I was amused by Conal Urquhart's description in the Observer of the novelist Lionel Shriver being sucked into an MRI brain scanner "that resembles a giant washing machine". I see her tumbling around with the rest of the laundry, including actor Keith Allen and former MP Evan Harris, to emerge bright and uplifted.
The three of them were participants in a brain imaging study into the effects of MDMA ("ecstasy") on brain function, parts of which will be televised on Channel 4's Drugs Live documentary on Wednesday and Thursday night.
Crimes committed by known drug-dependent offenders fell by almost half when they successfully completed a drug treatment programme, according to new research published today. The largest empirical study ever conducted in England on the impact of drug treatment on crime also showed a similar drop in convictions among those retained in treatment for up to two years. The longer those individuals were retained, the bigger the drop in convictions. Read more »
Research carried out by the New University of Haifa shows that administering marijuana could be effective at treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The details of the study, which was conducted using rodents, have been published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.
The study was led by Dr. Irit Akirav of the University of Haifa’s Department of Psychology and was assisted by research student Eti Ganon-Elazar. According to the researchers, rats have a similar physiological reaction to stress and trauma as humans do and the study aimed to find out the effects of cannabinoids (synthetic marijuana) on PTSD-like symptoms.
Commenting in a press release, Dr. Akirav said:
“We found that there is a ‘window of opportunity’ during which administering synthetic marijuana helps deal with symptoms simulating PTSD in rats.” Read more »
Norway’s left-center government seems ready to try using “motivational dialogue” with drug users instead of simply issuing fines to those found with relatively minor quantities of narcotics. The users will also be offered “intervention programs” aimed at steering them away from a life of addiction, but opposition politicians aren’t convinced. Read more »
An in-school drug and alcohol abuse clinic is opening at a public high school on Long Island, the first of its kind in New York state and possibly in the nation, treatment advocates said on Wednesday.
Responding to soaring rates of substance abuse among students, the William Floyd High School in Mastic Beach will house the clinic starting in August.
It will be run by Daytop Treatment Services, a network of drug and alcohol abuse centers, at no cost to the school district. The clinic will provide counseling but cannot dispense methadone or other drugs. Read more »
Friday night, the New Mexico State Legislature passed the Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act with overwhelming bi-partisan support. This bill proposes appropriate community-based treatment, instead of incarceration, for non-violent drug possession offenders and people with drug-related probation or parole violations. Senate Bill 321, sponsored by Senator Martinez and Representative Maestas, sailed through both the Senate and the House with a vote of 21-3 in the Senate and 41-26 in the House. Read more »
The state of Illinois will cease to fund alcohol and drug treatment and prevention programs as of March 15, the News-Gazette reported Feb. 19. The cuts are part of Governor Pat Quinn's proposed 2012 budget.
The cuts are scheduled to take effect March 15, not on July 1, when the 2012 fiscal year begins. If they are implemented, advocates say, many treatment providers will have to close their doors.
"It's the most devastating picture possible," said Sara Howe, CEO of the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association. "There's real concern about the entire system being shut down because providers will close." Read more »
VIA Kevin Drum, Keith O'Brien reports in the Boston Globe on a new study showing positive results from Portugal's nine-year-old experiment in drug decriminalisation. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, rates of hard- and soft-drug usage in Portugal were soaring, along with hepatitis and HIV rates.
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I was amused by Conal Urquhart's description in the Observer of the novelist Lionel Shriver being sucked into an MRI brain scanner "that resembles a giant washing machine". I see her tumbling around with the rest of the laundry, including actor Keith Allen and former MP Evan Harris, to emerge bright and uplifted.
Crimes committed by known drug-dependent offenders fell by almost half when they successfully completed a drug treatment programme, according to new research published today. The largest empirical study ever conducted in England on the impact of drug treatment on crime also showed a similar drop in convictions among those retained in treatment for up to two years. The longer those individuals were retained, the bigger the drop in convictions. 
by Jane Fazackarley
Norway’s left-center government seems ready to try using “motivational dialogue” with drug users instead of simply issuing fines to those found with relatively minor quantities of narcotics. The users will also be offered “intervention programs” aimed at steering them away from a life of addiction, but opposition politicians aren’t convinced. 
An in-school drug and alcohol abuse clinic is opening at a public high school on Long Island, the first of its kind in New York state and possibly in the nation, treatment advocates said on Wednesday.
Friday night, the New Mexico State Legislature passed the Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act with overwhelming bi-partisan support. This bill proposes appropriate community-based treatment, instead of incarceration, for non-violent drug possession offenders and people with drug-related probation or parole violations. Senate Bill 321, sponsored by Senator Martinez and Representative Maestas, sailed through both the Senate and the House with a vote of 21-3 in the Senate and 41-26 in the House. 
The state of Illinois will cease to fund alcohol and drug treatment and prevention programs as of March 15, the News-Gazette reported Feb. 19. The cuts are part of Governor Pat Quinn's proposed 2012 budget.
VIA Kevin Drum, Keith O'Brien reports in the Boston Globe on a new study showing positive results from Portugal's nine-year-old experiment in drug decriminalisation. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, rates of hard- and soft-drug usage in Portugal were soaring, along with hepatitis and HIV rates.
