The chair of the ACMD responds to the Home Secretary’s letter about the Psychoactive Substances Bill
Bibliography: Domestic Policy Issues
Open letter to the Prime Minister
We the undersigned request that HM Government immediately reconsiders the proposed Psychoactive Substances Bill 2015 (Breaking Convention)
Legal highs bill savaged by home secretary’s own advisers
Early research in depression could fall foul of the psychoactive substances bill, experts warn (Politics UK)
Report of visit by a Committee delegation to examine the impact of Portuguese approach to the possession of certain drugs
The Joint Committee decided to undertake a study into the effects of crimes carried out in communities by gangs and held a number of public hearings in relation to this matter (Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality, Ireland)
ACMD letter to the Home Secretary: Psychoactive Substances Bill
The chair of the ACMD responds to the Home Secretary’s letter of 26 May about New Psychoactive Substances
The international evidence on the prevention of drug and alcohol use
Summary and examples of implementation in England (PHE)
Two new “legal highs” to be banned under temporary order
Two new so-called “legal highs” have been banned by the Government (Home Office)
Methylphenidate-based novel psychoactive substances: temporary class drug order report
This report advises on a temporary class drug order report on a number of methylphenidate-based novel psychoactive substances (ACMD)
Fight for the future of shared care
At the RCGP 20th National alcohol and drugs conference last week there was evidence that a number of shared care schemes are being decommissioned following changes in tenders during the process of re-commissioning services (SMMGP)
Psychoactive Substances Bill
Lord’s Amendments (Parliament UK)
Glasgow University drugs and alcohol training course to close
A leading university course for drug and alcohol workers is to close after the Scottish Government withdrew funding (Herald Scotland)
National opioid pharmacotherapy statistics 2014
On a snapshot day in 2014, over 48,000 clients received pharmacotherapy treatment for their opioid dependence at 2,432 dosing points around Australia (AIHW)
Alcohol and other drug treatment services in Australia 2013–14
Over the 5 years from 2009–10, there has been an increase in the proportion of episodes where amphetamines were the principal drug on concern (from 7% to 17%) and an increase in smoking/inhaling as the method of administration for amphetamines. A majority of treatment episodes had a duration of three months or less, and counselling remains the most common treatment type (AIHW)
Position paper on the provision of low threshold residential stabilisation services in Ireland
(Ana Liffey drug project)
20 year report on Needle and Syringe Program attendees in Australia
The report presents national and jurisdictional data from the Australian Needle and Syringe Program Survey from 1995 to 2014. Around two thirds of Australia’s primary Needle and Syringe Program services participate in the survey and program attendees have participated on more than 45,000 occasions (The Kirby Institute, UNSW Australia)
Drug decriminalisation in Portugal
Setting the record straight (TDPF)
Physician Waivers to Prescribe Buprenorphine Increase Potential Access to Effective Treatment Options to Address Opioid Overdose Crisis
Published in the June issue of the journal Health Affairs, the study shows that the increased number and geographic distribution of physicians obtaining waivers to prescribe buprenorphine has widened potential access to effective treatment for those with addiction to heroin or prescription painkillers (RAND)
IMO launches major policy paper on Addiction and Dependency
The paper addresses a range of issues including prevention and treatment issues (Irish Medical Organisation)
Creation of a blanket ban on new psychoactive substances in the UK
Impact assessment of the bill (Home Office)
The new Psychoactive Substances Bill – a quick introduction
This blog attempts to briefly identify key components of the Bill and describe what it is proposing, as well as offering a few initial commentary notes (Centre for Public Health)
