Emcdda Documentation Centre s6

EMCDDA DOCUMENTATION CENTRE INFORMATION BULLETIN

GENERAL INFORMATION BULLETIN

27 May 2016 ______

WEBSITE

The most commonly encountered drugs currently controlled under the misuse of drugs legislation The list shows each drug’s respective classifications under both the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001. The list is not exhaustive and, in the event of a substance not being listed above, reference should also be made to the published Act and Regulations at legislation.gov.uk, specifically Parts I, II, III and IV of Schedule 2 to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and in Schedules 1 to 5 to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/controlled-drugs-list--2/list-of- most-commonly-encountered-drugs-currently-controlled-under-the-misuse-of- drugs-legislation

GREY LITERATURE

Scottish Drug Misuse Database This report on the Scottish Drug Misuse Database (SDMD) presents the available information on individuals presenting for initial assessment (for a new drug treatment episode) at specialist drug treatment services in 2014/15 | ISD Scotland, UK https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Drugs-and-Alcohol- Misuse/Publications/2016-05-17/2016-05-17-SDMD-Report.pdf

Prevention of drug related deaths That this House remains concerned that drug-related deaths are at the highest level on record; recognises the vital role of drug treatment services; notes that the regularity of retendering for service can be destabilising and funding reductions are damaging, both to those providing and those receiving support; reminds the Government that its drug strategy highlights the prevention of drug-related deaths as one of its key outcomes; and calls on the Government to prioritise treatment to reverse the alarming recent rise in drug deaths | Parliament.uk, UK http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2016-17/34

Drug-related hospital stays in Australia, 1993-2014 Roxburgh, A. and Breen, C Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, 2016

This bulletin presents data on drug-related hospital separations in Australia from 1993-2014 for the following drug types: opioids, cocaine, amphetamines and cannabis. A hospital separation is defined as an episode of care for an admitted patient, which may refer to a total hospital stay (from admission to discharge), or a portion of a hospital stay beginning or ending in a change of type of care, or transfer to another hospital. At the time of separation, a principal (i.e. main) diagnosis, and up to 40 secondary diagnoses may be made. The data presented in this bulletin include only hospital separations where opioids, cocaine, amphetamines or cannabis were determined to be the principal reason for the hospital stay. The data presented will therefore be an under-estimate of the total number of drug-related hospital admissions. Hospital separations are coded according to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Statistical Classification of Diseases (ICD) and Related Problems. The ICD 10th revision (ICD 10 AM) (National Centre for Classification in Health, 1998) was used to code data dating from 1999 to the present in South Australia (SA), Western Australia (WA), and Queensland (QLD). The remaining jurisdictions commenced using ICD 10 AM codes in 1998. Prior to this, the ICD 9th revision (ICD 9 CM) (National Coding Centre, 1996) was used to code hospital separations. Due to the different ways in which psychosis and withdrawal codes are treated in the ICD9 and ICD10 coding structure, we have undertaken separate analysis of amphetamine and cannabis related psychosis separations from 1999/00 onwards. Separations across drug types, reported from 1993 to 2014 do not include separations for withdrawal or psychosis. Appendix A provides the ICD codes used in this bulletin. As problems associated with drug use occur largely in youth to middle age, hospital separations are presented as numbers per million persons aged 15- 54, calculated using the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated resident population figures as at 30 June each year. All figures referred to in this bulletin are rates per million population. It should be noted that variations in coding practices may exist across jurisdictions. http://klmsvr.emcdda.org/vlib/Drug_related_hospital_stays_in_Australia_1993- 2014.pdf

How integrated are homelessness, mental health and drug and alcohol services in Australia? Paul Flatau, Elizabeth Conroy, Monica Thielking, Anne Clear, Sarah Hall, Alicia Bauskis, Matthew Farrugia and Lucy Burns Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute Melbourne: 2013 http://klmsvr.emcdda.org/vlib/How_integrated_are_homelessness_ mental_health_and_drug_and_alcohol_services_in_Australia.pdf

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Declining prevalence of marijuana use disorders among adolescents in the United States, 2002 to 2013 Grucza, R A; Agrawal, A; Krauss, M J; Bongu, J; Plunk, A D; Cavazos-Rehg, C A; Beirut, L J Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 7 April, 2016 doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2016.04.002

Objective Little is known about recent trends in marijuana use disorders among adolescents in the United States. We analyzed trends in the past-year prevalence of DSM-IV marijuana use disorders among adolescents, both overall and conditioned on past-year marijuana use. Potential explanatory factors for trends in prevalence were explored. Method We assembled data from the adolescent samples of the 2002 to 2013 administrations of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (N = 216,852; aged 12−17 years). The main outcome measures were odds ratios describing the average annual change in prevalence and conditional prevalence of marijuana use disorders, estimated from models of marijuana use disorder as a function of year. Post hoc analyses incorporated measures of potentially explanatory risk and protective factors into the trend analyses. Results A decline in the past-year prevalence of marijuana use disorders was observed (odds ratio = 0.976 per year; 95% CI = 0.968, 0.984; p < .001). This was due to both a net decline in past-year prevalence of use and a decline in the conditional prevalence of marijuana use disorders. The trend in marijuana use disorders was accounted for by a decrease in the rate of conduct problems among adolescents (e.g., fighting, stealing). Conclusion Past-year prevalence of marijuana use disorders among US adolescents declined by an estimated 24% over the 2002 to 2013 period. The decline may be related to trends toward lower rates of conduct problems. Identification of factors responsible for the reduction in conduct problems could inform interventions targeting both conduct problems and marijuana use disorders. [FULL TEXT AVAILABLE]

Wastewater-based assessment of regional and temporal consumption patterns of illicit drugs and therapeutic opioids in Croatia Krizman, I; Senta, I; Ahel, M; Terzic, S Science of the Total Environment 566-567, p.454-462, 2016 A comprehensive study of spatial and temporal consumption patterns of the selected illicit drugs (heroin, cocaine, amphetamine, MDMA, methamphetamine, cannabis) and therapeutic opioids (codeine, methadone) has been performed in six Croatian cities by applying wastewater-based epidemiology. The investigated cities (Bjelovar, Vinkovci, Varazdin, Karlovac, Zadar and Zagreb) varied widely in the population size (27,000–688,000 inhabitants) as well as in the number of registered drug consumers included in compulsory and voluntary medical treatment and rehabilitation programs (30–513 persons/100,000 inhabitants of age 15–64). The most consumed illicit drugs were cannabis (10–70 doses/day/1000 inhabitants), heroin (< 0.2–10 doses/day/1000 inhabitants) and cocaine (0.2–8.7 doses/day/1000 inhabitants), while the consumption of amphetamine-type drugs was much lower (< 0.01– 4.4 doses/day/1000 inhabitants). Enhanced consumption of illegal drugs was generally associated with larger urban centers (Zagreb and Zadar) however comparatively high consumption rate of cocaine, MDMA and methadone was determined in some smaller cities as well. The overall average dose number of 3 major illegal stimulants (cocaine, MDMA, amphetamine) was rather similar to the number of corresponding heroin doses, which is in disagreement with a comparatively much higher proportion of heroin users in the total number of registered drug users in Croatia. Furthermore, the illicit drug consumption pattern in the large continental city (Zagreb) was characterized by a significant enhancement of the consumption of all stimulants during the weekend, which could not be confirmed neither for the coastal city of Zadar nor for the remaining small continental cities. On the other hand, the city of Zadar exhibited a significant increase of stimulant drug usage during summer vacation period, as a result of pronounced seasonal changes of the population composition and lifestyle in coastal tourist centers. The obtained results represent a valuable complementary data source for the optimisation and implementation of strategies to combat drug abuse in Croatia. [FULL TEXT AVAILABLE]

Non-fatal overdose as a risk factor for subsequent fatal overdose among people who inject drugs Alexander Caudarella, Huiru Dong, M.J. Milloy, Thomas Kerr, Evan Wood, Kanna Hayashi Drug and Alcohol Dependence Volume 162, Pages 51–55, 2016

Objectives To examine the relationship between non-fatal overdose and risk of subsequent fatal overdose. Methods We assessed risk factors for overdose death among two prospective cohorts of persons who inject drugs (PWID) in Vancouver, Canada. Extended Cox regression was used to examine if reports of non-fatal overdose were associated with the time to fatal overdose while adjusting for other behavioral, social and structural confounders. Results Between May, 1996 and December, 2011, 2317 individuals were followed for a median of 60.8 months. In total, 134 fatal overdose deaths were identified for an incidence density of 8.94 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.55–10.59) deaths per 1000 person-years. During the study period there were 1795 reports of non-fatal overdose. In a multivariate model, recent non-fatal overdose was independently associated with the time to overdose mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR]?=?1.95; 95% CI: 1.17–3.27). As well, there was a dose response effect of increasing cumulative reports of non-fatal overdose on subsequent fatal overdose. Conclusion Reports of recent non-fatal overdose were independently associated with subsequent overdose mortality in a dose-response relationship. These findings suggest that individuals reporting recent non-fatal overdose should be engaged with intensive overdose prevention interventions.

International legal barriers to Canada's marijuana plans Hoffman, S J; Habibi, R Canadian Medical Association Journal cmaj.160369 16 May, 2016 [FULL TEXT AVAILABLE]

The pattern of substance use disorder in the United Arab Emirates in 2015: results of a National Rehabilitation Centre cohort study Alblooshi H, Hulse G, El Kashef A, Al Hashmi H, Shawky M, Al Ghaferi H, Al Safar H, Tay G Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy 2016, 11:19 (13 May 2016)

Background Substance use disorder (SUD) is a global problem with no boundaries, which also afflicts individuals from countries of the Arabian Peninsula. Data from this region is limited. In an effort to develop targeted prevention and intervention initiatives in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), it was necessary to identify the nature of substance use by describing the characteristics of those using different substances. Consequently, this study in the UAE was conceived to describe the pattern of SUD in a first-ever cohort that was systematically recruited from the country’s National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) in Abu Dhabi. Methods Two hundred and fifty male patients were recruited from the NRC. Information on substance use was collected using a questionnaire that was completed at an interview with patients who consented to participate. The questionnaire was based on information that the study was designed to capture. It was reviewed by members of institutional ethics committees and approved prior to use. Two hundred and fifty male subjects from the Emirates Family Registry (EFR) were used as a comparison group. Results In the cohort studied, SUD correlated with smoking and marital status. Poly- substance users formed the majority of the cohort (84.4 %) with various combinations of substances identified across different age groups. Opioid and alcohol were the most common substances used. The use of pharmaceutical opioids, primarily Tramadol (67.2 % of opioid users), was higher among the youngest age group studied (<30 years old), while older opioid users (≥30 years old) commonly used illicit opioids (Heroin). The use of prescribed medication for non-medical use also included Pregabalin (mean of 8.3 capsules ± 0.5 per day), Procyclidin (6.1 tablets + 0.6 per day) and Carisoprodol (4.2 tablets ± 0.4 per day) and was again highest in the age group below 30 years. Conclusion This 2015 study highlights the importance of examining the pattern of poly- substance use in a population in order to develop targeted prevention programs to arrest the prevailing trends. It has drawn attention to the rise in use of prescription medication in the UAE, in particular among younger patients (<30 years), and continuing use of illicit opioid amongst males above 30 years. Specific prevention and intervention strategies, targeting differences between these distinct demographic profiles will capture a large subset of sufferers. [FULL TEXT AVAILABLE]

Population surveys compared with wastewater analysis for monitoring illicit drug consumption in Italy in 2010-2014 Zuccato E, Castiglioni S, Senta I, Borsotti A, Genetti B, Andreotti A, Pieretti G, Serpelloni G Drug and Alcohol Dependence 161, p.178-188, 2016

Background: Monitoring consumption by population surveys (PS) is an important way to challenge the spread of illicit drugs (ID). To improve the information, we explored a complementary method, particularly wastewater analysis (WWA). Methods: We estimated the prevalence of use by PS, and the consumption by WWA, of cocaine, opioids, cannabis, methamphetamine and MDMA (ecstasy) from 2010 to 2014 in Italy and compared the results. Results: According to PS, cannabis and cocaine were the ID most used in Italy (last month prevalence 3.0% and 0.43% respectively in 2010) followed by opioids (0.17%) and amphetamines (0.14%). WWA gave similar findings, with cannabis consumption (4.35g THC/day/1000 inhabitants) exceeding cocaine (0.78g), heroin (0.092g), methamphetamine and MDMA (0.103g). The time trend investigated by PS showed significant decreases for all ID from 2010 to 2012. WWA also indicated a reduction of consumption for methamphetamine (p<0.0001) and heroin (p<0.01). Both methods showed an increase for cannabis in 2014 (p<0.001) with the other ID unchanged. Spatial investigations by WWA showed that cannabis and cocaine were consumed significantly more in central Italy than in the north and south. PS indicated the same but only for cannabis. WWA was helpful to study weekly patterns of consumption, showing increases in cocaine and MDMA at weekends. Conclusions: PS and WWA were confirmed as complementary methods and when used together improved the information on ID use in Italy. We suggest that the combined use of the two approaches can give better information on ID use in the population.

Adult attachment, social adjustment, and well-being in drug-addicted inpatients Elisa Delvecchio, E; Di Riso, D; Lis, A; Salcuni, S Psychological Reports 2016, Vol. 118(2) 587–607

In recent years, attachment studies have gathered overwhelming evidence for a relation between insecure attachment and drug addiction. The existing literature predominantly addresses attachment styles and little attention is given to attachment-pattern–oriented studies. The current study explored how attachment, social adjustment, and well-being interact in 40 (28 men, 12 women; ages 20–52 years, M¼32.3, SD¼9.4) inpatients with drug addiction. The Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP), the Social Adjustment Scale–Self-report (SAS-SR), and the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ- 28) were administered. Descriptive statistics were computed as well as differences between patterns of attachment in all variables were measured. None of the inpatients showed a secure attachment pattern: 7 scored as dismissing (18%), 5 preoccupied (12%) and 28 unresolved (70%). AAP stories were mainly connected with themes of danger, lack of protection, and helplessness. Inpatients classified as unresolved reported significantly higher maladjustment on the SAS-SR and GHQ-28 than those with resolved attachment patterns. Implications for clinicians and researchers are presented.

People control their addictions no matter how much the “chronic” brain disease model of addiction indicates otherwise, we know that people can quit addictions—With special reference to harm reduction and mindfulness Peele, S Addictive Behaviors Reports 20 May 2016 doi:10.1016/j.abrep.2016.05.003

The world, led by the United States, is hell bent on establishing the absence of choice in addiction, an expressed by the defining statement that addiction is a “chronic relapsing brain disease” (my emphasis). The figure most associated with this model, the director of the American National Institute on Drug Abuse, Nora Volkow, claims that addiction vitiates free will through its effects on the brain. In reality, while by no means a simple task, people regularly quit their substance addictions, often by moderating their consumption, usually through mindfulness-mediated processes (Peele, 2007). Ironically, the brain disease model's ascendance in the U.S. corresponds with epidemic rises in opiate addiction, both painkillers (Brady et al., 2016) and heroin (CDC, n.d.), as well as heroin, painkiller, and tranquilizer poisoning deaths (Rudd et al., 2016). More to the point, the conceptual and treatment goal of eliminating choice in addiction and recovery is not only futile, but iatrogenic.Indeed, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's epidemiological surveys, while finding natural recovery for both drug and alcohol disorders to be typical, has found a decline in natural recovery rates (Dawson et al., 2005) and a sharp increase in AUDs (Grant et al., 2015). [FULL TEXT AVAILABLE]

An exploration of alcohol use severity and route of drug administration among persons that use heroin and cocaine Scherer M, Harrell PT, Trenz RC, Canham S, Latimer WW Substance Abuse 37, 2, p.343-348, 2016

Background: Alcohol use is prevalent among populations of persons that use illicit drugs. Problematic alcohol use among persons that use heroin and cocaine has been associated with poor treatment adherence, abstinence maintenance, and mental health concerns. Fully exploring how alcohol use severity interacts with route of administration (ROA) may be of notable importance in development of treatment protocols for persons that use heroin and cocaine. Methods: Data from a neurological and sociobehavioral assessment of risk factors among injection and noninjection drug users known as the NEURO-HIV Epidemiologic Study was used in the analyses. Participants (N = 551) included those who reported their level of past-30-day alcohol use and past-6- month heroin and cocaine use. Results: Multiple logistic regression analyses found that both problematic and moderate alcohol users were significantly less likely than abstainers to report injecting heroin and cocaine. Both problematic and moderate alcohol users were significantly more likely than abstainers to snort substances. Conclusions: Alcohol use may play a role in promoting or impeding the use of substances through certain ROAs. Treatment protocols that transition persons that use injection heroin and cocaine to noninjection use of these substances may be used in conjunction with treatments that reduce alcohol consumption as a means to reduce noninjection drug use.

Social judgments of behavioral versus substance-related addictions: A population-based study Konkolÿ Thege B1, Colman I2, el-Guebaly N3, Hodgins DC4, Patten SB5, Schopflocher D6, Wolfe J7, Wild TC8. Addictive Behaviors 42 :24-31, 2015

Background: Recently, the concept of addiction has expanded to include many types of problematic repetitive behaviors beyond those related to substance misuse. This trend may have implications for the way that lay people think about addictions and about people struggling with addictive disorders. The aim of this study was to provide a better understanding of how the public understands a variety of substance-related and behavioral addictions. Methods: A representative sample of 4000 individuals from Alberta, Canada completed an online survey. Participants were randomly assigned to answer questions about perceived addiction liability, etiology, and prevalence of problems with four substances (alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and cocaine) and six behaviors (problematic gambling, eating, shopping, sexual behavior, video gaming, and work). Results: Bivariate analyses revealed that respondents considered substances to have greater addiction liability than behaviors and that most risk factors (moral, biological, or psychosocial) were considered as more important in the etiology of behavioral versus substance addictions. A discriminant function analysis demonstrated that perceived addiction liability and character flaws were the two most important features differentiating judgments of substance-related versus behavioral addictions. Perceived addiction liability was judged to be greater for substances. Conversely, character flaws were viewed as more associated with behavioral addictions. Conclusions: The general public appreciates the complex bio-psycho-social etiology underlying addictions, but perceives substance-related and behavioral addictions differently. These attitudes, in turn, may shape a variety of important outcomes, including the extent to which people believed to manifest behavioral addictions feel stigmatized, seek treatment, or initiate behavior changes on their own.

Severe and fatal pharmaceutical poisoning in young children in the UK Anderson, M; Hawkins, L; Eddleston, M; Thompson, J P; Vale, J A; Thomas, S H L Archives of Disease in Childhood 16 May 2016 doi:10.1136/archdischild-2015-309921

Objective Accidental poisoning in young children is common, but severe or fatal events are rare. This study was performed to identify the number of such events occurring in the UK and the medications that were most commonly responsible. Design Analysis of national data sets containing information relating to severe and fatal poisoning in children in the UK. Data sources Office of National Statistics mortality data for fatal poisoning; Paediatric Intensive Care Audit Network admissions database and the National Poisons Information Service for severe non-fatal poisoning; Hospital Episode Statistics for admission data for implicated agents. Results Between 2001 and 2013, there were 28 children aged 4 years and under with a death registered as due to accidental poisoning by a pharmaceutical product in England and Wales. Methadone was the responsible drug in 16 (57%) cases. In the UK, 201 children aged 4 years and under were admitted to paediatric intensive care with pharmaceutical poisoning between 2002 and 2012. The agent(s) responsible was identified in 115 cases, most commonly benzodiazepines (22/115, 19%) and methadone (20/115, 17%). Conclusions Methadone is the most common pharmaceutical causing fatal poisoning and a common cause of intensive care unit admissions in young children in the UK.

NEWS STORIES

Drug overdose survivors more likely to die of subsequent overdose: study http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/drug-overdose-survivors-more-likely-to-die-of- subsequent-overdose-study-1.2908911

Hiring hurdle: finding workers who can pass a drug test http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/18/business/hiring-hurdle-finding-workers- who-can-pass-a-drug-test.html?_r=1

Canada's plans to legalize marijuana contravene UN's international conventions http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/310309.php

Can food get you high? We try a meal of psychoactive substances I had been invited to a very special “psychoactive supper” by chef and researcher Charles Michel and his colleagues from the University of Warwick, UK. They promised a menu of stimulating food and intellectual chat designed to highlight the folly of the Psychoactive Substances Act, a blanket ban on legal highs in the UK (https://www.newscientist.com/article/2074813-youre- not-hallucinating-mps-really-did-pass-crazy-bad-drug-law/) that becomes law on 26 May | New Scientist, UK https://www.newscientist.com/article/2089097-can-food-get-you-high-we-try-a- meal-of-psychoactive-substances

The human cost of cheap highs: a journey into Britain's most addicted city Special report: Described by some as being more addictive than heroin, legal highs are not going to be legal much longer. And amid warnings a Government ban will only make things worse, Adam Lusher travels to Newcastle – the epicentre of Britain's growing addiction [DrugWise quoted] | Independent, UK http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/legal-highs-law-banned- thursday-psychoactive-substances-act-critics-professor-nutt-a7035951.html

Triple the number of drug drivers are being caught on London's roads The number of motorists charged with drug-driving in London has soared over the last 12 months - increasing by almost 300 per cent | London Evening Standard, UK http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/dramatic-rise-in-number- of-drug-driving-offences-recorded-in-london-a3248006.html

Marijuana arrests in Colorado fall for white teens but soar among black teens since legalisation Report finds arrests of black adolescents between 10 and 17 years old increased by 58% between 2012 and 2014 | Independent, UK http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/marijuana-arrests-in- colorado-fall-for-white-teens-but-soar-among-black-teens-since-legalisation- a7030071.html

The failed promise of legal pot New laws on marijuana were supposed to boost tax revenues and free up cops to go after “real” criminals. But underground sales—and arrests—are still thriving | Atlantic, USA http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/05/legal-pot-and-the-black- market/481506/?utm_source=digg&utm_medium=twitter

Colorado city will use $1.5 million cannabis tax revenues to help the homeless Aurora, the third largest city in the state, will donate funds to organisations which help low-income people with housing and community services | Independent, UK http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/colorado-city-will-use-15- million-cannabis-tax-revenues-to-help-the-homeless-a7027236.html

Chasing bigger high, marijuana users turn to a yellow, waxy extract The practice of consuming marijuana extract — a yellow, waxy substance — appears to have risen rapidly in New York City over the past few years, law enforcement officials say | NY Times, USA http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/13/nyregion/chasing-bigger-high-marijuana- users-turn-to-dabbing.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&smid=nytcore-ipad- share&_r=0

The war on drugs may have misrepresented psychedelics; here's why that matters The word "psychedelic" can inspire visions of the 1960s — hippies dancing in mud puddles at Woodstock and Grateful Dead groupies packed into Volkswagen buses. But psychedelics may not be as dangerous and addictive as our society thinks. Many of the negative perceptions we have of psychedelics can be traced back to their prohibition in the 1970s, when The War on Drugs terminated all of the medical research being conducted on them | Medical Daily, USA http://www.medicaldaily.com/psychedelic-drugs-mental-health-disorders-bad- rap-war-drugs-385946

Study suggests state-licensed marijuana canopy enough to satisfy recreational and medical markets The amount of marijuana allowed to be grown by state-licensed producers in Washington is enough to satisfy both the medical and recreational marijuana markets, a University of Washington study released today finds | Medical Xpress, USA http://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-05-state-licensed-marijuana-canopy- recreational-medical.html

“Let’s be honest, the war on drugs has failed - it hasn’t actually done anything” Councillor Gary Gannon spoke today about drugs in his area | Journal, Ireland http://www.thejournal.ie/drugs-debate-2770686-May2016/

"Our children are dying": meet the activists saying 'no more' to the 'war on drugs' Last month, openDemocracy was in New York to meet the Caravan Activists, a remarkable group of men and women, who have lost loved ones to the 'war on drugs'. Now they campaign to change the system | Open Democracy, UK https://www.opendemocracy.net/drugpolicy/benjamin-ramm/our-children-are- dying-meet-activists-saying-no-more-to-war-on-drugs#.VzmleWjzQtY.twitter

What's going to happen after the UK government bans all psychoactive drugs? Video Dr John Ramsey talks to Dr Adam Winstock regarding the hisory of NPS and the possible impacts of the new NPS Act due to come in on May 26th | Global Drugs Survey, UK https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCXtplqv2o0

Over half of UK toddler deaths from unintentional drug poisoning due to methadone Methadone, the medicine used to help heroin addicts kick their habit, is the most common cause of unintentional fatal poisoning from prescribed drugs among UK toddlers, finds research published online in the Archives of Disease in Childhood | Medical Xpress, UK http://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-05-uk-toddler-deaths-unintentional- drug.html

Warning sheep high on cannabis could cause havoc in Swansea Valley village "I dread to think what will happen if they eat what could well be cannabis plants – we could have an outbreak out of psychotic sheep rampaging through the village." | South Wales Evening Post, UK http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/Concerns-psychotic-sheep- rampaging-Swansea/story-29314245-detail/story.html

As more states legalize marijuana, adolescents' problems with pot decline http://bit.ly/1WSCOU0