New Minister of State with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy
Labour TD Mr Alex White succeeded Ms Róisín Shortall as Minister of State with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy in September 2012.
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Use of sedatives or tranquillisers and anti-depressants in Ireland
by Justine Horgan, NACD, and Jean Long
The National Advisory Committee on Drugs (NACD) recently published Bulletin 6 in the series of reports on the 2010/11 general population survey on drug use in Ireland and Northern Ireland.1 The bulletin reports the prevalence of sedative or tranquilliser and anti-depressant use among adults aged 15–64 years.
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Monitoring centre report reveals latest drug trends in Europe
by Brian Galvin
The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) published its annual report 2012 on the drugs situation in Europe in November.1 According to the report, we may be entering a new era in which heroin will no longer play such a central role in Europe’s drugs problems. The number of new heroin users is declining in several countries, while access to substitution treatment for opioid (mostly heroin) users has risen.
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What makes for a ‘good’ drugs policy?
by Brigid Pike
In recent months a slew of documents outlining what makes for a ‘good’ drugs policy have appeared. Two sets of guidelines have emanated from the NGO sector, at EU and international level, and two from governmental sources – the Council of Europe and the US government. A study of the principles and criteria as summarised in the table below highlights the differing perspectives and priorities of the different entities.
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