‘No evidence’ that enforcement affects cocaine availability
12 March 2010
There is no evidence that law enforcement efforts are affecting the availability of, or demand for, cocaine in the UK, according to a report by the Home Affairs Committee.
Anthrax outbreak continues: three new cases
12 March 2010
The anthrax outbreak among injecting drug users is showing few signs of abating, with a second confirmed case in London and two further confirmed cases in Scotland.
‘Good progress’ in treatment but performance measurement lacking
12 March 2010
A new report by the National Audit Office (NAO) has found ‘good progress in a number of areas’ in tackling problem drug use. However, without an evaluative framework for the drug strategy as a whole, the NAO was ‘not able to conclude positively on value for money’, it states.
UN warns of drug ‘health disaster’
12 March 2010
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) executive director Antonio Maria Costa has used the 53rd session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in Vienna to argue the case for drug control, saying that failure to control the supply of drugs would ‘unleash a health disaster in the developing world’.
News in brief
12 March 2010
Discover what's been happening in the field recently...
DrugScope: younger service users need more appropriate support
26 February 2010
Young people frequently find that adult treatment services are not appropriate for their needs, with the risk of them dropping out, says a new report from DrugScope.
Anthrax death toll hits double figures
26 February 2010
The number of people to have died in the ongoing anthrax outbreak (DDN, 18 January, page 4) has reached 11, with the death of a patient in the NHS Fife area.
‘85 per cent’ of drinks not labelled properly
26 February 2010
Only 15 per cent of drinks labels give consumers the right amount of information about alcohol units and health harms, according to research commissioned by the government.
Scottish liver disease trebles in 15 years and is still rising
26 February 2010
Scotland’s rate of chronic liver disease has almost trebled in the last 15 years and is still rising, according figures released by NHS information centre ISD Scotland.
Government attempts to kick underage drinking into touch
26 February 2010
Every local authority is to receive a good practice guide to help them work with the police, trading standards, and youth and children’s services to try and cut levels of underage drinking, the government has announced.