Drug Education News

The Daily Mail carries a story about new research from America:
Teenage pot smokers are much more likely to go on to use harder drugs, such as heroin, claims a new report.
Researchers insist they now have scientific proof that cannabis works as a “gateway” drug and makes young users more physically vulnerable to heroin addiction later [...]

DrugData, the blog from DrugScope has a briefing on VSA:
This week we have updated our reading list of basic texts on inhalants and solvents, as a response to a rise in enquiries about Volatile Substance Abuse (VSA).
Although VSA is not illegal in itself, there are provisions to prevent retailers selling solvents and inhalants to young [...]

Young People Now have new research on how young people are using alcohol:
Three-quarters of underage young people have tried alcohol at least once, up from 43 per cent in 2002, according to research for Young People Now and the Office of the Children’s Commissioner.
The research, for which Ipsos Mori surveyed 2,334 11- to 16-year-olds across [...]

The Daily Mail reports on new research on public awareness of the harm caused by tobacco:
Almost half of us do not realise that the children of smokers are more likely to start smoking themselves, research revealed today.
Developing Patient Partnerships (DPP) found that 48 per cent of the public were unaware that not only did the [...]

Renewal.net is the website that describes itself as “the on-line guide to what works in neighbourhood renewal”.
They have have two papers that may be of interest to us:
Preventing and reducing drug use by vulnerable young people
some young people are more vulnerable to becoming involved in drug use than others, and describes how the needs of [...]

The Observer has a story about girls drinking:
Teenagers from affluent homes are the most likely to drink frequently and behave while drunk in a way that they will regret, according to a new study which also finds that girls typically drink more than boys.
The survey of 11 to 16 year olds shows that, while girls [...]

The Social Care Institute for Excelence has a research briefing on how parenting capacity is affected by substance abuse. They say:
It is difficult to be precise about the numbers of parents and children affected by substance misuse, but it has been estimated that the number of children who may be exposed to the consequences [...]

The Home Office report on two new drug information leaflets from FRANK:
‘Does your child know more than you?’ is aimed at parents and carers and includes information on drugs; alcohol; tobacco and solvents, as well as advice about talking to young people about drugs. ‘Know the Score‘ is an A to Z of drugs and [...]

Malehealth looks at the latest figures from the Institute of Alcohol Studies:
First of all girls overtook boys in exam results then there was the Ofcom report last month suggesting that girls understand the media and new technology better than boys and now, apparently, the ultimate indiginity: teenage girls in the UK have overtaken boys [...]

The Telegraph carries a story on research from Sweden:

The long-running debate over the dangers of cannabis will be reignited by a study that challenges the idea that experimenting with the drug is harmless and does not lead to further drug use.
Prof Yasmin Hurd, Dr Sabrina Spano and Dr Maria Ellgren, working at the Karolinksa Institute, [...]