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Be well aware
[…] using the faces of people with lived experience to get its message across. Read about it in DDN Magazine ‘For me it’s about saving a life,’ says harm reduction activist Lee Collingham, one of the faces of the landmark, country-wide naloxone awareness campaign launched last month (see news, page 5). ‘Some areas still haven’t got […]
Drug control a health and human rights ‘disaster’, says IDPC
[…] women and ethnic minority groups, fuelling poverty and inequality, the report says. ‘Women who use drugs are particularly vulnerable to health harms, but their access to gender-sensitive harm reduction and treatment services has not improved over the past five years. Stigma, criminalisation, fear of loss of child custody and other punitive measures play a major […]
Online tool to help find a needle and syringe service
[…] treatment and in reducing the spread of bloodborne viruses like Hepatitis C. At the same time, With You is also releasing a host of online, diagram based harm reduction advice to encourage people who use drugs to do so more safely, including advice on how to use the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone, how to […]
The Right Questions
Read the full article in DDN Magazine Now in its 30th year, the Unlinked Anonymous Monitoring Survey is a vital tool for harm reduction, says Emily Phipps. This year the Unlinked Anonymous Monitoring Survey (UAM) of people who inject drugs celebrates its 30th anniversary in England and Wales and 18th anniversary in Northern Ireland, making […]
Coronavirus guidance issued for providers and commissioners
[…] should be taking steps to ‘keep face-to-face contacts between staff and service users to a minimum’ and minimising use of biological drug testing, it says. Provision of harm reduction measures and take-home naloxone, should be increased where possible Given the pressure the on NHS and other services it will ‘mostly be necessary to defer drug […]
No time to lose
[…] and urged the group to think about drugs as a global issue. ‘There is an incredible amount of deaths that could have been prevented by access to harm reduction,’ she said. ‘Stigma, lack of access to services and criminalisation make negative experiences for people who use drugs.’ Globally, just as locally, ‘we can’t just think […]
July issue
[…] relevance to you. But the opportunity to share experience with other countries gives fresh perspective and evidence from experience – not just on the effectiveness of incarceration, but on harm reduction measures and their effect on drug users’ behaviour and welfare. It also gives us a rare opportunity to stand back and assess what works back home. This week […]
January issue
[…] Masetti says in our article, it’s important that drug teams know the specifics about these drugs so they are confident in treating clients and know how to dispense essential harm reduction advice. As we begin a new year in which ‘recovery’ is the only flavour for many, the anthrax cases among heroin users in Scotland are a stark reminder […]
DDN July_August 2019
[…] looking for professional, dynamic and results orientated individuals to implement and execute commercial strategies to grow the business through education, solution selling and collaboration. Experience in a harm reduction / needle exchange setting would be an advantage. Ideal locations include Birmingham, Northamptonshire, Milton Keynes, Cambridge, Oxford, Reading and London. We welcome yobr application. For more […]
CZAR GAZING – So how are we doing?
[…] recent trends seem to indicate that this effect is waning). We have been successful in keeping drug-related HIV infections low. The UK was an early adopter of harm reduction practices such as needle exchanges in the 1980s. As a direct result, HIV transmission rates from injecting drug use have remained among the lowest in the […]
So, how are we doing?
[…] recent trends seem to indicate that this effect is waning). We have been successful in keeping drug-related HIV infections low. The UK was an early adopter of harm reduction practices such as needle exchanges in the 1980s. As a direct result, HIV transmission rates from injecting drug use have remained among the lowest in the […]
West Midlands PCC proposes consumption rooms and prescribed heroin
A range of proposed harm reduction measures to cut drug-related crime and deaths, and reduce costs to public services, has been set out by West Midlands police and crime commissioner (PCC) David Jamieson. They include prescribing heroin in a medical setting for people who have not responded to other forms of treatment, establishing a formal […]
A moral imperative
[…] the best chance of recovery. Age-specific mortality rates for deaths relating to drug misuse, registered 1993 to 2016, England and Wales The impact of the abstinence vs harm reduction debates of the last few years, leading directly and indirectly to some some individuals being pushed through treatment systems too quickly, has been over-simplified and dangerous. […]
Strategy for Survival
[…] 2000s drug money was ring-fenced for many political reasons, not least the emphasis on crime reduction and public health, and although it was sensibly targeted mainly at harm reduction services there remained a small niche that offered abstinence. Clients therefore still had some choice of the treatment modalities they were offered. The change of government […]
Highest number of drug deaths in quarter of a century
[…] government claims it wants to protect young people from the harms of drugs, yet its new drug strategy, released in early July, makes no reference to providing harm reduction services for people who use drugs recreationally,’ she said. ‘The government must fund the forensic testing of drugs, including at nightclubs and music festivals, so that […]
A round-up of national news: November 2016
[…] Civil Liberties Union. The document is calling for personal use and possession to be decriminalised for all drugs, as well as increased funding to improve and expand harm reduction services. Every 25 seconds: the human toll of criminalizing drug use in the US at www.hrw.org TROUBLING TIMES The impact of the government’s flagship ‘troubled families’ […]
Definitions
[…] legalised weed. Portugal’s decriminalisation paradigm is viewed by many as a model with demonstrable public health benefits. UK politicians remain wedded to ‘pragmatic prohibition’ – treatment and harm reduction wrapped up in a restrictive legal framework. The words ‘legalisation’ and ‘decriminalisation’ are banded about but, like ‘recovery’, they mean different things to different people. Transform’s […]
Decriminalisation would mean global gains, say medics
[…] a commission of medical experts. The commission, which was set up by the Lancet and Johns Hopkins University in the US, also wants to see better access to harm reduction measures, policies that ‘reduce violence and discrimination’ in drug policing and an end to aerial spraying of drug crops with toxic pesticides. The report has been […]
DDN 0216 web
DRINK AND DRUGS NEWS ISSN 1755-6236 FEBRUARY 2016 DDN service user conference – last chance to book! GETTING INTO THE HARM REDUCTION GROOVE DRINK AR UG DSGE INSIDE De unworkable Psychoactive Substances Bill Are over-50s drinking themselves into an early grave? "P h oen ix F u tu re s’ H am psh ir e […]
National news from the substance misuse field
[…] position next January, replacing Wolfgang Götz, who has held the post since 2005. Mr Goosdeel has been at the EMCDDA since 1999, before which he co-founded Belgian harm reduction NGO Modus Vivendi. BBV boost A new briefing to support local authorities and drug services in reviewing their BBV prevention and treatment interventions has been published […]
Reducing the supply of high strength alcohol
[…] Portsmouth has one of the highest rates of alcohol-related hospital admissions in the south, costing an estimated £74 million annually, with £10 million NHS spend on alcohol harm. The Safer Portsmouth Partnership and Police licensing unit have taken the lead with ‘reducing the strength’, directing the campaign at the worst affected areas. They include […]
Recovery in the North West
[…] contributions to the UK recovery movement The North West of England has a reputation for leadership and innovation in responding to the challenges of addiction. The Merseyside harm reduction response to heroin in the 1980s has taken on legendary status, while the comic capers of Manchester’s Grandpa Smackhead Jones and Peanut Pete were eagerly followed […]
E-cigarettes: a double-edged sword in the battle to stop smoking
[…] 37% (1.7 million) are current smokers, and 320,000 people have never smoked before. Are e-cigarettes useful to help people stop smoking? E-cigarettes can serve as a valuable harm reduction tool to help individuals quit smoking traditional cigarettes. However, it is crucial not to promote them to people, especially young individuals, who have never smoked conventional […]
Every step
[…] with people who use heroin for 20 years, I am well versed in the concepts of harm minimisation. The truism ‘dead people don’t recover’ springs to mind. Harm reduction is the solid foundation on which we can build future recovery. With this in mind, the treatment system I operate within in Birmingham has now started […]
Scotland could be ‘sleep walking’ back to record alcohol deaths
Urgent action is needed to turn the alcohol ‘tide of harm’ in Scotland, says a call from more than 30 medical organisations and charities. We are blinkered to the reality of the high levels of damage alcohol causes said Alcohol Focus Scotland chief executive Alison Douglas Without it the country could be ‘sleep walking […]
Release’s take on the Government’s new Drug Strategy
[…] in the strategy as a life-saving and harm-reducing intervention to be offered across the country. Unfortunately, this is only one of many types of tried and tested harm reduction measures that have been implemented by nations more progressive than ours – including heroin assisted treatment, drug consumption rooms (overdose prevention sites/supervised injecting facilities) or medical […]
HIT
[…] in 1985 to reduce drug-related harm and set up one of the UK’s first syringe exchange schemes. Based in Liverpool, the organisation has an international reputation for developing, advocating and implementing a pragmatic and effective approach to the use of drugs. Hit deliver training in harm reduction and other topics in person and online. Website: https://hit.org.uk/index.php/trainingcourses/in-house-training
News in brief
[…] recovery? Birmingham-based UK Recovery Radio (DDN, March, page 17) has released its second ‘Purple Bull’ podcast – What is recovery? – which focuses on the role of harm reduction. Listen at recoveryradio.blogspot.co.uk Bereaved by addiction DrugFAM’s fifth annual Bereaved by addiction conference will take place in High Wycombe on 12 October. Details at www.drugfam.co.uk, or […]
Alcohol industry would lose £13bn if drinkers stuck to guidelines
[…] £2.50 – and a bottle of supermarket spirits by more than £12 – to maintain current revenue levels if everyone drank within the guidelines. Policies to reduce alcohol harm such as minimum unit pricing had been resisted ‘at every turn’ by the industry, stated lead author Aveek Bhattacharya. ‘Our analysis suggests this may be because […]
Drugs behind ‘huge increase’ in prison violence
[…] problem misusing medication that had not been prescribed to them. The document reveals ‘some of the worst prison conditions ever seen’, with ‘violence, drugs, suicide and self- harm, squalor and poor access to education’ prominent themes. The conditions had no place in the prison system of ‘an advanced nation in the 21st century’, stated […]
ACMD issues stark warning on funding cuts
[…] treatment services and local healthcare should also be strengthened. The report also wants to see more transparency and ‘clearer financial reporting’ on treatment services to challenge local disinvestment and – alongside the recent National Aids Trust’s harm reduction briefing – calls for drug and alcohol services to be mandated within local authority budgets, and/or the commissioning of treatment placed ‘within NHS commissioning structures’. ‘A lack of spending on drug […]
Set target to cut Scots alcohol consumption by 10 per cent, say campaigners
[…] 20 per cent reduction in deaths and hospital admissions’ after 20 years, the report states. Scotland continues to have the highest level of alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm in the UK, says document, which is published in association with BMA Scotland, SHAAP and Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol & Drugs. Despite the fact that […]
October issue
[…] Oliver Standing. JOINING FORCES New partnership-led training aims to help victims of domestic abuse incidents where substances are an issue, says Cinzia Altobelli. IT’S WHERE YOU’RE AT Harm reduction should be about ‘meeting people where they’re at’, according to the recent HIT Hot topics conference. Jamie Bridge reports. LIBERTY TO CHANGE Philadelphia is integrating its […]
DDN June 2015
In this month’s issue of DDN… ‘It is worth spelling out that harm reduction reduces harm.’ In this month’s issue: Tracy Walker talks about reducing drug-related damage at music festivals, Philippe Bonnet discusses moving forward with naloxone distribution – and James Dickinson tells the story of Chandos House’s unofficial head of treatment. Click on the links below to […]
Speaker presentations
[…] drug and alcohol services in Wales, and one of the first services to provide needle syringe exchange and computerised methadone dispensing. The organisation has always had a commitment to harm reduction and developing a range of services throughout Wales, and Martin is a fervent advocate of effective drugs education. Rondine Molinaro is Service Manager at Kaleidoscope. How a […]
Exporting the disease
[…] this was not reflected in scientific reports, as the Danes never really took the issue of ‘recovery’ that seriously. On the other hand, what you would call harm reduction measures were from early on introduced and maintained in Denmark. Many Danes, once seriously addicted to drugs, are in good job positions today, as we grew […]
Health and Wellbeing Practitioner
[…] for offenders coming into prison that are identified as having an Alcohol or drug problem. The Health and Wellbeing 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 required to manage a caseload, provide appropriate harm reduction advice and […]
Dechrau Newydd drug service closure raises concerns for most vulnerable
[…] is not just a step backward – it is a failure to protect the most vulnerable,’ the charity said. It added that the service had offered essential harm reduction and recovery support, including employing people with lived experience. The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales said a new service model was […]
Safer nicotine product taxation and optimal strategies for public health
BY GLOBAL STATE OF TOBACCO HARM REDUCTION (GSTHR) Taxation has long been regarded as one of the most effective tools by traditional tobacco control groups for controlling tobacco consumption. Tax on tobacco products is intended to serve two main purposes: to decrease demand by increasing prices, making these products less affordable and less appealing, and […]
European MDMA market rapidly evolving, say EUDA and Europol
[…] Goosdeel. ‘MDMA remains a popular drug in nightlife and music festival settings, so ecstasy tablets that contain high amounts of MDMA, or unexpected ingredients, pose serious risks. Harm reduction measures, like drug-checking services, are crucial to mitigate the dangers. Tailored prevention and treatment services are more critical than ever, as MDMA tablets may contain new […]
Letters
[…] John Ramsey, it’s been viewed almost 100,000 times. Since then we’ve done minutes with various experts on topics as diverse as what’s in cocaine, ecstasy pill testing, harm reduction for new drug virgins, PMA deaths, GHB and ketamine bladder. In 2014 we want to open the door to the huge range of expertise that exists […]
A place to thrive
[…] on a single issue and offers a radically different approach to the ‘four pillars’ of traditional responses to drug and alcohol addiction (treatment, prevention, law enforcement and harm reduction) that have ultimately failed. This is where we suggest that an ABCD approach will add the most value. For us, this approach goes beyond traditional strength-based […]
West Berkshire’s drug and alcohol service packs a punch with local community event
[…] impact in action. Jason Kew, public health strategist, spoke passionately about the local Combatting Drugs Partnership, highlighting the importance of collaboration between organisations to tackle stigma, promote harm reduction, and enhance education and prevention efforts. Jason Kew highlighted the importance of collaboration between organisations to tackle stigma, promote harm reduction, and enhance education and prevention […]
Startling statistics
[…] change in the context of a drug which can be powerfully reinforcing, but with equally powerful ‘comedowns’. The intervention offers two structured individual sessions based on discussing harm reduction in the context of motivational interviewing, and exploring the person’s values and goals. The person can then choose to join a four-session rolling group programme with […]
MPs to vote on tobacco and vapes bill today
[…] gambling treatment, research and prevention, would come into force next April. The proposals formed part of the government’s controversial gambling white paper, which was published in April last year. See tobacco harm reduction feature in November’s DDN and gambling feature in the December-January issue tobacco and vapes bill MPs to vote on tobacco and vapes bill today
A flexible approach to work
[…] I never thought I would ever be able to do anything about it or prove that these beliefs were right, but in the early 2000s, as a harm reduction activist, I had taken on the task of sourcing citric acid sachets for people who inject and soon found myself needing help with the warehousing, packing, […]
Now hear this
[…] symptoms. One of the drugs George used were pills advertised as ‘pressed oxycodone M30s’. It didn’t take long for George to develop a dependency. Most of the harm reduction conversations around nitazenes in the UK thus far have focused on reducing risks among people whose drugs have been contaminated with nitazenes, assuming that the user […]
Different class
[…] fundamental ‘harm reductionist’, and I’m back there again. It seems to me that the primary response to the challenges that face us today is good old fashioned harm reduction. At the time of writing the working class are once again being demonised by polite middle class society. Who would have thought that John Major’s ‘condemn […]
Recovery Month reflections: Forward’s in-person recovery event for London-based staff
[…] featuring synthetic drugs, alcohol unit measuring cups, and beer goggles for educational purposes. Forward Trust Services: Shared vital information on dependency, recovery processes, local treatment providers, and harm reduction. There were also lots of fun activities, such as live music and line dancing, a substance misuse awareness quiz, and an award ceremony to celebrate the […]
Cranstoun micro-eliminates hepatitis C across Sandwell
[…] in Sandwell is a major public health victory for our community. This reflects our tailored, local approach – ensuring those most affected have access to vital testing, harm reduction services, and life-saving treatments right here in Sandwell. ‘By working closely with local partners, addressing stigma, and making care accessible, we’ve not only transformed individual lives […]
A fair exchange
[…] for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners.’ They are also harm reduction innovators extraordinaire (my words). In practice, what I saw on the ‘coalface’ was top-quality and innovative harm minimisation products and educational information being developed, produced and […]
Largest ever trial of ketamine-assisted therapy underway
[…] affect not only the individual but families, friends and communities, and related deaths have increased still further since the pandemic,’ said consultant psychiatrist Professor Rupert McShane. ‘Alcohol-related harm is estimated to cost the NHS around £3.5 bn each year, and wider UK society around £40 bn. We urgently need new treatments. If this trial establishes […]
Fall in suspected Scottish drug deaths
[…] reports of police officers attending scenes of death, and used to provide a ‘timely indication of trends and to detect any potential recent changes or clusters of harm’, PHS points out. They do not provide the same ‘robust’ indication of the number of drug-related fatalities as the official annual figures from National Records of […]
One in six vapes confiscated in schools contained spice
[…] then they’ve got a chance of making a different choice.’ While the issue is being addressed regionally, he urged the government to ‘elevate it to a national harm reduction priority’, he stated. ‘I call on the Home Office and the Department for Education to highlight this problem and to provide police forces and schools with […]
London Homelessness Awards
[…] team includes peer mentors with lived experience of homelessness and substance use who provide advice and guidance to support people on their recovery journey. The also give harm reduction advice if a person is not yet ready to make a change in their substance use. Turning Point and The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea […]
Two million global alcohol-related deaths among men, says WHO
[…] were from noncommunicable diseases – including 470,000 from cardiovascular disease and more than 400,000 from cancer. ‘There is a complex relationship between substance use, alcohol- and drug-related harms and socioeconomic status, and people with lower socioeconomic status are disproportionally affected by harms due to substance use,’ the document states. ‘The impact of alcohol, tobacco […]
Let’s be Stronger Together
[…] strong synthetic opioids have dominated, with everyone pulled into emergency planning and better communication. Drug consumption rooms have become acknowledged at the highest level as a basic harm reduction tool that cannot be ignored. Drug strategy ambitions have translated into a widespread recruitment drive and a focus on the training and skills needed. Now we […]
Exclusion zones
[…] themselves in a particularly marginalised situation, forced into navigating a system that doesn’t work for them. And yet there’s great inclusive practice for both ARBD-specific care and harm reduction. In future articles we’ll look at how best practice can mitigate stigma-related barriers. Right now though we need your help. Hopefully you can see why this […]
Slight fall in ‘staggeringly high’ US drug death figures
[…] by all of our partners in this effort and the work being done on the ground as part of a coordinated federal effort on prevention, services, and harm reduction. However, this does not mean we have accomplished our mission. The data show we still lost over 100,000 people last year, meaning there are still families […]
Nitazenes – new drugs, new risks
[…] Trust CEO Mike Trace. ‘But we also know that there are public health measures that can help reduce overdose death risks – accessible and accurate safety advice, harm reduction services, and offering people living with addiction a practical way out.’ A special programme, The New Drug Threat, can be found on BBC iPlayer. This blog […]