing
compiled by charity Addaction to coincide with the launch of the
new strategy. The information in Financial costs of addiction is
culled from official figures on primary, A&E and community care,
criminal justice procedural and prison costs, acquisitive crime
costs and state benefits among others and is, says Addaction, 'probably
at the low end' of the true figures. While there have been high
levels of investment in drug treatment, much of this is wasted because
of the lack of employment, training and housing opportunities for
those completing it, it says. Estimating the number of problem drug
users in the UK at 327,000, the briefing works out the cost of drug-related
crime and medical treatment at around £44,000 per problem
class A user. 'If just 100,000 problem drug misusers were able to
break free from drug use and get back into the labour force this
would generate £750m a year in additional taxes to the economy,'
it says. 'We estimate that for every £1 spent on treatment
£36 is spent on paying for the consequences of not treating
problem drug users.' 'Many of the millions spent by the government
on dealing with the consequences of the illegal drugs trade could
be recovered if drug users were given a better route out of a life
dependent on drugs,' said chief executive Deborah Cameron. 'We have
to ensure drug users get help but also a roof over their head and
the chance of a job or training.' Available here.
'21 minute' drinking culture
The average opening hours of licensed premises since the advent
of the '24 hour drinking culture' have increased by just 21 minutes,
according the government's first review of the impact of the 2003
Licensing Act. The overall volume of crime and disorder has remained
stable and there has been no increase in alcohol consumption, according
to the Department for Culture Media and Sport. There are now 470
premises with a 24-hour licence but the review states that 'there
is no evidence that more than a handful operate on that basis'.
Alcohol-related violence has, however, increased in the hours between
3am and 6am and some communities have seen increases in disorder,
it acknowledges. The introduction of the Act had not led to the
widespread problems that some had feared, said secretary of state
for culture media and sport Andy Burnham, in a written ministerial
statement. 'Our main conclusion is that people are using the freedoms
but are not sufficiently using the considerable powers granted by
the Act to tackle problems, and that there is a need to rebalance
action towards enforcement and crack down on irresponsible behaviour.'
There would be more instant closures of problem premises, and the
offence of 'persistently selling alcohol to a person under 18' would
be changed from 'three strikes' to two in three months, he said.
There would also be a 'yellow card and red card' system - the first
putting the premises on immediate probation with sanctions, and
the second withdrawing the licence. Legislation to increase the
fine for not obeying an instruction to stop drinking in a designated
public place to £2,500 would also be brought forward, he said.
Alcohol Concern responded by saying they wanted to see the Act amended
so that licensing decisions are more informed by public health information
like A&E and treatment data, allowing additional licences or
extensions to be refused if alcohol-related harm was a concern.
It also calls for measures to raise awareness of reviews and complaints
procedures among residents. 'Alcohol Concern does not disagree with
the extension of licensing hours per se, but we do have outstanding
reservations about the lack of community safeguards and serious
misgivings about the extent to which public health is being ignored
as a licensing concern,' said director of policy and services, Don
Shenker. 'Our review finds a policy dangerously tilted towards the
needs of the drinks industry.' Review available here.
Alcohol concern's analysis of the Act, Licensing 2003: a lopsided
policy available at www.alcoholconcern.org.uk
Improve access to treatment and seize dealers' assets, says
INCB
Governments of member states have been urged to widen access to
drug treatment by the UN's International Narcotics Control Board's
(INCB) annual report. They are also 'strongly' urged to implement
legislation allowing for drug traffickers' assets to be seized and
look at options of mandatory treatment as an alternative to imprisonment.
The report calls on governments to apply the law proportionately
when prosecuting people for drug-related offences, criticising countries
that expend 'disproportionate effort in targeting low level offenders
and drug users' as opposed to large scale traffickers. But at the
same time as stressing the need for alternatives to prison and improving
access to treatment, it warns against being lenient with high profile
celebrity drug users. 'Celebrity "endorsement" of drug-related
lifestyles is particularly relevant when it comes to the issue of
deterring drug use among youth, who are often most vulnerable to
the cult of celebrity and its attendant glamour,' it says. 'Young
people are quick to pick up on and react to perceived leniency in
dealing with such offenders. This raises questions about the fairness
of the justice system and could undermine wider social efforts at
reducing the demand for drugs.' The report also offers a regional
breakdown across member state areas. West Africa is 'rapidly developing
into a major smuggling route for cocaine from Latin America through
and into Europe' it says, something that countries there are largely
powerless to tackle. It also calls on Afghanistan to do more to
address its growing heroin production, and for other governments
in Asia to strengthen controls on the smuggling of acetic anhydride,
the main chemical used to manufacture heroin. This is readily available
in Afghanistan, which has 'no legitimate need' for it, it says.
'In looking at the world's drug problem, two areas are of particular
concern,' said INCB president Dr Philip Emafo. 'First, criminal
organisations are taking advantage of loopholes in the control systems
in Africa and west Asia for chemicals used in illicit drug manufacture
and are in the process of establishing trafficking hubs for chemicals
in those regions. Also of concern is the establishment of trafficking
routes for cocaine between countries in South America and Africa.
Countries affected by these developments should introduce appropriate
measures to prevent their territories from being exploited as centres
for criminal activity, possibly with the assistance of richer countries
in a spirit of shared responsibility,' he said. Any suggestions
that the world's drug problems would be resolved by legalisation
'ignore historical facts', he added. The INCB is made up of elected
members and is independent of governments and of the UN, however
it was recently criticised in a report by the International Harm
Reduction Agency (IHRA) for being secretive and failing to modernise
its processes (DDN, 25 February, page 4). Report: www.incb.org/incb/en/annual_report.html
Focus on diversity and Tier 4 services
Diversity and Tier 4 service provision are the focus of the National
Treatment Agency's (NTA) 2007/08 service review, the NTA and Healthcare
Commission have announced. The aim of the review is to deliver independent
assessments of the quality of services in each DAT - or equivalent
- area, and improve them where necessary. Previous reviews have
focused on commissioning systems, harm reduction, community prescribing
and care planning. Among the review's specific aims are to determine
whether commissioning partnerships carry out effective needs assessments
and treatment planning which responds to the needs of diverse populations,
and whether access to Tier 4 services - inpatient detoxification
and rehabilitation interventions - is 'prompt and flexible.' Details
here.
Community cash boost for Welsh strategy
An extra £9.35m for community safety partnerships has been
promised as part of the Welsh Assembly Government's next substance
misuse strategy. The increase in funding aims to cut waiting lists
and improve children and young people's services. The strategy,
Working together to reduce harm, will address both drugs and alcohol.
'Community safety partnerships are in the best position to deliver
local solutions and services to tackle substance misuse in their
areas,' said minister for social justice and local government, Dr
Brian Gibbons. 'The extra funding will mean that the partnerships
will be able to focus on delivering the key priorities in the new
substance misuse strategy which is out for consultation at the moment.'
Consultation closes on 13 May. Available online at www.wales.gov.uk/substancemisuse
Other News in Brief...
Needle exchange news
The National Needle Exchange Forum (NNEF) holds its annual meeting
on Friday 4 April at the Enterprise Conference Centre in Derby.
The event is free for all NNEF members and a packed agenda will
include presentations on latest harm reduction interventions and
regional updates from across the country. The NTA will reveal new
initiatives on needle exchange, and invite discussion. For more
information on NNEF and the meeting, contact Ruth Goldsmith at DrugScope
at 020 7940 7517 or email ruthg@drugscope.org.uk
Probation packs
A new alcohol information pack to help identify offenders on probation
with alcohol-related needs, deliver brief interventions and offer
support and referrals has been launched by the National Offender
Management Service (NOMS). The Alcohol information pack for offenders
under probation supervision, developed by NOMS' substance abuse
unit in partnership with Alcohol Concern, includes sections on specific
offender groups, routes into treatment and an alcohol screening
tool. Available at http://noms.justice.gov.uk
Young booze busters
A new interactive online campaign to raise awareness of the dangers
of alcohol misuse among young people has been launched by the Greater
Easterhouse Alcohol Awareness Project (GEAAP). By completing online
alcohol-related quizzes on the Young Booze Busters website, 9-17-year-olds
can unlock games, compete against each other and enter a prize draw
to win an iPod every month. 'Our intention with this site is to
enable young people across the country to access clear, factual
information about alcohol in a fun interactive way,' said GEAAP
project manager Stewart McKay. www.youngboozebusters.co.uk
Cracks in the system
The 'largest police offensive against drug dealers ever seen in
London' in 2000 and 2001 had no major impact on the availability
of crack, according an article from issue 7 of Drug and Alcohol
Findings magazine, now available online for the first time at http://findings.org.uk/issues
Results.php5?issueChoice=issue+7. Despite more than 1,600 arrests,
there was also no indication that Operation Crackdown had any effect
on robberies and burglaries in the areas targeted. To access a wealth
of archived features visit: http://findings.org.uk/index.php
Last orders
More and more people in their 60s, 70s and 80s are accessing alcohol
detox and ongoing treatment, according to The Linwood Group chain
of treatment centres. It can be hard to spot of symptoms of dependent
drinking in older people as they can be mistaken for general symptoms
of aging, according to Linwood's director Sue Allchurch, who cites
fragmented families and difficulties adjusting to retirement as
primary causes for older people drinking more. 'Combine boredom,
loneliness and the worry of getting older and you have the perfect
formula for someone to turn to drink,' she says.
25.02.08
New clinical guidelines coming on drugs and alcohol
Drugs and alcohol are among the subject areas the National Institute
of Clinical Excellence (NICE) has been asked to produce new guidance
on by the Department of Health, as part of its 15th work programme.
The work programme will include two combined public health and clinical
guidance topics on alcohol use disorders, covering prevention, early
identification and management in adults and adolescents. The institute
has also been asked to produce public health guidance on interventions
to improve the effectiveness of needle exchanges in preventing the
spread of blood-borne viruses and 'encourage the optimal provision
of needle exchange schemes amongst injecting drug misusers'. 'We
have asked NICE to develop joint public health and clinical guidance
on alcohol use disorders that will not only cover prevention and
early identification but also initial management,' said public health
minister Dawn Primarolo. 'This work programme shows the government's
continued commitment to ensuring that NICE tackles a wide range
of issues that are important to the NHS and important to patients
and their carers.' The NTA has just announced that it is preparing
guidance on clinical governance in drug treatment, for publication
this summer. A consultation document is on the NTA's website to
help partnerships build clinical governance into their treatment
plans and invites providers, commissioners and others to comment
on areas of practice. NTA director of quality Annette Dale Perera
said: This consultation is an opportunity for people providing and
commissioning treatment to influence the shape of the final guidance.'
Available at www.nta.nhs.uk/areas/clinical_guidance/clinical_governance/default.aspx
IHRA: Narcotics Control Board must change
The UN's International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) must change
its working practices and approach if it is to remain relevant,
says a new report from the International Harm Reduction Agency (IHRA).
Action at many UN levels may be necessary to achieve this, according
to Unique in international relations? A comparison of the International
Narcotics Control Board and the UN human rights treaty bodies. The
board serves as an independent body to monitor individual states'
implementation of their obligations under international drug conventions;
however it has been criticised for being one of the most secretive
bodies in the UN. NGOs and other organisations have no opportunity
to observe or make submissions, says IHRA. The INCB claims unique
status in international relations, says the report, which it uses
to justify its closed meetings. 'The INCB has failed to modernise
its processes and retains working practices from defunct monitoring
bodies,' it says. 'The INCB's 'uniqueness' stems not from its mandate,
its activities or its legal status, but instead from the working
methods the board has adopted, methods that are out of step with
those of similarly constituted UN bodies which have chosen to operate
via open and inclusive processes.' The board's secrecy is 'becoming
an increasing worry for the international community,' says IHRA,
which wants to see it adopt a more open policy and monitoring system,
and 'develop a dialogue with civil society'. An earlier IHRA report
on drugs and the death penalty found that the UN's position as both
upholder of human rights and enforcer of international drugs control
policy was an awkward one. 'Promoting human rights is one of the
purposes of the UN according to its charter - drug control is not,'
said IHRA senior policy officer Rick Lines. 'There is no parity
between the two agendas.' (DDN, 11 February, page 7) Report available
at www.ihra.net/uploads/downloads/NewsItems/Barrett-UniqueinInternationalRelations.pdf
Great debate asks abstinence above all?
The question of whether abstinence - from both illegal drugs and
substitute medications - should be seen as the 'gold standard' treatment
goal, or whether this threatens the gains brought about through
harm reduction is at the centre of a series of events organised
by a coalition of substance misuse organisations including DrugScope
and the Conference Consortium. The three half-day events in April,
nicknamed the 'great debate', are designed to give those in the
field the opportunity to discuss the issues sparked by the BBC's
challenging of the NTA over the abstinence record of English treatment
services (DDN, 22 October 2007, page 4) and similar controversies
in Scotland. The issues were examined depth in 'The New Abstentionists',
Mike Ashton's supplement in the latest Druglink magazine (available
online here)
'Many believe it's best if people can manage without drugs,' said
Paddy Costall of Conference Consortium, 'but there is also the risk
of losing the harm reduction gains which have made us the envy of
other countries.' Harry Shapiro of DrugScope said the organisations
had 'taken this unprecedented initiative because we think the debate
is a critical one. We want to make sure it is based on the best
evidence and thinking we can find.' Events are being held in Edinburgh
on 3 April, Manchester on 10 April and London on 16 April. To register
visit http: www.conferenceconsortium.org
'New Thai war on drugs will kill thousands'
Thailand's 'war on drugs', which was reinstated this month, will
lead to 'thousands of inappropriate arrests, deaths and the disruption
of HIV prevention and other services,' according to the Thai Aids
Treatment Action Group (TTAG). The TTAG is urging people to lobby
the Thai prime minister to prevent human rights violations and protect
health and harm reduction services. Those responsible for 'past
human rights violations in the name of drug control' have never
been held accountable, says TTAG, and no measures have been put
in place to ensure professionalism and accountability in drug control
efforts. According to Human Rights Watch, almost 3,000 people were
killed in a single three-month period during the government's 2003
war on drugs, of whom 'more than half had no relation to drug dealing
or had no apparent reason for their deaths'. Local officials often
use 'blacklists' of drug suspects to settle scores with enemies,
says TTAG, which is calling for a public consultation on the government's
approach. It wants to see prime minister Samak Sundarajev commit
to human rights standards and work with civil society organisations
to promote a humane approach including a national harm reduction
policy. Rather than being subjected to indiscriminate suppression,
people who use drugs must be supported to be actively and meaningfully
involved in leading harm reduction work in Thailand says the organisation.
Efforts to force tens of thousands into prison or drug treatment
are ineffective and immoral.' Fax His Excellency Samak Sundaravej,
prime minister of the Kingdom of Thailand on +66 2 282 5131.
Crystal meth 'crisis' exaggerated says DrugScope
The UK is not on the verge of a crisis in methamphetamine - or 'crystal
meth'- use despite media reports to the contrary, according to DrugScope.
The charity was responding to media reports that the situation in
the UK now mirrors that of countries like Australia and New Zealand
and at the end of the 1990s, which saw a sharp increase in rates
of use. The drug's reclassification as a Class A drug last year
was to enable the police to target resources to the potential threat
posed by crystal meth, not because it was already a significant
problem, DrugScope says. 'Crystal meth is a destructive substance
that we do not want to see take hold in the UK,' said chief executive
Martin Barnes. We have seen the damage it can cause in other countries
such as Australia, New Zealand and the USA. So far, the preemptive,
precautionary strategy from the law enforcement agencies appears
to have been working. All the indications are that crystal meth
is still not presenting major problems to treatment or enforcement
agencies.' The dramatic rise in use in Australia was caused by a
number of factors including proximity to the drug's major manufacturing
regions in the Far East, and a 'heroin drought' that saw many users
switch to crystal meth, he said. 'Unlike Australia back then, the
UK already has a well established market for a whole range of stimulant
drugs. Those dealing in crystal meth might find it difficult to
establish a market - the drug is potent and some users of other
stimulants may find the strength too much to handle.' However, it
was important not to become complacent, he added, and the experience
of other countries had shown the value of having strict controls
on the chemicals used in the drug's manufacture.
Welsh focus on alcohol
Tackling alcohol-related harm will be the focus of the new Welsh
substance misuse strategy, the consultation period on which is now
open, the Welsh Assembly Government has said. The consultation sets
out the key areas of Working together to reduce harm - the substance
misuse strategy for Wales 2008-2018 - prevention, supporting substance
misusers and their families, tackling availability and protecting
individuals and communities. The strategy will focus on targeted,
evidence-based education and there will be increased investment
in youth, outreach and harm reduction services, the government says.
Access to in-patient services will also be improved, and the government
says it will press for a reduction in the drink-drive limit, increased
alcohol taxation and tougher rules on alcohol promotion. 'Reducing
substance misuse, and excess alcohol consumption in particular,
should be seen as a priority for Wales,' said chief medical officer
for Wales Dr Tony Jewell. 'There is growing evidence that young
people in Wales are starting to drink at an early age and regularly
binge drink, with the consequent risk of injury, road traffic crashes,
unsafe sex and anti-social behaviour.' The consultation closes on
13 May. Documents are available at www.wales.gov.uk/Substancemisuse
Call for ban on cannabis products
A ban on the advertising of all tobacco related products including
those used for smoking cannabis, such as king-size rolling papers,
has been called for by mental health charity Rethink. It is not
acceptable for these products to be exempt from the ban on tobacco
advertising, says the charity, and a ban could reduce the number
of people smoking cannabis and 'experiencing mental health problems
as a result'. 'Research has shown that more people think king-size
rolling papers are used for cannabis than for tobacco,' said Rethink's
head of campaigns Jane Harris. 'More restrictive advertising guidelines
would help to protect young people who are most at risk of developing
mental illness as a result of cannabis use. It is time the government
recognised the influence of advertising and made a decision on health
grounds to widen the current tobacco advertising restrictions.'
Other News in Brief...
Life skills
A new health education programme for 9-11 year olds which covers
issues around drugs, alcohol and tobacco, as well as bullying and
peer pressure, has been launched in schools in Tower Hamlets by
Life Education, the UK's largest children's health charity. The
programme, funded by a grant from the Lehman Brothers Foundation
Europe (LBFE), will be specifically designed to meet the diverse
needs of children in the east London borough. 'We intend to use
the learning from this programme to help us create a model which
can be adapted to other inner cities and where children are likely
to be at greater risk,' said Life Education national director Stephen
Burgess.
Get involved
The focus of this year's Alcohol Awareness Week, 7-14 April, organised
by Alcohol Concern, will be the case for greater investment in the
alcohol treatment sector to help services cope with increasing numbers
of referrals. Anyone who would like to take a leading role in their
area by hosting a public meeting to discuss alcohol-related issues,
organising an information stand on the high street, and getting
their local MP on board to raise awareness, should contact Frank
Soodeen on franks@alcoholconcern.org.uk
Packaging police
A random audit of the packaging of more than 500 wine, beer and
spirit drinks on sale across the UK has been organised by alcohol
industry body The Portman Group. Any organisation whose products
are considered to be in breach of the group's code of practice will
be given six months to change the marketing or be investigated with
a view to removing the drinks from sale. 'The industry is responding
to public concern about alcohol misuse by making sure that its house
is in order,' said chief executive David Poley. 'No other European
regulator has instigated such a stringent audit of standards. We
are determined to ensure that drinks producer activity remains beyond
reproach.'
Mike clinches it
Reader Charles Howard updates us on our quest to find the oldest
drug worker in the country (DDN, 11 February, page 5). He writes:
'My Dad, Mike Howard, who is 73 next week, is still involved in
SMART (Oxford) and up until last year was the chairman, at age 72.'
Homeless gaps
The majority of clients dealt with by homelessness agencies have
multiple problems around alcohol, drug misuse, mental health, benefits
and debt, according to a new report from Homeless Link and Resource
Information Service, the first 'baseline demographic' on the state
of the homelessness sector. Support for education, training and
employment is far less commonly available than other types of support,
according to Survey of needs and provision. Available at www.homelesslink.org
In a senti-mental mood
The fact that addiction can affect anyone from any background is
the theme of Senti-mental, a new play by ex-prisoner and ex-substance
misuser Dean Stalham. It tells the story of a couple from vastly
different backgrounds, but both in the grip of heroin addiction.
Mr Stalham won a Koestler award for his previous work while still
in prison. Senti-mental, directed by Andy McEwan, is on at the Union
Theatre in London until 1 March. Visit www.uniontheatre.org
for ticket information.
Seven up
Seven new alcohol clinics offering free support and advice have
been opened in west Kent by the Kenward Trust, following the success
of pilot projects in Sevenoaks. The clinics, funded by the Choosing
Health project, offer up to six confidential sessions. Details online
at www.kenwardtrust.org.uk
Inspirational funding
Up to £10m a year over the next seven to ten years will be
invested in projects aimed at improving the lives of young people
through the first Inspiring Scotland fund, launched last month.
The scheme will combine resources from private, public and voluntary
sectors, with the Scottish Government investing more than £9m
over the next three years. 'By providing charities with crucial
funding, Inspiring Scotland will enable more projects to be established
that will give young people the help and support, at the right time,
to get their lives back on track,' said cabinet secretary for education
and lifelong learning, Fiona Hyslop MSP. For more information visit
www.inspiringscotland.org.uk
11.02.08
Young cannabis users 'insulated' from drug markets
The overwhelming majority of young people who use cannabis buy the
drug from friends and members of their social network rather than
unknown dealers or 'overtly criminal drug markets', according to
a new report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Although more than
2.5m young people in England and Wales aged between 16-24 have used
cannabis, very little research has been carried out into how the
criminal justice and education systems deal with young people caught
supplying or helping others access the drug without profit to themselves,
according to Cannabis supply and young people. Just 6 per cent of
the 182 young cannabis users interviewed for the study had bought
the drug from an unknown seller, so most were 'insulated or distanced
from overtly criminal drug markets,' it says. Nearly all, however,
said the drug was easy to get hold of, with more than three quarters
claiming they could acquire it in less than an hour. Most of those
interviewed pooled their money to buy the drug with friends, while
45 per cent said they had been involved in transactions but did
not see themselves as dealers, although they were aware that they
could be arrested if caught selling. 'While the public stereotype
of the drug dealer may be of an adult stranger "pushing"
drugs to young people, in the case of cannabis this is very rarely
the case,' said director of the Institute of Criminal Policy Research,
Professor Mike Hough. 'Most young people get their cannabis from
other young people - often without a profit being made.' Available
here.
Smith sanctions police to get tough on underage drinking
Extra powers for police to confiscate alcohol from under-18s drinking
in public have been announced by home secretary Jacqui Smith, and
a new £875,000 campaign to confiscate drink from those underage
will begin this week. An independent review of how well industry
standards on responsible sales are being met was also announced,
along with a pledge to 'continue to punish those few irresponsible
retailers that flout the law by persistently selling to children'.
There would be wider use of 'parent contracts' in instances where
poor parenting had been identified as an issue in confiscations,
she said, along with a new public information campaign on binge
drinking and safe drinking levels to launch in the summer. More
than 3,700 litres of alcohol were seized from young people under
18 during a month long police crackdown last autumn (DDN,
28 January, page 4). 'Government must lead the way and I am
determined to use all the powers at my disposal to bring about change,'
she said. 'But in order to do this we also need the support of industry,
enforcement authorities and communities - we all need to meet our
responsibilities to make a difference.' Alcohol Concern chief executive,
Srabani Sen, said that while her organisation applauded those drinks
retailers and producers that were actively working to reduce alcohol-related
harm, too many companies were still putting profits first. 'We hope
that the Home Office review will pave the way for a genuinely constructive
dialogue between government, the industry and alcohol experts about
the contribution of the drinks industry to reducing alcohol harm,'
she said.
Target regeneration funds at drugs problem, says SDF
A significant proportion of Scotland's billion pound regeneration
budget should be used to directly tackle the social and health inequalities
underlying the country's drugs problem, the Scottish Drugs Forum
has said in its submission to the 2008 Scottish drugs strategy consultation.
The SDF wants to see innovative regeneration schemes developed to
create meaningful employment opportunities and undermine local drug
economies, as well as new investment to ensure high quality drug
services that are not 'doomed to inadequacy because of lack of resources'.
It has also called for the creation of at least 750 support worker
posts to help people with employment, housing, family and treatment
issues 'which frequently conspire to undermine their resolve - and
ability - to overcome problematic substance use.' Only an intensive
and individually tailored action plan - rather than 'conventional
mass media and drug education campaigns' - stand any chance of having
an influence on the young people in deprived communities who are
the ones most likely to develop serious drugs misuse issues, it
says. The SDF also calls for the effective integration of existing
drug services with mainstream services to make sure that housing,
employment and outreach services can respond to individual needs.
'The vast majority of Scotland's high levels of damaging drug use
has its roots in, and is perpetuated by, poverty and inequalities
such as income, housing, amenities, jobs and health which can span
several generations of a single family,' says the submission. 'Tackling
the deep-rooted social ills associated with these inter-related
issues will, therefore, require very substantial and widespread
will among Scotland's civil society. This must be underpinned by
wide-ranging, well-resourced and widely targeted support across
a large spectrum.' Submission available here.
EATA launches online CRB service
A new tool allowing people to fill in their Criminal Records Bureau
(CRB) applications online has been launched by the European Association
for the Treatment of Addiction (EATA). The CRB provides a central
service for carrying out police and identity checks, and all organisations
whose employees or representatives may come into contact with children
or vulnerable adults are now required to comply with its disclosure
process. As well as providing access to the online application,
the service answers common questions about the disclosure process
and includes information on why disclosures are required, who will
receive them and how to challenge the information if it is incorrect.
The disclosure service was set up by EATA in conjunction with Atlantic
Data Ltd, and there is a discounted administration charge for EATA
members. 'The new online CRB checking service will provide EATA
members with a faster, cheaper and more effective service,' says
Ghada Osman of EATA. 'It is expected to provide a faster turnaround
time due to fewer application errors occurring online. EATA has
systems in place to track your CRB application.' The service is
at www.eata.org.uk
Drug and alcohol courts up and running
A groundbreaking drug and alcohol court has heard its first case
in the UK. Based on the American model, the courts aim to provide
support to families affected by substance misuse problems, so that
children in care can return home. The idea is being piloted by three
London councils - Camden, Islington and Westminster - who realised
that two thirds of their care proceedings stemmed from parental
drug and alcohol problems. Family court judge Nick Crichton has
been working with drug, alcohol and social workers from across the
boroughs, specialist lawyers, the Children and Family Court Advisory
and Support Service and representatives from Brunel University to
drive the initiative forward, with the aim of avoiding lengthy and
expensive court proceedings. Piloting the scheme for three years
will cost £1.6 million, for which external funding is being
sought. The DfES has committed £450,000 for research and evaluation
and there is some funding from the three councils, which expect
a reduction in expensive placements for children with complex needs,
as well savings in costs caused by street crime. Cllr Sarah Richardson
of Westminster City Council said the courts would avert crises from
many court cases involving drink and drug abuse being brought too
late.
Rethink: 'stop wasting time on cannabis...'
The government has been urged by mental health charity Rethink to
'stop wasting time and money' debating cannabis classification and
focus instead on educating the public about its associated mental
health risks . Its report, Educating reefer found that the classification
of the drug made no difference to its levels of use and that only
three per cent of people would stop using it because it is illegal.
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs is reviewing the drug's
classification because of concerns about links with mental ill health.
Rethink, however, wants to see the drug remain class C but for products
associated with it, such as 'king size' rolling papers, to carry
warnings about mental health effects. 'Given that the classification
of cannabis has little impact on how much it is used, we would urge
the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to recommend that the
government keeps cannabis at class C,' said Rethink's head of campaigns,
Jane Harris. 'Changing the class would be pointless and expensive
- government should put their money into a public health campaign
to educate people about the mental health dangers.' 'Educating reefer'
available at www.rethink.org
'Vital signs' launched
New planning guidance containing the first alcohol indicator for
the NHS has been issued by the Department of Health - part of its
Operating Framework for 2008/09. The document sets out how performance
will be managed against three tiers of 'vital signs', with central
performance management limited to national priorities and to areas
and organisations where performance is weak, to allow for more decision-making
at local level. The vital signs will clarify measures of progress
against national priorities and help PCTs make local choices. All
PCTs are required to develop an operational plan by the end of March,
and will be expected to engage with their local communities, staff
and stakeholders in an 'open and informed discussion about priorities
and performance' says director general of NHS finance, performance
and operations David Flory. The 'vital signs' represent a new approach
to planning and managing priorities both nationally and locally,
says the department. Available here.
Service user success!
The first ever national service user involvement conference - organised
by DDN and The Alliance - has earned positive feedback from those
who took part. More than 600 people attended the conference in Birmingham
on 31 January, which featured a mix of high profile speakers from
the field and lively interactive debate on the issues central to
meaningful service user involvement. DDN will be producing a special
issue on 25 February with a full round up of the conference and
an in-depth focus on the issues service users most wanted to be
addressed by policy makers and service providers. Speakers' presentations
will also be available at: http://www.drinkanddrugs.net/suiconference.html
Other News in Brief...
NOMS merges
A merger between the National Offender Management Service (NOMS)
and the prison service has been announced by lord chancellor and
secretary of state for justice Jack Straw. The new structure will
improve efficiency and allow NOMS to 'build on its success' in reducing
re-offending rates and increasing the number of successful drug
treatments, he said. NOMS North East Area, meanwhile, has commissioned
an information booklet from the Lifeline Project to address the
problems of Subutex misuse by prison inmates. Visit www.lifeline.org.uk
for more information. (For an eight-page special on the outcomes
of the last NOMS conference see DDN, 5 November 2007, page 8.)
EMCDDA evaluation
The results of an EC-commissioned external valuation of the European
Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) have been
issued, covering two of the agency's three year work programmes
(2001-03 and 2004-06). The study looked at the effectiveness of
the centre, whether it was achieving its goals and what benefits
it provides for the EU and its member states. Evaluators at the
UK-based Centre for Strategy and Evaluation Services (CSES) found
the centre to be performing well. Results available at www.emcdda.europa.eu
Off the hook
A free email forum to help service users get peer support has been
launched by Northampton-based Off The Hook. The forum is an extension
of the drop-in services offered by the organisation since 1992.
Visit www.offthehooknorthants.org.uk/forum
Gum slingers
Heavy cannabis use can be a significant cause of gum disease, according
to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The research monitored the dental health of 1,000 people born in
New Zealand in the early 1970s and found that heavy cannabis use
was responsible for more than one third of new cases of gum disease
in the group before the age of 32, with even those who smoked cannabis
but did not smoke tobacco developing the disease. Researchers believe
the most likely cause is that toxins absorbed into the body via
the lungs affect the body's ability to heal gum inflammation. Available
at www.jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/
content/full/299/5/525
City anniversary
A series of events are being planned to mark the 30th anniversary
of London's City Roads residential crisis intervention centre in
May. As part of this, anyone who has been associated with the service
in any way and would like to share memories, thoughts or stories
to share is invited to send them to Katy Porter or Maria Robinson
at info@cranstoun.org.uk
or by post to 352 City Road, London EC1V 2PY.
Never too old
Following our report that the UK's oldest drugs worker, Jack Metcalfe,
had retired from his post at DISC in East Durham aged 67 (DDN,
14 January, page 5), a reader has written to tell us about Bernie
Brencher who works three days a week at Redbridge Drug and Alcohol
Service and, at 70 years old, beats Jack's record by three years.
Bernie started working in drug services in 1969 at St Clements DDU.
Do any readers know of a drugs worker older than Bernie?
Street scenes
More than 1,500 people watched a group of actors perform binge drinking
scenarios to encourage them to think more about the risks associated
with excessive alcohol consumption. The performance in Nottingham
at the end of last year was part of the Home Office's Know your
limits campaign. Of those that filled out surveys on the day, 62
per cent said they would think more about looking out for themselves
or their friends on a night out and 36 per cent said they would
consider drinking less.
Going global
A global strategy on alcohol has come a step closer with the WHO's
Executive Board (EB) agreeing on an expanded mandate for the WHO
on alcohol. The wording is now recommended for adoption by the World
Health Assembly in May. Consensus was also reached on a draft resolution
requesting the WHO director general to submit a draft global strategy
to reduce the harmful use of alcohol to the EB in 2010. This will
include recommended measures for states to implement at national
level, taking account of the circumstances of each country. The
WHO report is available online at www.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB122/B122_R2-en.pdf
^Top of the page
|
for daily
news
updates
from
around
the world
visit Daily
Dose
|
