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ACMD
full report: Cannabis Classification and Public Health (2008) |
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After a most careful scrutiny of the totality
of the available evidence, the majority of the Council’s
members consider – based on its harmfulness to individuals
and society – that cannabis should remain a Class C substance.
56-page PDF [ACDM, UK] |
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Government
crackdown on cannabis |
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Cannabis will be reclassified as a Class B
drug, sending a strong message that the drug is harmful and should
not be taken [Home Office, UK] |
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Scientists
warn Smith over cannabis reclassification |
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The government's own scientific advisers last
night warned the home secretary, Jacqui Smith, that her decision
to upgrade the legal status of cannabis would not work in curbing
its widespread abuse [Guardian, UK] |
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Home
Office Cannabis Potency Study |
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In late 2007, 23 Police Forces in England and
Wales participated in the study. Forces were requested to submit
samples confiscated from street-level users. 20-page PDF [Home
Office, UK] |
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Improving
services for substance misuse |
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Commissioning drug treatment and harm reduction
services. 48-page PDF [Healthcare Commission and National Treatment
Agency, UK] |
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The
Wired In Way Forward |
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Next week, my colleagues and I will be releasing
a document that outlines our views of what we think is wrong
with the current treatment system, describes how we think things
might be improved, and outlines what we hope to do at Wired In
[the prof speaks out] |
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More
drug users are being provided with effective treatment services
but these are still key areas for improvement |
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report released today by the Healthcare Commission
and the National Treatment Agency (NTA), shows results from the
second of three annual reviews to assess the performance of substance
misuse treatment services [Healthcare Commission, UK] |
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DrugScope
calls for urgent action to improve harm reduction services
for drug users |
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The Healthcare Commission and National Treatment
Agency (NTA) review of harm reduction services in England highlights
shortfalls in services to reduce harms such as blood-borne viruses
and drug-related deaths [DrugScope, UK] |
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Labour
crackdown on cannabis |
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Tougher penalties for repeat offenders; a national
crackdown on cannabis farms; action against those who sell cannabis
paraphernalia, including cannabis seeds; a new public information
campaign highlighting the dangers cannabis causes to health;
and new sentencing guidelines to ensure that cannabis supply
near colleges and universities, mental health institutions, schools
and prisons will be considered an aggravating factor [Labour
Party, UK] |
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Labour's
dithering over reclassification of cannabis |
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David Davies said that because of this delay, "Thousands
of young people will have become addicted to cannabis unnecessarily,
and in due course will end up on hard drugs or in hospital -
unnecessarily." [Conservative Party, UK] |
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Alas
Smith and Brown |
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The lunacy that has been demonstrated this
morning [Wednesday] with regard to the classification of cannabis
has clearly come about as a result of a real change in what we
now view as the purpose of drug strategy in the UK [Sara McGrail,
UK] |
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The
Great Cannabis Debate by Kathy Gyngell |
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The debate about what is ‘science’ and
what counts ‘evidence’ when trying to make policy ‘evidence
based’ can go on for ever [CPS Daily Blog] |
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Populist
move to reclassify cannabis not enough |
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The government’s reclassification of
cannabis as class ‘B’ today (Wednesday 7th May) will
have little impact on the use of a drug which is firmly rooted
in the lifestyles of many young people [Addaction, UK] |
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Millions
quit cannabis following reclassification |
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After listening to Jacqui Smith talking about
skunk cannabis in Parliament today millions of young people have
decided to quit using cannabis and drink 3 litre bottles of white
lightening cider instead [TDPF, UK] |
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SOCA,
Organising crime |
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It was brought to my attention recently that
the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) has, ostensibly at
least, a remit essentially based upon harm reduction [TDPF] |
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Needle
exchanges: spending a little time on drinking reduction reaps
health dividends |
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Under two hours of risk assessment and motivational
sessions cut heavy drinking and equipment sharing among exchange
attenders, offering a way to further reduce the risks of overdose,
viral infection and the aggravation of hepatitis disease. Print
publication 2003 [Drug and Alcohol Findings, UK] |
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Brief
alcohol counselling leads to fewer injuries among A&E patients |
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One of the few studies to have tried alcohol
interventions actually in the emergency department rather than
after admission was also the first to find a significant reduction
in later injuries - but only if the initial approach had been
reinforced with a booster. Print publication 2003 [Drug and Alcohol
Findings, UK] |
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Lasting
injury-reduction impact of brief alcohol counselling in primary
care |
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A rare long-term study of a brief alcohol intervention
in primary care found substantial drinking reductions and health
care and social cost-savings four years later including 41% fewer
traffic accidents causing injuries or death. Print publication
2003 [Drug and Alcohol Findings, UK] |
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Rigorous
studies find 'real' acupuncture treatment no better than 'sham' |
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Using more rigorous methods and larger and
more diverse samples, two research teams failed to replicate
their previous positive findings on acupuncture in the treatment
of alcohol and cocaine dependence respectively. Print publication
2003 [Drug and Alcohol Findings, UK] |
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Boris
Johnson to ban alcohol on Tube |
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Boris Johnson unveils plans to ban the drinking
of alcohol on the all public transport in London, one his first
acts as the capital's mayor [Telegraph, UK] |
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Scotland's
Alcohol Shame |
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Hungover middle-class parents who leave children
to fend for themselves [Scotsman, UK] |
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Safe-injection
site gets lukewarm review |
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Tony Clement would not say yesterday whether
he will keep open Vancouver's controversial safe-injection site,
but he stressed in an interview that his government believes
prevention, treatment and enforcement are the keys to battling
drug addiction [National Post, Canada] |
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U.S.
Calls On Global Producers to Help Develop Increased Chemical
Controls for Meth Precursors |
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Despite existing global cooperation implementing
systems of pre-export notification and provision of legitimate
trade data for precursor chemicals to bodies like the International
Narcotics Control Board (INCB), many nations have not dedicated
resources to prevent diversion commensurate with the size of
their enormous chemical industries [ONDCP, USA] |
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New
Evidence Provides Clinicians With Better Tools to Help Smokers
Quit |
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An updated clinical practice guideline released
by the U.S. Public Health Service has identified new counseling
and medication treatments that are effective for helping people
quit smoking [RWJF, USA] |
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New
US government quit-smoking advice recommends drug Chantix despite
safety concerns |
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The U.S. government's new advice to doctors
for helping smokers quit recommends the drug Chantix, which has
recently been linked with depression and suicidal behavior [IHT,
France] |
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