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Ethical challenges in drug epidemiology: issues, principles and guidelines

The Global Assessment Programme on Drug Abuse (GAP) Toolkit Module 7: Ethical challenges in drug epidemiology: issues, principles and guidelines, was prepared by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime as part of the activities of GAP. The main objectives of GAP are to help countries to (a) collect reliable and internationally comparable data on drug abuse; (b) build capacity at the local level to collect data that can guide demand reduction activities; and (c) improve cross-national,regional and global reporting on drug trends.

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Matthew Southwell Commission on Narcotic Drugs 2010

Methamphetamine use and malnutrition among street-involved youth

We sought to explore the effect of crystal methamphetamine use on the risk of experiencing malnutrition among street-involved youth in Vancouver, Canada. Risk of malnutrition was defined as being hungry but not having enough money
to buy food. Socio-demographic and drug use factors associated with risk of malnutrition were investigated using univariate and multivariate analysis among a prospective cohort of street-involved youth known as the At-Risk Youth Study (ARYS).

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Heroin blamed for rise in Cork city crime figures

Heroin use has been blamed for a rise in street-level and petty crime in Cork, despite an overall reduction in crime figures.Four hefty sentences handed down by the courts to heroin dealers in recent weeks should send out a very strong warning, the division’s top garda said.  Chief Superintendent Michael Finn welcomed the 14-year sentence, two 10-year sentences, and a seven-year sentence, while addressing the Cork City Joint Policing Committee.

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More cocaine overdoses in warmer weather

When the weather gets nicer, frequency of cocaine-related deaths tends to go up, according to a study published last week in the journal Addiction. By comparing New York City mortality data from 1990 through 2006 with average temperature information for the region from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, researchers found that more people died of cocaine overdose when temperatures rose past 75ºF (24ºC) than when it was cooler out.

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Methadone is a noose around my neck’

Stand outside the chemist on Portland Road in Kilmarnock first thing on a weekday morning and you’ll find fidgety drug addicts waiting to get inside for their methadone fix. As in pharmacies across the country, the little bottles of luminous green liquid will be handed out to tide users over for another day – to keep them from having more damaging cravings for deadly heroin.

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Swedish Health Minister’s position on safe injection rooms and heroin prescription

Displaying what can only be described as a limited understanding of safe injection rooms and heroin prescription programmes, the Swedish Health Minister, Maria Larsson, dismisses them as “unacceptable” in this interview with the World Federation Against Drugs. (IHRA)

Figures show Wales’ steroid timebomb

Empirical Science Meets Moral Panic: An Analysis of the Politics of Needle Exchange

Dispite eight major national reports affirming the benefits of needle exchange programs (NEPs) in preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS , they remain controversial with legislators and the general public. In contrast, a wide swath of public health professionals maintains that conclusive scientific evidence has proven that NEPs:

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Distributing safer crack use kits in Canada

A number of public health departments and community organizations in Canada distribute safer crack use kits to people who use crack cocaine. The kits typically include mouthpieces, glass stems and screens, as well as condoms and referral information for other health and support services. This document outlines why such health programs are needed and answers a number of legal questions related to the distribution of safer crack use kits.

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