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Pike, Brigid (2008) In brief. Drugnet Ireland, Issue 27, Autumn 2008, p. 27.

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On 19 May 2008 the Archways National Conference on the Incredible Years Programme was held in Dublin. The programme is designed to prevent and treat emotional and behavioural difficulties in children aged 3–10 years. It is being rolled out in Ireland and evaluated by Archways, which promotes and researches evidence-based programmes as interventions for such young people. The Minister for Children, Barry Andrews TD, who opened the conference, said: ‘The Government and HSE are committed to rebalancing child welfare services towards early intervention and family support measures. Working with children within their own families and communities is in the best interests of children and is an important factor in ensuring that they reach their full potential’. www.archways.ie
 
In June 2008 Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, issued figures on household expenditures, based on the 2005 Household Budget Survey in the 27 member states. The data show that, at 4.1%, household expenditure on alcoholic beverages in Ireland in 2005 was the highest in the EU. The mean EU27 level was 1.2%. It should be noted that the relative level of expenditure in each member state does not simply reflect the level of consumption, but also price levels and the overall level of household expenditure. http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat
 
On 5 June 2008 Alcohol and the Emergency Department – making the difference, a new training resource for emergency department staff and the first of its kind to be developed in Ireland, was launched in Cork University Hospital.   Developed by the HSE South's emergency department, liaison psychiatry and health promotion staff, the training DVD and associated posters and booklet have been produced to encourage emergency department staff to safely and supportively raise the issue of alcohol use with patients admitted with an alcohol-related injury or illness. www.hse.ie
 
On 23 June 2008 the Drug Policy Action Group (DPAG) published the third in its series of policy papers, entitled Key issues for drugs policy in Irish prisons. Author Paul O’Mahony concludes his analysis of the issues with a list of things that should happen ‘in order to achieve a more rational, effective and rehabilitative prison system’. They include adjusting current sentencing policy and reducing the number of minor, non-violent, drug-using offenders being sent to prison for short terms, and an increased use of the Drug Court; mandatory drug treatment outside prison and non-custodial sanctions; less emphasis on supply control in prisons and more on reducing the harms caused to prisoners by the current drugs culture in prisons; a greater focus on abstinence-based treatments than on methadone substitution; and improved prison conditions and provision of an environment conducive to the general rehabilitation of offenders.
 
On 26 June 2008, International day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking, the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, issued the following message: ‘We still have much work to do to reduce our vulnerability to drugs. States with weak criminal justice systems and limited law enforcement capabilities need assistance to reduce illicit drug trafficking, which spreads crime, corruption and instability, and which ultimately endangers the successful realization of the Millennium Development Goals. As we mark the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, I remind all Member States of their responsibility to fully respect the rights of prisoners who are drug dependent or are in custody for drug-related crimes, especially their rights to life and a fair trial. I also call on Member States to ensure that people who are struggling with drug addiction be given equal access to health and social services. No one should be stigmatized or discriminated against because of their dependence on drugs.’ www.unodc.org
 
On 26 June 2008 the World drug report 2008, compiled by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), was published. This annual publication provides detailed estimates and trends on production, trafficking and consumption in the opium/heroin, coca/cocaine, cannabis and amphetamine-type stimulants markets. This year’s edition reports that ‘the drug problem is being contained but there are warning signs that the stabilisation which has occurred over the last few years could be in danger. Notable amongst these is the increase in both opium poppy and coca cultivation in 2007, some growth in consumption in developing countries and some development of new trafficking patterns. There have also been encouraging contractions in some of the main consumer markets.’ This year, almost one hundred years since the Shanghai Opium Commission in 1909, the report also gives a historical review of the development of the international drug control system. www.unodc.org
 
On 26 June 2008 the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) released A cannabis reader: global issues and local experiences — perspectives on cannabis controversies, treatment and regulation in Europe . Leading European experts provide informed insight into a wide range of cannabis topics, from political, legislative, economic and social developments to prevention, treatment and healthcare. https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/11634/
 
On 30 July 2008 the UK Drug Policy Commission published Tackling drug markets and distribution networks in the UK: a review of the recent literature. This review found that UK drug markets are extremely resilient and increasing drug seizures have had little street-level impact. Despite hundreds of millions of pounds spent each year on UK drug enforcement activity, there is remarkably little evidence of its effectiveness in disrupting markets and reducing availability. The available evidence supports a local partnership approach that focuses on reducing the impact of drug markets as felt by communities.
Item Type
Article
Publication Type
Irish-related, International, Open Access, Article
Drug Type
All substances
Issue Title
Issue 27, Autumn 2008
Date
2008
Page Range
p. 27
Publisher
Health Research Board
Volume
Issue 27, Autumn 2008
EndNote
Accession Number
HRB (Available)

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