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Tag Archives: public-health

Reducing Substance Abuse Among Teens

Prevention is often the best medicine, not only for physical health, but also public health, according to researchers at Penn State and Iowa State University. According to the researchers, young adults reduce their overall prescription drug misuse up to 65 percent if they are part of a community-based prevention effort while still in middle school…

Physicians Call For New Tax On Sugary Drinks, Fatty Foods; Tax Hike On Tobacco, Alcoholic Beverages

Go ye and sin no more – or pay for it, when it comes to junk food, smoking and consuming alcohol.

Massachusetts Proposes Fees For Medical Marijuana Program

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) has proposed a fee structure for a self-financed medical marijuana industry that supports patient access without relying on taxpayer resources. Acting DPH Commissioner Cheryl Bartlett said: “The program will be self-sustaining through fees on registered marijuana dispensaries and patients…

Latest guidance offering to commissioners of drug and alcohol services

A new guidance document for commissioning drug and alcohol services has been released by the Joint Commissioning Panel for Mental Health (JCPMH).   Guidance for commissioners of drug and alcohol services [pdf] presents an overview of key considerations for those with local remits for developing treatment services

Alcohol consumption in adolescence and early adult life: What are the consequences? CLOSER event presentations

This month an event took place exploring 'Alcohol consumption in adolescence and early adult life: What are the consequences?' . It was organised by the Cohorts and Longitudinal Studies Enhancement Resources (CLOSER), a consortium of the UK’s leading birth cohort and longitudinal studies. 'High alcohol consumption – especially among young people – continues to be a major social and public health concern in the UK.

Hepatitis C treatment access and uptake for people who inject drugs: a review mapping the role of social factors

Background: Evidence documents successful hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment outcomes for people who inject drugs (PWID) and interest in HCV treatment among this population. Maximising HCV treatment for PWID can be an effective HCV preventative measure.

Drinkaware independent review raises questions for industry funded alcohol charity

The industry funded alcohol education charity Drinkaware has released an independent review of its activities , with mixed findings over its effectiveness to date. Download the report here [pdf] or appendices . The review was carried out by consultancy firm 23Red which in the executive summary identifies its main findings as: 2.1 This is a mixed report

Tobacco Companies Keep People Smoking Despite UK Cigarette Tax Increases

The tobacco industry keeps the price of its cheapest cigarettes virtually static despite annual increases in tobacco taxes, circumventing the United Kingdom’s public health policy to reduce smoking through higher prices. Raising tobacco prices is one of the most effective means of reducing tobacco use, particularly among price-sensitive smokers such as young people and people with low incomes…

Alcohol, Drug Use A Greater Risk For Children Of Deployed Parents

In 2010, almost 2 million American children had at least one parent in active military duty. A new University of Iowa study suggests that deployment of a parent puts these children at an increased risk for drinking alcohol and using drugs…

It’s more about the heroin’: injection drug users’ response to an overdose warning campaign in a Canadian setting

Abstract Aims To assess heroin injectors’ perceptions of and responses to a warning issued by public health officials regarding high-potency heroin and increases in fatal overdoses.