Thursday, July 26, 2007
NICE Guidelines for Substance Misuse
Drug misuse:psychosocial interventions, July 2007.
UK. National Health Service. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.
(NICE clinical guideline 51).
London: NICE, 2007.
This guideline makes recommendations for the use of psychosocial interventions in the treatment of people who misuse opioids, stimulants and cannabis in the healthcare and criminal justice systems.
Drug misuse: opioid detoxification, July 2007.
UK. National Health Service. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.
(NICE clinical guideline 52).
London: NICE, 2007.
This guideline makes recommendations for the treatment of people who are undergoing detoxification for opioid dependence arising from the misuse of illicit drugs.
NTA Business Plan
National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse business plan, 2007-2008.
UK. National Health Service. National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse.
London: NTA, 2007. 16p.
The business plan includes chapters on improving commissioning, young people, delivery assurance, reducing offending and alcohol.
Stocktake of Alcohol and Drug Action Teams
Report of the stocktake of Alcohol and Drug Action Teams, June 2007.
UK. Scotland. Scottish Executive.
Edinburgh: Scottish Executive, 2007. 75p. ISBN 9780755915415
This report considers the current performance of Alcohol and Drug Action Team’s (ADAT) and their capability to deliver future Ministerial priorities on drugs and alcohol. The fundamental questions posed were: is the partnership approach the best way to deliver real improvements in combating substance misuse in Scotland; and, if so, are ADATs the best model for this? If the partnership approach is not the best way to deliver improvements, what is the alternative?
Residential Services in Scotland
Review of Residential Drug Detoxification and Rehabilitation Services in Scotland.
UK. Scotland. Scottish Executive.
Edinburgh: Scottish Executive, 2007. 21p. ISBN 9780755915453
A review of the availability, decision-making process, use and cost of existing residential detoxification and rehabilitation services in Scotland was carried out to develop a comprehensive picture of the current position across Scotland and to help inform future policy and funding decisions.
Reducing Harm
Reducing harm and promoting recovery: a report on methadone treatment for substance misuse in Scotland.
UK. Scotland. Scottish Executive. Scottish Advisory Committee on Drugs Misuse.
Edinburgh: Scottish Executive, 2007. 43p. ISBN 9780755915446
This paper has been produced by an expert group of clinicians and academics in the filed of substance misuse in Scotland and aims to advise ministers on the place of methadone in the treatment of substance misuse in Scotland.
Methadone Prescribing
Review of methadone in drug treatment: prescribing information and practice.
UK. Scotland. Scottish Executive.
Edinburgh: Scottish Executive, 2007. 11p. ISBN 9780755915422
For this report, Information was sought primarily from NHS Boards in relation to the number of people receiving methadone treatment for drug misuse; the number of those who are on a daily supervised consumption regime; and the number of those who receive methadone who have children under the age of 16 living with them, all or part of the time.
Enforcement and Street Users
The impact of enforcement on street users in England.
Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
York: JRF, 2007. 4p.
([JRF] Findings).
The impact of enforcement on street users in England.
Johnson S., Fitzpatrick S.
Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
York: JRF, 2007. 78p. ISBN 9781847420022
Concerns have mounted in recent years about the ‘problematic street culture’ sometimes associated with rough sleeping – especially begging and drinking in the street. There has been a significant shift towards enforcement measures aimed at street users involved in such activities. This study evaluated the impact of these measures on the welfare of street users in five different areas in England.
Giving Up Crime
Giving up crime: directions for policy.
Weaver B., McNeill F.
Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research.
Glasgow: SCCJR, 2007. 16p.
This briefing paper explores the implications for criminal justice policy in Scotland of desistance research – that is, research about the endings of criminal careers.
Social Exclusion Code of Practice
Code of practice: identifying what works for socially excluded people.
UK. Cabinet Office. Social Exclusion Task Force.
London: Cabinet Office, 2007. 2p.
This Code will provide guidance on different ways in which commissioners and providers can draw upon evidence to help assess whether a programme is likely to be promising; set objectives to evaluate a programme or service;and review progress along the way.
Disorder after the Licensing Act 2003
Violent crime, disorder and criminal damage since the introduction of the Licensing Act 2003.
Babb P.
UK. Home Office. Research, Development, Statistics.
London: Home Office, 2007. 27p. ISBN 9781847264312
(Home Office online report 16/07).
This monitoring exercise was carried out to get an indication of the change in police recorded crime following the introduction of the Licensing Act 2003.
Community Orders for Young Offenders
The use of the Community Order and the Suspended Sentence Order for young adult offenders.
Stanley S.
King’s College London. Centre for Crime and Justice Studies.
(Community sentences series).
London: CCJS, 2007. 36p. ISBN 9781906003050
How are the new Community Orders and Suspended Sentence Orders being used for young adults and what has been the impact of the sentencing changes? This report attempts to address these questions and initiate discussion around them.
Crime in England and Wales
Crime in England and Wales, 2006-2007.
Nicholas S., Kershaw C., Walker A. (eds.)
UK. Home Office. Research, Development and Statistics Directorate, UK. Office for National Statistics.
2nd ed. London: Home Office, 2007. 193p.
(Home Office statistical bulletin).
Includes trends and statistcs on drug and drug-related offences.
Offender Healthcare
Good practice in offender health.
Crawley D..
UK. Department of Health.
London: DH, 2007. 81p.
Includes details of the Brighton Oasis Project, the Fulcrum Medical Practice, Nottighamshire DAAT, and the Rehabilitation of Addicted Prisoners Trust.
Drug Testing
Prolific and other priority offender issues, drug testing of PPOs on licence, drug testing in approved premises.
UK. Home Office. National Offender Management Service.
London: NOMS, 2007. 9p.
(NOMS probation circular). (PC 24/2007).
This Circular reminds Areas of the importance of recording prolific and other priority offenders (PPO) status; announces a series of performance visits to Areas relating to PPOs; outlines the funding position with respect to drug-testing in 2007/8 and intentions beyond; and updates Areas on progress with drug testing procurement.
Dual Diagnosis Good Practice Guide
Mental health policy implementation guide: dual diagnosis good practice guide.
UK. Department of Health.
London: DH, 2007. 44p.
This guide summarises current policy and good practice in the provision of mental health services to people with severe mental health problems and problematic substance misuse.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Addiction to Nicotine Gum
Addiction to the nicotine gum in never smokers.
Etter J.-F.
BMC Public Health: 7, 15p.
This article presents the results of an internet questionnaire in 2004-2006 in a self-selected sample of 434 daily users of nicotine gum. To assess dependence on nicotine gum, the author used modified versions of the Nicotine Dependence Syndrome Scale (NDSS), the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence and the Cigarette Dependence Scale. Five never smokers used the nicotine gum daily.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Health
The July/August issue of Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Health: Current Evidence is available here.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Mental Health Care in Prisons
Mental health care in prisons.
UK. Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health.
London: Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, 2007. 8p.
This briefing paper examines the provision of mental health care in prisons. Covers drug and alcohol users. It looks at what has been achieved to date and identifies priorities for further work.
Exploring user perceptions of occasional and controlled heroin use: a follow-up study.
McSweeney T., Turnbull P.J.
York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2007. 64p.
Book examining how occasional and controlled heroin users managed their drug use over an extended period of time.
Saturday, July 07, 2007
A qualitative and quantitative review of cocaine-induced craving: the phenomenon of priming.
Mahoney J.J., Kalechstein A.D., De La Garza R., Newton T.F.
Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry: 31(3), April, 2007, p. 593-599.
Drug-induced craving is thought to play an important role in relapse occasioned by a “slip”, or an isolated use of a previously abused drug after a period of abstinence. Clinical experience suggests that acute exposure to cocaine elicits craving (“priming”). The intentions of this review are to provide a qualitative review of the literature as well as a more stringent quantitative review of the existence and presence of cocaine-induced priming effects.
DrugData Feed
