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Recovery Worker
[…] deliver Psychosocial Drug and Alcohol Interventions for Service users that are identified as having an Alcohol or drug problem. Services will deliver client centred treatment using both harm reduction and abstinence based treatment approaches depending on the requirements of the individual client. You will be offered a thorough induction at an organisational and service level. […]
What is fuelling rising rates of violence in prisons? Probably not drones
[…] risen by nearly a third to 401 in the 12 months to the end of June 2025, including 86 prisoners in ‘self-inflicted’ circumstances. The rate of self- harm has risen by 5% in men’s prisons and by 6% in women’s prisons in the 12 months from March 2024. In addressing increasing rates of violence […]
PHS issues new nitazenes alert
[…] at people working and volunteering in drug services, emergency services, healthcare settings and ‘high-risk’ environments like hostels and prisons, the alert urges people to follow the correct harm reduction advice for opioids and polydrug use, and to ‘promote and provide’ naloxone. Nitazenes are increasingly found in post-mortem toxicology samples Nitazenes are now being widely detected […]
Soul food
[…] clear from the Feeding Recovery Project that hosting sessions where people experiencing serious alcohol harm can make and share food offers real opportunities for positive engagement and harm reduction. In the Feeding Recovery Handbook, we’ve set out how such sessions can be successfully run. Our hope now is that agencies across the UK will pick […]
Change Grow Live: our call for sustainable funding for community drug and alcohol treatment
[…] services. Drug and alcohol treatment services have been demonstrated to reduce offending by 33% We know that: 1. Drug and alcohol services deliver value for money The harm related to illicit drug use in England costs an estimated £19.3 billion. Adult drug treatment reflects a return-on-investment of £4 for every £1 invested in the […]
Sowing the seeds
[…] substance. Research into the ground poppy seed supply is needed to understand exactly what is being put into this commonly available substance, so we can offer informed harm-reduction advice to the public. Poppy seeds can be just as addictive as any other opiate Poppy seeds can be just as addictive as any other opiate, […]
Lady health workers smoking cessation initiative in rural Pakistan
[…] less harmful alternatives to smoking was low. Most households had someone who wanted to stop smoking and 51 women and 146 men agreed to try a tobacco harm reduction (THR) product. Primary health units’ staff appreciated the project, especially the training provided. They believed the program could be sustainable, and LHWs expressed interest in continuing […]
Tobacco and vapes bill introduced to Parliament
[…] is utterly unacceptable. This is a major piece of legislation which if passed will have a positive and lasting impact on the health of the nation.’ See tobacco harm reduction feature in the new issue of DDN here Tobacco and vapes bill introduced to Parliament The government is also considering ‘tougher action’ to address youth vaping
A welcome diversion
[…] down offending rates’. Diversion schemes were about making sure people did not enter the criminal justice system but got the treatment and support they needed, ‘with excellent harm reduction and support’ along the way. They also saved many hours of police time. ‘We need to make it as easy as possible for officers to use […]
More than 60 per cent of people dying a drug-related death in Scotland lived...
[…] states, while a third had been discharged from a general acute hospital in the six months before death. Two thirds had been in contact with treatment or harm reduction services in the six months before death, rising to more than 70 per cent of people whose death was opioid-related. More than a third were on […]
Proportion of current smokers falls to lowest ever level
[…] help the 6m people currently smoking to quit.’ Vaping will overtake smoking for the first time Meanwhile, a new briefing paper from the Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR) focuses on the UK’s ‘remarkable shift’ from tobacco to vaping. At current rates, the number of adults who smoke will have fallen to just over […]
Author of UK drug review visits Darlington drug and alcohol service
[…] WithYou CEO, Simon Phillips and Dot Smith, CEO at Recovery Connections. At the Tubwell site she visited the on-site dispensary, heard about the work in relation to harm reduction and met with several teams including the access team and assertive outreach. Then she walked to the Coniscliffe Road site for lunch with clients, staff and […]
Health and Care Futures Webinar Series
[…] Link to register: https://t-p.news/socialcarefuture Synthetic opioids – how does the drug and alcohol treatment sector need to work differently to respond to the changing drug supply? With harm reduction and local intelligence systems expert Michael Linnell. Friday 18th October 2024, 4-5pm Link to register: https://t-p.news/syntheticopioids How can we shift the dial on health inequalities? With […]
Cranstoun response to Scottish drug deaths: evidence must prevail to prevent tragedy
[…] treatment are being missed. Solutions should include smarter use of the criminal justice system, more outreach programmes to reach those who would benefit from treatment and more harm reduction measures. Additionally, the third sector in Scotland is unable to prescribe opioid replacement therapy. This leaves prescribing in the hands of the NHS alone, which given […]
Shake up at Drinkaware over industry links
[…] in a suspicion that Drinkaware is not truly independent of the alcohol industry’. It also described ‘weak stakeholder engagement’, leaving the organisation isolated within the wider alcohol harm reduction community, and lack of clarity over its mission and purpose. ‘Drinkaware is seen by non-industry stakeholders as lacking independence from its funders, and some are sceptical […]
Drug executions up more than 40 per cent
There were at least 467 drug-related executions in 2023, according to the latest report from Harm Reduction International (HRI). Drug offences accounted for more than 40 per cent of all confirmed global executions last year The figure is 44 per cent higher than the previous year and does not account for the ‘dozens, if not […]
Smoking-related hospital admissions up 5 per cent in a year
[…] our world-first “swap to stop” programme.’ Delegates at this year’s Global Forum on Nicotine, however, heard how the last decade had been a challenging one for tobacco harm reduction, with ‘regulators, parliamentarians and legislators changing the pace of progress’ according to Prof Gerry Stimson, and the WHO remaining largely opposed to products like e-cigarettes (https://www.drinkanddrugsnews.com/igniting-the-debate/). […]
Over-supervised, Under-dosed
[…] of OST, which is to prescribe in place of street opioids at an adequate dose to alleviate all withdrawal symptoms, as well as the basic premise of harm reduction, which is to meet people where they are at. More concretely, the barrier is also contrary to the guidance of the ‘orange book’, which advises in […]
The Shine Awards
Liverpool – 10 November Harm Reduction Event – sharing innovation and best practice from across the globe. 2023.hit.org.uk
DDN September 2023
[…] As we go to press on this issue it’s International Overdose Awareness Day and we’re never far from thinking about everyone we’ve lost. Our collective efforts on harm reduction will make the world a safer place – from collaborative commissioning (p18) to distributing naloxone (p14 and 24). This issue’s articles remind us of the struggles, […]
Likewise launches to support people in Sheffield with drug and alcohol issues
[…] projects to ensure more people across our city have access to support and recovery services when they need them.” Likewise will offer a range of support including harm reduction, recovery navigation, clinical and therapeutic interventions. The service will also provide support for family members and continue to work with people in longer term recovery to […]
Accentuate the positive
[…] to balance budgets and maintain services that local communities cared about, while working to develop partnerships such as the Drug Interventions Programme (DIP) – something that combined harm reduction and reducing reoffending and showed the two could complement each other. ‘But evidence of effectiveness isn’t enough in the current financial climate,’ she said. ‘The coming […]
Executions for drug offences up 850 per cent in two years
There were at least 285 executions for drug offences worldwide in 2022, according to the latest report from Harm Reduction International (HRI). This represents a 118 per cent increase on 2021 and an 850 per cent increase since 2020. There are 35 countries that still retain the death penalty. Executions for drug offences were either […]
DDN February 2023
[…] The outlook for their health is worrying – but how do we encourage them to take the risks seriously and play an active part in their own harm reduction? There’s no doubt that a new alcohol strategy is well overdue – but it must go beyond a focus on young people and have absolute relevance […]
November issue 2013
In this month’s issue of DDN… ‘The key harm reduction messages for active ketamine users revolve around dose management and hydration. Understanding how to dose, avoiding dose stacking and learning to take breaks between using sessions…’ In November’s issue, Mat Southwell and Lana Durjava offer practical advice on understanding and meeting the complex needs of people […]
Almost half of MDMA sold at festivals last year was fake
[…] to tell what’s really in the drugs people purchase – and the pandemic and Brexit appear to have exacerbated this issue. Rapid onsite testing, dissemination of alerts, harm reduction information and associated risk communications through media and social media channels provide vital ways to inform drug-users, practitioners and policymakers to help reduce drug-related harms at […]
UK’s first Home Office-licensed drug checking service launches in Bristol
The country’s first regular drug checking service to be licensed by the Home Office will open in Bristol later this month, provided by harm reduction body The Loop. The organisation has been providing drug-testing facilities at festivals for almost a decade. The sample drop-off and Loop pop-up laboratory are located at Bristol Drug Project. The […]
WDP to deliver services in Surrey
[…] from 1 April 2022 and will be operational for an initial three-year term. WDP will be delivering one-to-one and group support for service users, as well as harm reduction. It has an award-winning Capital Card scheme, and a unique family safeguarding service which will be co-located with children and families’ social services teams. Yasmin Batliwala, Chair of […]
Words into deeds
[…] in the future, have a look at that matrix.’ The three headline objectives were reducing overall drug use, reducing drug-related crime and reducing drug-related deaths and health harms, with the government saying ‘very clearly that it wants a whole-system approach, with the money spent behind achieving those’. Prof Dame Clare Gerada: Needs ‘joined-up effort’ […]
DDN December/January 2021
[…] fired up our pages for many years – ensuring people are on the dose that suits them, and the all-important dialogue that moves way beyond the ‘ harm reduction v recovery’ days and focuses on our collective assets and interests. Our reports on pages 10, 12, 16 and 21 give a flavour of the will […]
The comprehensive spending review: a substance misuse perspective
[…] a greater extent in deprived areas. The benefits of properly funding substance misuse services will be far-reaching. Estimates show that the social and economic costs of alcohol related harm amount to £21.5 billion, while that of illicit drug use costs £10.7bn. These include costs associated with deaths, the NHS, crime and, in the case of […]
People in need of residential treatment being failed, says Phoenix
[…] If implemented, the legislation would be evaluated after four years, says the coalition of SPD, Greens and Free Democratic Party, which will take over from Angela Merkel’s CDU party. The new government also intends to introduce drug checking and other harm reduction measures, it says. rehab report phoenix futures Phoenix Futures chief executive Karen Biggs
‘One in five’ in North East could have undiagnosed liver disease
[…] reduction in levels of alcohol-related crime, disorder or public nuisance. Dr Karl Ferguson: Understanding the impact of MUP is important ‘Understanding the impact of MUP on social harms including crime and public safety is an important aspect of the overall evaluation,’ said Dr Karl Ferguson, public health intelligence adviser at Public Health Scotland. ‘The […]
Drugs & Me
Drugs & Me is a social enterprise that provides services centered around drug harm reduction, as part of an upcoming network of mental health tools brought to you by the Mental Health Education Foundation. Website: https://www.drugsand.me/
Clubbers warned to pace themselves as venues reopen
A new harm reduction campaign by drug safety organisation The Loop in partnership with the Metro newspaper is warning clubbers to stay safe as venues open after 18 months of lockdown restrictions. Clubbers are being urged to pace themselves and not ‘make up for lost time’ ‘High Alert’ is urging people to pace themselves and […]
The long road
[…] so national coverage really shouldn’t be a problem. It’s about getting the right people on board who can fight your battle.’ Early champions Another early champion is harm reduction campaigner and former GP Judith Yates, who first came across naloxone in 2009 when David Best and others were working on an early paper. This studied […]
DDN April 2021
[…] idea of buying alcohol for people with severe dependence might seem a strange one to many. The outreach team in Bristol (p6) are well enough tuned to harm reduction to know that their life-saving actions during lockdown have opened up many opportunities. It’s a brave idea and the tangible results of their initiative speak for […]
Chelita De La Haye – i am a…
[…] with young people under the age of 25. At the same time I volunteered with a local drug treatment project on the Dance Drug Safety Project, providing harm reduction advice in the night-time economy. I found engaging with both young people and individuals who misuse substances rewarding. The post of young person’s substance misuse nurse […]
DDN November 2020
[…] healthcare discrimination should be a primary focus. Sharing the ‘safe supply’ scheme from his home in British Columbia, Bill Nelles (p16) charts the journey of one straightforward harm reduction approach, through the challenges of risk assessment, scepticism and moral dilemma, to finally become official health policy. He hopes that the UK could follow suit with […]
Doubling Down
[…] most at risk of infection, there has been no notable reduction in new transmissions in recent years. Prevention is absolutely vital to achieving elimination and yet currently harm reduction provision does not go far enough, with 36 per cent of people who inject drugs reporting in 2018 that they did not have adequate needle and […]
0713_DDN_web
[…] FOCUSED Delegates at Adfams conference discuss the progress made since Hidden harm p12 PROFILE HRI executive director Rick Lines on dignity, compassion and human rights p22 w.driwnkaugkrnsauecw HARM REDUCTION ACTIVISTS GATHER IN VILNIUS w.drinkauigsiekicogumiedri kIrSikNiukI1g75k-ri rk uri IdkiosrimSonsbia7mir7miedrimSoniIaSi2iIdg5digsi3rSJi -o5diaiSa5gauia7mir5k7k-g5iloseg5rigssory0 Goin g t o t h e In te rn atio nal H arm R ed ubtio […]
Obituary
[…] death of Alan Joyce. I first came across Alan when he started working as a volunteer for the Methadone Alliance. He popped up on some of the harm reduction mailing lists, full of passion for his new role, and with an interest in politics and post-structuralist philosophy. An ex-art student, Alan had studied Fine Art […]
Euro drug scene in ‘state of flux’
[…] western European countries, and smaller proportions of injectors. Recent HIV outbreaks in Greece and Romania, however, have ‘interrupted this positive trend’ and underline the need for adequate harm reduction and treatment services, says the document. A key theme of the report is that drug treatment remains ‘a cost-effective policy option, even at a time of […]
European drug scene in a ‘state of flux’
[…] western European countries and smaller proportions of injectors. Recent HIV outbreaks in Greece and Romania, however, have ‘interrupted this positive trend’ and underline the need for adequate harm reduction and treatment services, says the document. A key theme of the report is that drug treatment remains ‘a cost-effective policy option, even at a time of […]
Your letters
[…] people get to experience anything like what Dr Brinksman describes at his own practice. Name and address supplied Electro revolution Professor Howard Parker acknowledges the harm reduction benefits of e-cigarettes (DDN, April, page 18), but also says they do not have a scientific clean bill of health. E-cigarettes deliver nicotine in aerosol form […]
Weathering the storm
[…] 15 April (see news, page 4) which – alongside instructions to minimise face-to-face contact, scale back hep C testing and defer detoxes – recommends increasing provision of harm reduction measures including naloxone, and encourages services to increase stock held by NSPs and allow people to take more equipment. The guidance also advocates new ways of […]
Cannabis class
[…] Prozac – could worsen cannabis withdrawal. He reminded people that the cannabis drugs meter (www.drugsmeter.com) was a simple way for people to think about their use and harm reduction. Dr Malcolm Bruce explained that while some people using cannabis did present themselves to NHS cannabis services, the numbers were low, which was why the role […]
Drug Reporter
[…] policy website of the Rights Reporter Foundation. The website was created in 2004 to promote drug policy reform advocacy in the region. In 2007 we started our video advocacy program and our website has become an international hub for English and Russian language news articles, blogs and films about harm reduction and drug policy reform. www.drogriporter.hu/en en Drug reporter
Matters of Life and Death
[…] on an NPS course, and the conversation related to a worker struggling with a young person whose high-risk polydrug use and apparent unwillingness to take on board harm reduction measures left the worker desperately worried and stuck. We discussed the idea of the young person writing a ‘what if…’ letter to their parents. ‘You think […]
Shared perspectives
[…] year saw the first reduction in overdose deaths since 2012, dropping from 1,600 to 1,000. While they remain far above the 400 a year before the crisis, we are getting much better at responding to them. Bill Nelles harm reduction activist 2016: Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside neighbourhood, a mural highlighting fentanyl-related drug deaths Credit: Gerry Rousseau/Alamy
DDN April 2020
[…] proportion to the task ahead. With so much beyond our control, we need to focus on essential priorities – which is where the clear protocols and sound harm-reduction practices are so useful. We have been so impressed by the swift initiatives to share action that will save lives. In the rush to convert everything […]
Inside Out
[…] worse. I had three children when my husband asked me for a divorce. I was drinking in public toilets and was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. I was looking at nine years. I knew going to prison would save my life. I was taken straight to healthcare at Bronzefield, very […]
DDN Magazine December 2019
[…] that our opinions count. The HIT Hot Topics conference (page 8) is familiar with this sensation. Speakers travel across the world to share frustration at opportunities for harm reduction being squandered and governments driven by greed and ignorance. It would be easy for any one of us to think our voice didn’t matter – but […]
DDN Magazine November 2019
[…] published our first issue of DDN. I interviewed the drugs minister Caroline Flint, who talked about the new drug intervention programme (DIP) and the recently launched Alcohol harm reduction strategy. There was a lot happening – the Home Office was pumping money into the sector to ‘break the cycle between drugs and crime’. By our […]
UK drug policy failing, say MPs
[…] on the government to consult on decriminalising possession for personal use to a civil matter, and urges it to examine the Portuguese system, which also includes improved harm reduction and treatment provision. Money saved in the criminal justice system through decriminalisation could be used for investment in treatment and prevention, the report argues. With funding […]
April issue
[…] who don’t have the vote is not. Our cover story this issue (page 6) gives insight to the slow steady progress on prison welfare reform, focusing on health and harm reduction. Practice in other countries in Europe and the US is constantly informing suggestions of radical change in our own criminal justice system. The picture is of painfully […]
The power of naloxone
[…] prescribed to a responsible person and kept in communal areas of supported accommodation facilities. Over the last ten years naloxone has become an integral part of Harbour’s harm reduction procedure, with kits easily available across all of its properties in boxes attached directly to the walls, as well as in first-aid kits and kept in […]
Case dismissed
[…] (DDN, July/August, page 5). Only 12 per cent of prisoners who were previously dependent on heroin left prison with naloxone in 2017-18 A look at the ‘substantial harms’ that contribute to the unacceptable death rate showed that many prisoners were still being released without the certainty of accommodation, increasing their risk of relapse and […]
DDN Magazine June 2019
[…] and into education and treatment programmes (page 14). Since then disinvestment has become the norm. So where does that leave us? In dire need of a clear harm reduction led strategy to replace a ‘tough on drugs’ approach that is unfit for purpose in every way, according to a parliamentary meeting that included senior police […]
Man of principle
[…] engaged with the process. A police officer for 33 years, George Gallimore is principal officer at the Police Federation, and speaks on its behalf on drugs and harm reduction issues. ‘The electorate will worry about lower level anti-social behaviour, dog fouling, litter and the minor things that you worry about when you live in an […]