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.
News in brief
26 February 2010
A round up of the latest news from the field...
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.
Corruption-riven Afghanistan could see fall in heroin production
15 February 2010
This year’s opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan is expected to remain stable, with a ‘possible’ decrease in production, according to a new report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Anthrax outbreak spreads to England as agencies call for emergency plan
15 February 2010
Two cases of anthrax in injecting drug users in England have been confirmed by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) and local NHS services.
Alcohol-related death rates double
15 February 2010
Rates of alcohol-related death in the UK have doubled since the early 1990s, according to a new report from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Survey finds illegal drugs holding sway over ‘legal’ highs
15 February 2010
Despite the much-reported upsurge in the use of ‘legal highs’ far more drug users are still encountering illegal class A drugs like cocaine and ecstasy, according to a survey of delegates at the DDN/Alliance Right here, right now! service user conference in Birmingham recently.