Brian Wright is being chased for £45million in profits from his billion-pound cocaine smuggling operation,

Brian Wright is being chased for £45million in profits from his billion-pound cocaine smuggling operation, a court heard.The 61-year-old godfather — who was known as The Milkman because he always delivered — is serving 30 years in jail after being convicted last year. In 2004 he was said to be worth £600m and prosecutors have this week been trying to claw back the proceeds of his crimes at Woolwich Crown Court.But Wright, who had a house in Frimley, claims he has no assets left. He is refusing to attend the hearing despite being brought from Whitemoor Prison in Cambridgeshire to the high-security Belmarsh jail in south London.His barrister Jerome Lynch QC told the court: “His position is he has nothing and no matter how much he says it, that will not be accepted.“Everything he paid for was paid for in cash and rented.“The approach the Crown has taken is so unrealistic that it is pointless engaging and he takes the view that it almost doesn’t matter.<br />“He is nearly 62 years of age, and is serving 30 years. He will not see the light of day.“One can understand a man of his age taking that approach when it is likely he will die in jail.”Mr Lynch said Wright’s wife died last year and added: “Is it really supposed that this man who allowed his wife to die in a rented apartment in Spain is the holder of £45million?’But Wright is refusing to give evidence in court to back up his claims he has no money left.“He has no intention of going into the witness box to give any further evidence other than that which he gave in the trial,” said Mr Lynch.<br />Brian Wright led a double life as a notorious horse-racing punter and a major league gangster before his arrest in Spain 2005.He rubbed shoulders with royalty, boasted a celebrity lifestyle.He laundered his drug money by making huge wagers on horse racing.Wright, married for 43 years, even boasted of meeting singer Frank Sinatra and film star Clint Eastwood.His wealth afforded him a house in Frimley, his rented luxury apartment in Chelsea Harbour, and a £2m villa — named El Lechero, the Spanish for The Milkman — in Spain.He had a box at the Royal Ascot race meeting for 14 years and was a member of the exclusive clubs Tramps and Annabels in London.<br />Wright was finally nailed by a Customs and Excise operation which began after a boat named Sea Mist was boarded by Irish Police at Cork Harbour on September 29, 1996.<br />Officers found 1,230lb of cocaine — valued at more than £50m — hidden in the dumb waiter of the yacht.The shipment was meant to have been smuggled into the UK and stored at a safe house in Lymington, Hampshire, but the gang fled the property after hearing of the arrest of the crew.Left at the house was Brian Wright’s Channel 4 Racing Diary containing contact numbers for other members of his cartel, as well as dozens of famous names in horse racing and TV. In 1997, police began bugging Wright’s exclusive riverside flat in Chelsea Harbour and following him and his friends, including right-hand man Kevin Hanley.The next year, as three more shipments successfully arrived in the UK via Poole, Dorset, and Salcombe, Devon, Wright was arrested over horse-fixing allegations.<br />He was released on bail and in December 1998 he left the UK for Spain after having a heart bypass operation.But on February 12, 1999, Wright’s son Brian Anthony Wright and son-in-law Paul Shannon were among 15 people arrested in connection with the smuggling investigation. Five days after his son’s arrest, Wright Snr paid £20,000 through his daughter Joanne for a private jet to take him and jockey Declan Murphy to Northern Cyprus.Because the territory had no extradition treaty with the UK, he was effectively safe from arrest until he moved on to Spain in 2002.<br />It was only in the spring of 2005 that Wright Snr was arrested in Marbella and flown back to Britain to face trial.The same year, police arrested Hanley’s girlfriend Anni Rowland for laundering drug money and found nearly £70,000 at her home in Great Burford, Oxfordshire.<br />Wright, whose last known address was in Cadiz, Spain, denied one count of conspiracy to evade the prohibition on the importation of a controlled substance and one count of conspiracy to supply drugs.<br />His only previous conviction is for dishonesty, obtaining property by deception, in the late 1970s.<br />Wright Jnr, now 40, of Ridgemount, Weybridge, Surrey, was found guilty of drugs importation and jailed for 16 years.<br />Paul Shannon, now 42, of Lockier Walk, Wembley, was found guilty of conspiracy to supply and jailed for five years. <br />The hearing continues.

Brian Wright is being chased for £45million in profits from his billion-pound cocaine smuggling operation,

Brian Wright is being chased for £45million in profits from his billion-pound cocaine smuggling operation, a court heard.The 61-year-old god...

Read more »

Passive Alert Narcotics Detection Animal (PANDA) scans people for the presence of drugs such as heroin, cocaine, ecstasy and amphetamines.

If the dog thinks a person is carrying drugs they will sit next to them. Officers then have a power to search that person to look for drugs. One of the PANDA dogs scanned people waiting in queues for nightclubs and bars on Friday night.<br />Although there were no arrests made on this occasion it sent out a warning to revellers that police would be carrying out regular operations throughout the summer. Every weekend police put on additional patrols to meet the needs of Newcastle's popular social scene.City centre officers work closely with licensees and door staff every day of the week in an attempt to curtail disorder and the use of drugs. This operation was the first of a series of PANDA dog patrols which will continue throughout the summer.It's aimed at reinforcing the good work already being done by door supervisors who randomly search customers as a condition of entry into pubs and clubs. Over the past four months, more than 100 people have been arrested as a result of spot checks on entry by door supervisors and drugs including cocaine, heroin and amphetamine have been seized. <br />Neighbourhood Sergeant Claire Lawson said: "People who come to Newcastle just want to enjoy themselves and our job is to make sure they do just that. <br />"However, we won't tolerate the small percentage who bring drugs into the city centre, or whose bad behaviour starts to impact on other people's enjoyment, and the PANDA dog is one of many pro-active tactics we use. "We'd like to reassure people we are listening to their concerns and will continue to do all we can to tackle this issue so the city centre remains a safe and vibrant place for everyone to enjoy an evening out." The city centre becomes a popular venue during the summer for stag and hen parties, and also birthday celebrations. Sgt Lawson added: "It can be on these occasions when people may try drugs for the first time and it's those people we will catch out during these operations. Don't celebrate your birthday with a conviction. <br />"The city centre also has a successful Pubwatch scheme - where premises work together to share information instantly - which is supported by door staff. <br />"It demonstrates that by working closely with our partners and the community we can continue to be successful in reducing crime and disorder in Newcastle."

Passive Alert Narcotics Detection Animal (PANDA) scans people for the presence of drugs such as heroin, cocaine, ecstasy and amphetamines.

If the dog thinks a person is carrying drugs they will sit next to them. Officers then have a power to search that person to look for drugs....

Read more »

Police recorded 217 visitors to the house, including regular visits by 20 known heroin users.

Dealers’ homes were targeted in police swoops after months of intelligence gathering by police.Nine targets were arrested and suspected drugs were seized in Operation Pembroke last September.Now, after the suspects have been dealt with by the courts over the past few months, police have revealed how their arrests have brought a drop in crime.The figures were given by Chester-le-Street community Insp Paul Anderson as he welcomed the last of the sentences handed out to people arrested during the operation.He said: “Since Operation Pembroke we have seen a sharp drop in crimes such as shoplifting, purse thefts and street robberies.“We believe most of these crimes were connected to the supply of drugs in the town.“In one incident an elderly woman suffered a broken arm during a robbery.”Insp Anderson said in August last year, before the raids, there were 352 crimes reported in the whole district, compared to 294 in October – a month after the arrests.In January this year there were 302 reported crimes, compared to 401 in January last year.<br />Eight people admitted being concerned with the supply of the Class A drug heroin, while a ninth admitted offering the drug.Sentences ranged from a nine-month suspended jail term to six years imprisonment.Durham Crown Court was told in February that Malcolm Pentland, 28, had allowed his house in the town’s Tuart Street to become a safe haven for drug taking and dealing.He was jailed for six years.<br />During Operation Pembroke, police recorded 217 visitors to the house, including regular visits by 20 known heroin users.<br />Undercover officers made 15 separate test purchases and were supplied £10 wraps of heroin.Last week Darren Turnbull, 23, of Arthur Street, High Handenhold, near Pelton, was given a 12-month jail sentence, suspended for two years with 100 hours of unpaid work.Kevin Watson, 48, of John Street, Beamish, was sentenced to serve 12 months, in addition to 138 days left from his last sentence.Richard Kaye, 25, of Windsor Terrace, Great Lumley, Chester-le-Street, was jailed for 12 months.<br />Insp Anderson said: “I am pleased with the sentences which have been handed out to criminals.“We are not resting on our laurels and want to reassure the community that we will act on all information that we receive.”

Police recorded 217 visitors to the house, including regular visits by 20 known heroin users.

Dealers’ homes were targeted in police swoops after months of intelligence gathering by police.Nine targets were arrested and suspected drug...

Read more »

killing of Richard Petty over a mere £80 sheds a harsh light on the perils of Teesside’s drugs underworld

killing of Richard Petty over a mere £80 sheds a harsh light on the perils of Teesside’s drugs underworld, even at its lower levels. CCTV captured the murderers’ movements with chilling precision. Into the lift, up to the seventh floor, back down, then out - in four minutes.<br />CCTV captured the murderers’ movements with chilling precision. Into the lift, up to the seventh floor, back down, then out - in four minutes.“They had at the most 90 seconds in that flat,” says Detective Inspector Andy Greenwood, above, from Cleveland Police’s murder investigation team, who retraced their steps at the Melsonby Court flats.Mark ‘Peo’ Pearson and Joe Tingle were hardly sophisticated drugs kingpins living in high-rolling opulence.As heroin users themselves, they had advanced up the food chain to using at least one “lieutenant” to sell drugs for them and share the profits.But their savage execution of Richard Petty in his Billingham home between 2.36 and 2.40pm on March 25 was every bit as vicious and ruthlessly efficient as any gangland ‘hit’.With heroin and half a bottle of vodka inside him, Pearson walked silently into the living room and spoke to Mr Petty.Without giving him a chance to reply, Pearson was seen swiping and lunging at him with a large kitchen knife, twice thrusting the blade into his body up to the hilt.Richard Petty was left lying on his back, dying in a pool of blood with seven stab wounds, one into the heart.“It was a totally unprovoked attack on a man who was sitting in the living room of his flat, unprotected,” says Det Insp Greenwood.

killing of Richard Petty over a mere £80 sheds a harsh light on the perils of Teesside’s drugs underworld

killing of Richard Petty over a mere £80 sheds a harsh light on the perils of Teesside’s drugs underworld, even at its lower levels. CCTV ca...

Read more »

Adam Greener was armed with a silver revolver when he got into a woman’s car at the junction of Roman Road and Rockliffe Road in Linthorpe

Adam Greener was armed with a silver revolver when he got into a woman’s car at the junction of Roman Road and Rockliffe Road in Linthorpe and said, “Drive or I’ll shoot you.”Under the influence of drugs, he tried to snatch the driver’s handbag from the passenger seat of the Peugeot 206, which was stationary in traffic.Greener, 20, of Westbourne Road, Middlesbrough, admitted two charges at Teesside Crown Court yesterday.He pleaded guilty to attempting to rob 46-year-old mum Kay Cotton, from the Eston area, of her handbag on January 15, and possessing a firearm or imitation firearm with intent to commit robbery.Prosecutor Ian West said: “She describes going back to her car after going to the shop.“A man, the defendant, gets into the passenger seat of the car. He says, ‘Drive.’“When she doesn’t immediately do that, he produces this weapon and says, ‘Drive or I’ll shoot you.’“The defendant accepts what Mrs Cotton says he said when he got into the car.”The hooded raider fled empty-handed, while Mrs Cotton got out of the car and was shaken but not injured.She was taken into a nearby shop and given a cup of tea to calm her nerves until police arrived and sealed off the area in Roman Road.Greener had been accused of attempted kidnap, but the Crown are no longer proceeding with that charge because of his guilty pleas.He had no previous serious crimes which would classify him as a dangerous offender.But if it is discovered that he had a prohibited weapon, he could face a minimum sentence of five years in prison.It has still not been confirmed for certain whether the weapon, found in Mrs Cotton’s car, was an imitation or real firearm.“There were apparently bullets in the chambers of this revolver, but the barrel was blocked at the bridge,” Mr West told the court yesterday.It is not certain whether it could be adapted to fire a lethal missile, he added. Experts are to be consulted, and there may be a court hearing to decide the issue.<br />Peter Sabiston, defending, said Greener was under the influence of Class C drugs at the time.<br />The judge, Recorder Michael Slater, adjourned sentencing until April 11 for reports to be prepared on Greener, who was remanded in custody. The attack was described as an “isolated incident”.<br />But it prompted Cleveland Police to urge drivers to take extra care when stationary in built-up areas, to lock doors while travelling, sound horns if in danger and not to leave bags on seats or in footwells.

Adam Greener was armed with a silver revolver when he got into a woman’s car at the junction of Roman Road and Rockliffe Road in Linthorpe

Adam Greener was armed with a silver revolver when he got into a woman’s car at the junction of Roman Road and Rockliffe Road in Linthorpe a...

Read more »

'Trauma, Drug Misuse and Transforming Identities: A Life Story Approach'

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIQDiY5nhWboVHblQO1I4J1zRZbepEL2DmcH9FjC1OvMcoBa-mYRw7h3kKGiKncQvolx6JpMPwXkSHP7uTruzx6YM4DhYuFEjM_MnlV8m20a7WixWu0KtO556k9sLtWoJQHVdqzZKhSsg/s1600-h/Heroin12.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187181967683508898" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIQDiY5nhWboVHblQO1I4J1zRZbepEL2DmcH9FjC1OvMcoBa-mYRw7h3kKGiKncQvolx6JpMPwXkSHP7uTruzx6YM4DhYuFEjM_MnlV8m20a7WixWu0KtO556k9sLtWoJQHVdqzZKhSsg/s320/Heroin12.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" /></a><br /> 'Trauma, Drug Misuse and Transforming Identities: A Life Story Approach' by Professor Kim Etherington. Kim's book looks at the lives of ex-drug users told in their words. It illustrates the links between early childhood experiences and drug misuse, and also shows pathways to recovery and transformation.<br />The book illustrates how some people use drugs, in particular heroin, as a coping mechanism to help them deal with traumatic experiences in their childhood. Such trauma may have involved chronic parental neglect, physical and emotional abuse by parents, sexual abuse by a family member, rape by a stranger, or racial abuse and harassment. <br />Heroin and other opiates are used medically as analgesics to reduce physical pain, but they also alleviate psychological pain. It is not surprising that a traumatised person may use heroin as a coping mechanism and take up the heroin-using lifestyle. Becoming part of the heroin-using culture can also be of 'therapeutic value' because the person associates with other heroin users who may identify with their problems and past experiences. Some of these people will have had similar experiences.<br />Most non-drug users do not see beyond the heroin user stereotype - the 'dirty, devious, criminal junkie'. They do not stop to think that the heroin user may have experienced a traumatic childhood and have started along a path to addiction as a natural response to trying to deal with their resulting anguish and psychological pain. They did not set out to become an addict, and they very likely did not know the addictive potential of heroin and the heroin-using lifestyle.<br />These same non-drug users may have no problems at all with other people going to their doctor because they felt anxious or 'down' and being readily prescribed with anti-anxiety drugs (that are highly addictive) or anti-depressants. The distress these people are experiencing may be minimal compared to the heroin user described above and the necessity for prescribed drug use unjustified. However, the person wants to feel they are being 'treated', the doctor wants to keep the patient happy, and the drug company (which some people might argue is a legal drug dealer in certain circumstances) makes its profits.<br />We are in a hypocritical society which on the one hand demonises use of illegal drugs - without thinking about why these drugs might be used - whilst at the same time encouraging people to take legal prescribed drugs, which are in many cases more dangerous than legal drugs. <br />And we get bigoted comments like that reported to have been made by Tory MP David Davies last week - 'Taxpayers will be outraged that so much of their money is going to junkies and winos who will use the money simply to fund their disgusting habits.' Such people need to move past the end of their noses and get a dose of reality - assuming that they understand or care about problems experienced by other people. They must stop making naive and nasty generalisations.

'Trauma, Drug Misuse and Transforming Identities: A Life Story Approach'

'Trauma, Drug Misuse and Transforming Identities: A Life Story Approach' by Professor Kim Etherington. Kim's book looks at the ...

Read more »

Health expert has been charged with devising a strategy to reduce the financial toll of alcohol, drugs and cigarettes.

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6iT0Y2oeh90WBkAsNTLlkwngkwLvPZ66bIktLbixakV43vIQZmHTTq-Ui_SkYRMaTsVMtfXsGoN2uBRkCV5Dx5Cn44rfAm7kIHHiPXHKl3c6J7zqaIhVo5_oJfqkly6FlTI9nkOED6Zw/s1600-h/N_ROXON_narrowweb__300x351,0.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187181078625278610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6iT0Y2oeh90WBkAsNTLlkwngkwLvPZ66bIktLbixakV43vIQZmHTTq-Ui_SkYRMaTsVMtfXsGoN2uBRkCV5Dx5Cn44rfAm7kIHHiPXHKl3c6J7zqaIhVo5_oJfqkly6FlTI9nkOED6Zw/s200/N_ROXON_narrowweb__300x351,0.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" /></a><br />Health expert has been charged with devising a strategy to reduce the financial toll of alcohol, drugs and cigarettes.Health Minister Nicola Roxon announced the establishment of the taskforce _ to be led by the professor of global health at the Nossal Institute of Global Health, Dr Rob Moodie _ as she released a report showing that in 2004-2005, the social cost of alcohol, tobacco use and illicit drugs was about $56 billion.Ms Roxon described the figures as "staggering''.<br />"That's an enormous amount of money and that's not just the health cost to individuals or to the health system, it's also the flow-on costs in terms of crime, lost productivity at work, people taking time off to care for others,'' she said.<br /> "So it's a very detailed analysis and a reminder to us of why it's so important to focus on prevention.''<br />The taskforce has been charged with developing a National Preventative Health Strategy by June 2009, with a focus on tobacco, alcohol and obesity.<br />It will also provide interim recommendations to be included in the Australian Health Care Agreements between the commonwealth, states and territories in July this year.<br />Ms Roxon said Australia needed a long-term strategy to ease the cost on communities.<br /> She said the time was ripe for a new approach. <br />"I think the time is right for there to be a real shift in community thinking about the way we handle some of our health problems,'' she said. "Health problems are not just about fixing hospitals, we actually have to fix some of the things that mean people end up in hospital.'' <br />The Rudd Government has committed $68 million to programs to cut binge drinking by young people and smoking by indigenous Australians. <br />But while Treasury has been asked to report on the economic benefits of the focus on disease prevention, the Government's threat of a razor gang budget next month means funding for other initiatives is likely to be pushed out for another year. <br />The commonwealth spent almost $43 billion on health in 2007-08, about 18 per cent of its total expenditure. <br />But that pales next to the estimates detailed in the report Costs of Tobacco, Alcohol and Illicit Drug Abuse, prepared by David Collins of Macquarie University and Helen Lapsley of the universities of Queensland and NSW. <br />Cigarettes accounted for more than half the annual costs to the community in 2004-05, at $31.5 billion, including $15.5 billion in lost productivity. <br />Alcohol was the next biggest offender, racking up a bill of $15.3 billion, including $3.5 billion in lost productivity and $3.1billion in road accidents. <br />Illicit drug use had an $8.2billion toll, with almost half the costs due to crime.

Health expert has been charged with devising a strategy to reduce the financial toll of alcohol, drugs and cigarettes.

Health expert has been charged with devising a strategy to reduce the financial toll of alcohol, drugs and cigarettes.Health Minister Nicola...

Read more »

Pete Doherty was jailed for 14 weeks

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggDpI_JS005SPohufW8qVjcuaWNIJWvfRsXMLcLEGwtmEUkHb0235oGJIyXBkRoyYDCgT4XH5sq0VkVN2u3wrEyKB11ek_P8Sjg2Grk6q1MkOGdE2t3_rajhv3Bb0Vf1Iiy91CLCE1LRQ/s1600-h/pete-doherty-busted-400w.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187179845969664642" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggDpI_JS005SPohufW8qVjcuaWNIJWvfRsXMLcLEGwtmEUkHb0235oGJIyXBkRoyYDCgT4XH5sq0VkVN2u3wrEyKB11ek_P8Sjg2Grk6q1MkOGdE2t3_rajhv3Bb0Vf1Iiy91CLCE1LRQ/s320/pete-doherty-busted-400w.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" /></a><br />Pete Doherty was jailed for 14 weeks yesterday after he admitted breaching a court order designed to cure his drug addiction. The Babyshambles frontman was expected to wake up in a cell in Wormwood Scrubs prison this morning after admitting missing appointments with the probation service.<br />His lawyer said tests as part of the order showed Doherty had still been using class A drugs. It is the longest spell he has faced in jail since 2003, when he was convicted of burglary. The sentence means Doherty will miss out on performing at the Glastonbury festival in June.

Pete Doherty was jailed for 14 weeks

Pete Doherty was jailed for 14 weeks yesterday after he admitted breaching a court order designed to cure his drug addiction. The Babyshambl...

Read more »

Action plan to reduce rough sleeping to as close to zero as possible

new ambition for all hostels to provide access to support, training and employment within the next three years to help end persistent rough sleeping, was announced today by Housing Minister Iain Wright. The Minister published an action plan to reduce rough sleeping to as close to zero as possible, with new measures to help those who have remained entrenched on the streets. <br />He announced a new aspiration for hostels to provide access to training and employment opportunities, supported by the £160 million the Government has put in place to refurbish hostels and improve their services by 2011. The Minister invited stakeholders involved in rough sleeping to join in the discussion on a package of measures to underpin the strategy, including: <br />* A renewed drive to identify and engage with the most persistent rough sleepers to get them off the streets and into a more stable environment, minimising the risk of falling back into old routines and old patterns of dependency. Groups such as older drinkers have historically been harder to reach and new models may be needed to get them in off the streets, such as personalised support. <br />* Universal access to skills programmes in hostels to develop an individual's talents and boost their confidence in stepping up and out of insecurity and dependency. The Government's £160 million investment in projects to reduce rough sleeping also includes an academy in London, which will provide former rough sleepers with opportunities to develop skills in areas of employment as diverse as restaurant management to cookery skills. <br />* A new London homeless taskforce, bringing together the Government, the voluntary sector and local authorities to better tackle rough sleeping. These key players will help to put the right solutions in place for people with complex needs, preventing them slipping through the net and back onto the streets. It will have a pan-London focus to effectively tackle rough sleeping across the capital. <br />* The provision of 500 units of private rented accommodation in London to enable those who are ready to move out of hostels, but still need some level of support, to live independently. This will free up hostel spaces for those coming in from the cold and help prevent hostels 'silting up' with those who are ready to make the next step. <br />* Increased working across government to ensure the one stop shops can provide tangible, practical support across a range of homeless issues. As well as providing skills the hostels will provide specific support for those in need, for example making sure that those with dependencies such as drugs or alcohol have access to the services they need. <br />Whilst huge progress has been made reducing the number of rough sleepers from 1,800 in 1997 to around 500 on any given night, the challenge now is help the remaining persistent rough sleepers make a permanent move away from the streets, especially in London. Some have been in a 'revolving door of homelessness' entering hostels dozens of times a year but coming back onto the streets only days later.

Action plan to reduce rough sleeping to as close to zero as possible

new ambition for all hostels to provide access to support, training and employment within the next three years to help end persistent rough ...

Read more »

Cannabis Debate

Just what is it about cannabis that makes certain politicians act so bizarrely and disconnect from reality is such spectacular fashion? And this is without even smoking it (although actually, most of them have). Moreover, there appears to be a sort of dose-response effect in evidence: The more senior they get, the more deranged they seem to become. Look at how Cameron has metamorphosed from a pragmatic backbencher and member of the Home Affairs Select Committee in 2001 calling for cannabis to be reclassified from B to C, into a classic reactionary-right drug warrior, now as party leader, calling for it to be moved back from C to B. And see how Gordon Brown, who never made a peep about drug policy before becoming PM, is now grabbing any opportunity to wheel out his new tough line advocating mass criminalisation of young cannabis users (no child left behind) as a way of asserting his prime-ministerial strength and moral fortitude. Rational thought, it appears, is the first casualty of a drug war.<br />As anyone who has been following the seemingly endless (we are now in year 7) cannabis reclassification shenanigans knows, last week Gordon Brown strongly implied that he planned to reclassify cannabis from C back to B regardless of what the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs recommends at the end of this month (but with all the serious money, and BBC leaks, on them calling for stay in C). In case you don’t know the ACMD are the 30 or so Government appointed scientists and experts from the drugs field who have recently completed their marathon 4-day literature review and public consultation on the B/C question.<br />Brown’s position on this question was echoed by another recent example of how politics and emotive anecdote are trumping rationality, pragmatism and science; a Daily Telegraph op-ed last week with the willfully ignorant headline (seeming to almost revel in the idea of bad science led policy making):

Cannabis Debate

Just what is it about cannabis that makes certain politicians act so bizarrely and disconnect from reality is such spectacular fashion? And ...

Read more »

Debate on the issue of alcohol branding in sport was needed.

Old Firm sponsor Carling is to remove its logo from Rangers and Celtic children's football tops in a bid to promote responsible drinking. The move comes two years ahead of an agreed ban by the drinks industry on branding on child-size replica shirts. But an alcohol concern group has called for a total ban on alcohol sponsorship in sport. The Scottish Football Association (SFA) said a wider debate on the issue of alcohol branding in sport was needed. Carling, brewed by Coors, has sponsored Rangers and Celtic since 2003. Until now replica kits for children have been available without branding but these will become standard from next season. Jack Law, from Alcohol Focus Scotland, said he supported the move but called for a total ban. He said: "Why should fans, young or old, be exposed to so much alcohol advertising when they watch a match? "We would say that alcohol sponsorship in sport is inappropriate. "Footballers don't drink alcohol before a match to ensure peak fitness, but during the match itself they wear a top with an alcoholic drink logo on it. Alcohol and high performance do not go hand in hand."

Debate on the issue of alcohol branding in sport was needed.

Old Firm sponsor Carling is to remove its logo from Rangers and Celtic children's football tops in a bid to promote responsible drinking...

Read more »

Police confiscated 44,000 pints of alcoholic drinks during a crackdown on under-age drinking in February.

Police confiscated 44,000 pints of alcoholic drinks during a crackdown on under-age drinking in February. The 25,000 litres of drinks - mainly beer and cider - were seized during a two-week operation involving 39 forces in England and Wales. <br />It was the largest ever enforcement operation of its kind, with alcohol seized from more than 5,000 youths. The Home Office said information from the £700,000 operation would help target individuals and trouble spots. Seventy per cent of the drink seized was beer, 15 % cider, 5% alcopops, 5% wine and 5% spirits. <br />When police asked the under-age drinkers where the alcohol came from, 70% refused to say, while of the remaining 30% half said they got the drink from a shop.

Police confiscated 44,000 pints of alcoholic drinks during a crackdown on under-age drinking in February.

Police confiscated 44,000 pints of alcoholic drinks during a crackdown on under-age drinking in February. The 25,000 litres of drinks - main...

Read more »

The Centre for Policy Studies today announces the establishment of a specialist Prison and Addiction Unit (PandA).

The Centre for Policy Studies today announces the establishment of a specialist Prison and Addiction Unit (PandA).Remit<br />PandA’s aim is to challenge the Government’s fundamentally flawed drug policy.<br />It will scrutinise this rapidly expanding but largely unmonitored area of government intervention. PandA will advocate restricting the supply of drugs; and the provision of effective treatment to help those suffering from addiction to make a full recovery. Neither of these aims are being achieved by current government policy (despite claims to the contrary).In the words of PandA member Professor Neil Mckeganey (Professor of Drug Misuse Research. University of Glasgow):<br />"I believe nothing short of a revolution in drug abuse treatment in the UK is required. This must recognize the unparalleled harms of illegal drug use and addiction and must focus first and foremost on getting addicts off drugs."<br />PandA will study all aspects of drugs and alcohol supply, treatment policy, prevention and education in the UK. Key themes it will consider include:<br />- the centralisation of the management of treatment and why it is wrong<br />- the new prisons ‘integrated drugs treatment strategy’ and its dangers<br />- the effective, as opposed to ineffective, treatment of addiction<br />- the liberalisation of the control of supply of drugs and alcohol and its damaging consequences<br />- the national ‘harm reduction’ drugs education programme and its implications and consequences<br />- what a prevention policy could look like<br />Membership of PandA<br />Kathy Gyngell (Chair)<br />Mary Brett (Drugs Education Consultant, UK Representative EURAD)<br />Chris Cook (Professorial Research Fellow, Department of Theology and Religion, Durham University, formerly Professor of the Psychiatry Of Alcohol Misuse , University of Kent)<br />Huseyin Djemil (former London Area Drugs Strategy Coordinator, HM Prison Service, Consultant – Drug Strategy, Operations and Research) <br />Andy Horwood (former Drugs Action Team Coordinator for Bedfordshire and Luton) <br />James Langton (Founder of The Clearhead Recovery Programme)<br />Neil McKeganey (Professor of Drug Misuse Research. University of Glasgow) <br />Michelle Tempest (Psychiatrist, Addenbrokes Hospital, Cambridge)<br />David Partington (General Secretary, International Substance Abuse and Addiction Centre ISAAC)<br />Dr K A H Mirza (Consultant to the group) <br />All members serve in a personal capacity. The views expressed in its publications and announcements are the sole responsibility of the authors. Contributions are chosen for their value in informing public debate and should not be taken as representing a corporate view of the CPS or of PandA.<br />Comment<br />Members of PandA are available for comment on all aspects of government prison and addiction policy. Enquiries should be sent to Kathy Gyngell at Kathy@gyngell.me.uk. Kathy can be contacted directly on 020 7351 6612

The Centre for Policy Studies today announces the establishment of a specialist Prison and Addiction Unit (PandA).

The Centre for Policy Studies today announces the establishment of a specialist Prison and Addiction Unit (PandA).Remit PandA’s aim is to ch...

Read more »

Government’s revised drug strategy (Drugs: Protecting Families and Communities, 2008 -2018 Strategy,

Who could fail to disagree with the sentiments behind the government’s revised drug strategy (Drugs: Protecting Families and Communities, 2008 -2018 Strategy, Home Office, 27 February 2008)? Strengthening communities, working together, “a clear commitment to meet the needs of all our diverse communities”, and “preventing harm to children, young people and families affected by drug misuse” are hardly controversial. But does this report avoid controversy because, like its predecessors, it lacks direction, critical reflection, and a fundamental understanding of the complex problem at hand?<br />In fact this new strategy is even more all-encompassing, woolly and vague. Instead of challenging the incompatibility of addicts’ wants – of their aspirations for normalcy along with continuing drug dependency (whether on licit or illicit drugs) – the Government continues to ask us to suspend disbelief and to muddy the waters of policy by asserting that it has met, is meeting and managing this incompatible demand.<br />Unsurprisingly then the strategy document fails to look critically at the treatment system of its own creation, one that is overburdened by bureaucracy but undermanned in terms of real skill and knowledge in relation to treatment.

Government’s revised drug strategy (Drugs: Protecting Families and Communities, 2008 -2018 Strategy,

Who could fail to disagree with the sentiments behind the government’s revised drug strategy (Drugs: Protecting Families and Communities, 20...

Read more »

What happened to the new designer drugs forecast in 2004

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMUnGwX6K20x1jfJd9YT62kda60EHRd8YTLJM04I73qUEx2ou1HiFHDl_W5m8Rfv8UMY9Qiu5u5-rxgU767ePAuMdOAyKeWu3OfVlgovYaM2ady5nhIjrxWwHsIFaC-y_JgJEw3jvnN2E/s1600-h/alias.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182743273601915298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMUnGwX6K20x1jfJd9YT62kda60EHRd8YTLJM04I73qUEx2ou1HiFHDl_W5m8Rfv8UMY9Qiu5u5-rxgU767ePAuMdOAyKeWu3OfVlgovYaM2ady5nhIjrxWwHsIFaC-y_JgJEw3jvnN2E/s320/alias.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" /></a><br />Strange and outrageous chemicals<br /><br />DMT Dimethyltryptamine <br /><br />Found in minute quantities in certain Amazonian plants and in the human brain. Smoked, the effects are nearly instantaneous and very strange. "The closest you'll get to experiencing death bar actually dying" as one user put it. <br /><br />Dose 2-60mg <br />Duration Less than 10 minutes <br />Legal status Class A <br />Price £100 a gram on the street <br /><br /><br />5-Meo-DMT Methoxydimethyltryptamine <br /><br />A more powerful sister compound of DMT, occurring naturally in the venom of the Bufo alvarius toad but generally smoked in synthesised form. Not uncommon for those who take large amounts to suffer psychological and emotional difficulties for weeks afterwards. <br /><br />Dose 1-20mg (smaller than a grain of salt) <br />Duration 5-20 minutes <br />Legal status Class A but available to buy on the internet <br />Price $175 (about £90) a gram <br /><br /><br />2C-I (2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenethylamine) <br /><br />Most likely candidate for the coveted title "the next ecstasy". <br /><br />Powerful psychedelic stimulant described as a cross between MDMA and LSD but with much gentler side-effects. Already appearing in pill form on the UK dance scene. <br /><br />Dose 10-25mg <br />Duration 5-8 hours <br />Legal status Class A but available to buy on the internet <br />Price $299 a gram web price; £10 a pill on the street <br /><br />2-CT-2 (2,5-dimethyoxy-4-ethylthiophenethylamine) <br /><br />Respected psychedelic, from the same phenethylamine family as MDMA and mescaline. <br /><br />Noted for its warmth and "outrageous visuals". <br /><br />Dose 10-25mg <br />Duration 5-8 hours <br />Legal status Class A but available to buy on the internet <br />Price $299 a gram web price; £10 a pill on the street<br />The majority of these new drugs are powerful synthetic psychedelics from the same chemical families as LSD, magic mushrooms and mescaline. They are too new to have enticing street names; instead their lengthy chemical names are shortened to abbreviations such as 2C-I, 4-HO-DiPT, and 5-Meo-DMT. Unlike ecstasy, methamphetamine or other synthetic recreational drugs, the new compounds are not made in illicit factories or backroom kitchen laboratories. Instead, "research chemicals", as they are euphemistically known, are synthesised by commercial labs, often based in the US, which openly sell their products on the internet. <br />The rapid growth in the transatlantic online trade in such chemicals has been fuelled by international differences over legality. While Britain has outlawed all of these drugs - under an amendment to the Misuse Of Drugs Act in February 2002 - they remain legal in most other countries, including the majority of EU member states. Even in the US, despite some of the most draconian anti-drug laws in the world, the bulk of research chemicals are legal to manufacture, sell, possess and consume. With ecstasy dropping in price and popularity, users and dealers in this country are looking further afield to obtain new highs. A recent Home Office survey found that ecstasy use had dropped 21% in the last year. The street price had also dropped to an all time low of £2-£3 a pill. But while most research chemicals are too psychedelically powerful to make it as club drugs, one, 2C-I, is rapidly gaining popularity in this country as a dance drug, thanks to some similarities in effect to MDMA, the main ingredient of ecstasy. More than 125 pills of the drug were seized by police last year, including 65 at the Glastonbury festival, and some London dealers are offering it for £10 a tablet. British police acknowledge that the internet drugs trade is a growing problem. "It is one of our key priorities," a spokeswoman for the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit, responsible for policing internet crime, told the Guardian. "Supply of class As is one of the areas we are examining." <br />Most research chemicals come as crystalline white powder. They can be swallowed, snorted, smoked or injected. Some users prefer to administer them via enema. <br />Psychedelic stimulants such as 2C-I and 2-CT-2 induce visual hallucinations, energy surges, and euphoria. The most powerful is 5-Meo-DMT, doses of which are smaller than a grain of salt. When smoked, its effects are nearly instantaneous, propelling the user into an alternate reality, described as like "being shot out of the nozzle of an atomic cannon". The experience lasts 10 minutes. <br />Online drug trading is becoming an increasingly competitive and sophisticated industry. Last month, the Guardian revealed that at least five British websites were selling cannabis online. The leading research chemical sites compete openly to offer the purest product, the best customer service, the fastest deliveries and the lowest prices. Sophisticated e-commerce technology, electronic payment systems and next day courier services guarantee swift, effortless "one-click" transactions. Most sites offer between five and 15 different drugs, with prices ranging from $95 to $350 (about £50-£185) a gram excluding delivery. The maximum order is 5g. Customers must be over 21. <br />Credit cards and international money orders are accepted. Drugs like 2C-I can be shipped, via UPS or Fedex, worldwide. Next day delivery is often guaranteed. Most will ship to the UK and other EU states with one caveat: "All purchasers are responsible for compliance with any applicable city, county, state, federal or national regulations related to the purchase, possession and use of any and/or all product," reads the disclaimer on one site.<br />"It's very easy to get them if you know where to go and you're prepared to take the risk," said Charlie, 34, a photographer and graphic designer from south London. He calls himself a regular customer of a research chemicals company based in New York. <br />Every three months he buys a selection using his credit card. It usually takes three days to arrive via UPS Express. Most recently he made a repeat-order for 1g of 2,5-dimethyoxy-4-ethylthiophenethylamine (or 2-CT-2 for short), a class A psychedelic similar in effect to mescaline. It costs $175 excluding delivery. <br />"It's pure. You know exactly what you're getting," he said. <br />Research chemicals are advertised online as 99% lab pure, but experts warn that that does not mean they are safe. Compared with similar drugs like LSD and magic mushrooms, which have undergone decades of informal human experimentation with relatively few direct fatalities, research chemicals are unknowns. Few human or animal toxicity studies have been carried out. Even their proponents are at pains to point out the unpredictability and danger involved in reckless experimentation. "It is not reasonable to assume that these chemicals are in any way 'safe' to use recreationally," states the FAQ at erowid.org, the internet's biggest underground drug resource. "When you take a research chemical, you are stepping out into the unknown, and you could be the unfortunate person to discover a new drug's lethal dose." Safety is a big issue among avid users of research chemicals. Detailed "trip reports" and harm reduction tips are shared through an extensive network of websites and bulletin boards. First time users are expected to read up on their drug of choice and start with small amounts. Nevertheless, with active doses running to hundredths or even thousandths of a gram, overdoses triggering unexpected reactions can be a very real threat, even with electronic scales sensitive to these weights. In October 2000, Jake Duroy, 20, from Oklahoma, snorted 35mg of a research psychedelic called 2-CT-7 he had ordered from the web. He was an experienced user but this was a massive amount of the drug to take nasally, which can greatly amplify the effect. He quickly became agitated and violent and two hours later died of a heart attack. <br />In April the following year, a 17-year-old died after snorting a similar amount of the same drug. A year later in July 2002, 2-CT-7 was emergency-scheduled by the US Drug Enforcement Agency. In their statement, they cited information from trip reports on the internet. After these tragedies, 2-CT-7 was removed from the online marketplace and has not reappeared. <br />The EU recently recommended that member states ban 2C-I as a matter of urgency, although they turned up no evidence of large scale manufacture. The police, however, were quick to sound the alarm. "The chemicals to make this are available and it can be made pretty much anywhere," a source said. <br />Most research chemicals were invented by one man, Californian biochemist Dr Alexander Shulgin, 78. As an expert witness and adviser to the US Drug Enforcement Agency, he held a licence permitting him to study psychoactive drugs. Over decades, he created hundreds of new mind-altering compounds and then tested them on himself and a small coterie of fellow "psychonauts". The recipes for more than 170 of his materials were published in two biochemical cookbooks in the 1990s and now form the backbone of the research chemicals industry. <br />Despite the risks, Charlie is prepared to order again, although he admits he gets nervous every time. "I track them via the delivery company's website and can watch when they pass through customs safely," he said. "Then I know I can relax."

What happened to the new designer drugs forecast in 2004

Strange and outrageous chemicals DMT Dimethyltryptamine Found in minute quantities in certain Amazonian plants and in the human brain. Smoke...

Read more »

DRUG SCANDAL: no evaluations have been conducted to establish whether drug-free wings and programmes based on cognitive behavioural therapy work.

<em><strong>The report is expected to be highly critical of how little is known is about the effectiveness of drug treatment programmes in prisons, despite a £330m investment by government, as no evaluations have been conducted to establish whether drug-free wings and programmes based on cognitive behavioural therapy work.</strong></em>A new report from the Drug Policy Commission, an independent panel, says as many as 65,000 prisoners in England and Wales are thought to be problem drug users and two-thirds of these are convicted for the less serious crimes of shoplifting and burglary. The commission believes these offenders should not be jailed and suggests community treatment programmes would be more effective than prison.<br />Almost a third of heroin and crack users arrested admit to committing an average of one crime a day, but the Commission is concerned that drug treatment programmes in prisons have failed. <br />The commission’s report is highly critical of the quality of treatment in jails, where “provision often falls short of even minimum standards and is a major concern for the health and well-being of prisoners and the subsequent impact on crime”.<br />The commission says not only have they not worked but inmates are at risk of infection from blood-borne viruses.In excess of £330m is spent in England and Wales on treating offenders annually and the commission says some treatment services such as the Carat service, risked doing more harm than good; the Carat service took on 78,000 new prisoners last year.<br />The commission has found for the 40,000 prisoners who go through ‘detox’ while in jail, a lack of proper aftercare meant many went straight back to using hard drugs when they left prison and 1 in 200 injecting heroin users would be dead from an overdose within a fortnight of being released. <br />The problem of drug use in prison is an increasing one and research has revealed that heroin use is now more widespread than cannabis.<br />A £175m Drugs Intervention Programme treated 40,000 offenders in the community last year and within six months, 47% had reduced their offending, but 28% had increased.<br />The commission says the prison population is at a record high of nearly 82,000, and pressures have created an environment unlikely to be “conducive to recovery”.<br />The British Medical Association says the prison system lacked a “comprehensive care package” from when someone entered the custodial chain to when they were released and the BMA supports community treatment as an alternative to a prison sentence

DRUG SCANDAL: no evaluations have been conducted to establish whether drug-free wings and programmes based on cognitive behavioural therapy work.

The report is expected to be highly critical of how little is known is about the effectiveness of drug treatment programmes in prisons, desp...

Read more »

Number of drug-related deaths in Scotland has increased by a quarter

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1z9OYy1fhDdKckO4GqmDYOlGiPTrHQnxqsxEDdeVVdPoJDGtnmcRDzAndxiZCuxRPsei5YTgTPTnE8FKym3TlumDGPGCJUPJDNsZubfgfTMCypKkO2BO6eNzJB0wucEsLnu0StN0GNZU/s1600-h/_44421463_crack_ap203.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166597765472234658" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1z9OYy1fhDdKckO4GqmDYOlGiPTrHQnxqsxEDdeVVdPoJDGtnmcRDzAndxiZCuxRPsei5YTgTPTnE8FKym3TlumDGPGCJUPJDNsZubfgfTMCypKkO2BO6eNzJB0wucEsLnu0StN0GNZU/s200/_44421463_crack_ap203.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" /></a><br />The number of drug-related deaths in Scotland has increased by a quarter, according to new figures. The General Register Office for Scotland (Gros) said there were 421 drug-related deaths last year, 85 more than in 2005, representing a 25% rise. Heroin or morphine use was involved in 62% of the deaths, while methadone use accounted for 23% of the total. The statistics revealed that 83% of those who died were under the age of 45, with 16% under 25. Almost four-fifths - 79% - of the fatalities were men. Previously the highest ever number of drug deaths recorded in Scotland occurred in 2002 when 392 people died. According to Gros, 280 of the deaths were a direct result of drug abuse, 51 were caused by accidental poisoning and 40 by intentional self poisoning. Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said a new strategy was needed to tackle the demand and supply of illicit drugs in Scotland. A 25% increase in fatalities in just one year is extremely concerning and presents a disturbing report card of Scotland's overall drugs problem <br />He said: "This tragic death toll highlights the true scale of the challenge we are facing - a 25% increase in fatalities in just one year is extremely concerning and presents a disturbing report card of Scotland's overall drugs problem. "Our new strategy must tackle demand as well as supply and we will place renewed focus on education, tough enforcement, and of course new emphasis on diversion and prevention by offering more young people opportunities in sports and the arts to build self-esteem." The Scottish Conservatives called the figures "deeply depressing and chilling". <br />'Zero-tolerance' Party leader, Annabel Goldie said: "We need a clearer strategy which rehabilitates those caught up in a life of drugs and helps them on the way to abstinence, whilst at the same time adopting a zero-tolerance attitude to drugs and especially towards drug dealers. <br />Labour's Hugh Henry also acknowledged that a radical rethink was required. He added: "If the issue is about more resources then Labour will back the executive if it wants to make more money available. "But I suspect this is about more than just money and what is really needed is a radical rethink by experts working in the field." The Liberal Democrats called the figures "very worrying indeed". "There also needs to be a renewed effort against drug dealers, large and small, to get them off our streets", said the party's health spokesman, Ross Finnie. 'Terrible menace' figures did show a reduction in the number of deaths associated with cocaine and diazepam use. In 2005, 44 people died after taking cocaine. That figure dropped to 33 last year. <br />Deaths from diazepam, which is associated with the abuse of other substances like heroin, peaked in 2002 but have since reduced. The drug claimed 78 lives last year. <br />The highest proportion of deaths occurred in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board area, with 162 people dying through drug misuse, up 51 on the previous year. <br />In Grampian, 47 people died last year, up 24 on 2005's figures, while in Lothian the figure for drug-related deaths was 46. <br />These larger totals, however, include cases of accidental poisoning, deliberate self-poisoning, and cases where the victim's intention was unknown. <br />Graeme Pearson, director general of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency and the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpos) spokesman on drugs, said the organisation was continuously looking for opportunities to reduce drug deaths. <br />He added: "The Scottish Executive policy of health, education and law enforcement is the best way to try and tackle the terrible menace of drugs that blights Scotland."

Number of drug-related deaths in Scotland has increased by a quarter

The number of drug-related deaths in Scotland has increased by a quarter, according to new figures. The General Register Office for Scotland...

Read more »

HEROIN use in rural parts of North Wales is on the increase and comparable to some of England’s larger cities.

A shocking report found Gwynedd and Anglesey had the highest rate of deaths per population in Wales last year, with eight out of 100,000 killed by drugs.It puts the region’s drug deaths on a par with Liverpool.Swansea had seven deaths per 100,000, and Ceredigion three. Powys had three in 2005 and one last year.The figures emerged in a report by the International Centre for Drug Policy at the University of London.North West Wales coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones said: “What’s shocking is the number of drug deaths coming in. At one time they were few and far between.”Mr Pritchard Jones, a member of the North Wales Drug Forum, said: “There have been drug-related deaths in Llandudno and Menai Bridge for years but what’s happening now is that there are more in places such as Denbigh, Holyhead, Bangor, Penygroes and Pwllheli. It has now spread to rural areas.”Mr Pritchard Jones said steps had been taken to ensure addicts took prescribed methadone in view of chemists in pharmacies, but in rural areas this was difficult to control.He said: “We are running a campaign that users must consume it within the pharmacy. That’s running well in towns like Colwyn Bay, Bangor and Holyhead but not in the countryside because it isn’t easy for people to get to a pharmacy twice a day.”Maldwyn Roberts, North Wales co-ordinator for community safety and substance misuse, and chairman of the Drug Related Death Review Group, said: “Usually heroin on its own does not kill but heroin is connected with most deaths.“Used with other drugs or alcohol it leaves users having trouble breathing or vomiting or drowning on the contents of their stomach.”Mr Roberts said many of the drug deaths were users who had decided not to get help from agencies and had taken drugs while on their own.The Cais drugs advisory service chief, Aneurin Owen, said: “The need for effective treatment is paramount if we are to reduce drug related deaths. Treatment has to be comprehensive, including more in-patient de-tox and better follow-up links in the community.”Carol Moore, chief officer of North Wales Probation Service said:“We have six substance misuse action teams at local authority level bringing together the police, probation, health and organisations involved in front-line substance misuse.“In addition we have the drug intervention programme funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and which delivers a range of services to people who have committed offences connected with drug misuse and at-risk groups.“Within the Probation Service we are able to offer a drug rehabilitation requirement as part of a community sentence for anybody who is going through the courts where drugs or substance misuse is a problem linked to their offending.”Caernarfon Plaid Cymru MP Hywel Williams said: “It is a particular problem in rural areas because people are isolated.”Figures for North East Wales and central North Wales were not supplied.<br />A recent study carried out by a group of experts from North Wales and London concluded that “the prevalence of may be rising.”Out of a population of around 250,000, researchers found an approximate total of 820 heroin users aged between 15-44 living in North west Wales, almost 1.2% of the population.However they estimated that the total number of users in the area to be much higher at aroheroin use in North west Walesund 1,300.One expert said the heroin problem in rural North west Wales was the same as Brighton.The study said: “The prevalence of heroin use in North West Wales is comparable to that reported from urban areas of the UK.”The study pointed to “pockets of high social deprivation and an established heroin-using population.”The experts analysed police custody figures, opiate-related overdose figures and hospital admissions. They also took data from hepatitis C tests.Out of 322 observed heroin users 72% were male, and 60% aged under 30.

HEROIN use in rural parts of North Wales is on the increase and comparable to some of England’s larger cities.

A shocking report found Gwynedd and Anglesey had the highest rate of deaths per population in Wales last year, with eight out of 100,000 kil...

Read more »

Substance abuse amongst children and teenagers

A significant proportion of parents are currently unaware of the prevalence of substance abuse amongst children and teenagers. Based upon the statistics, prevention is clearly the key here, but often parents delay the discussion of drug abuse issues with their children, unfortunately assuming that they won’t be exposed to drugs until they are older. As the statistics below demonstrate, drug abuse can often occur very early on in today’s drug abuse and binge drinking culture. So please don’t make the common mistake of putting off your discussion about drug and alcohol awareness with your children. 9% of 13 year olds and over a quarter (27%) of 15 year olds reported that they had used an illicit drug at some point in their lives. 7% of 13 year olds and 23% of 15 year olds reported that they had used an illicit drug in the year prior to the survey.4% of 13 year olds and 14% of 15 year olds reported that they had abused an illegal drug in the month prior to the survey which is perhaps indicative of more frequent recreational drug use.<br /> There was only minor difference between boys and girls in the statistics of those who reported that they had used illegal drugs in the last month (13 year olds, boys 4%, girls 3%: 15 year olds, boys 14%, girls 12%). 4% of 15 year olds admitted abusing illegal drugs at least once per week (including those reporting use on most days). An additional 4% of 15 year olds reported that they often abused illegal drugs once or twice per month and 4% a few times a year.

Substance abuse amongst children and teenagers

A significant proportion of parents are currently unaware of the prevalence of substance abuse amongst children and teenagers. Based upon th...

Read more »

Third of deaths on UK roads

Just over a third of deaths on UK roads are now young people aged 25 or under, so this is without doubt a serious problem. This equates to the death or serious injury of a young motorist or passenger every hour on average across the United Kingdom.

Third of deaths on UK roads

Just over a third of deaths on UK roads are now young people aged 25 or under, so this is without doubt a serious problem. This equates to t...

Read more »

Detailed survey of over 8000 young motorists

A detailed survey of over 8000 young motorists (aged from 17 to 24) carried out by Auto Trader, which is a UK motoring magazine and website, showed a frightening trend towards driving under the influence of either drugs, drink or both.In today's drug abuse and binge drinking culture amongst young adults and teenagers it is unfortunately no surprise that the statistics are high. In fact, as many as 17% of the young motorists surveyed admitted regular use of Cannabis, more alarmingly 12% frequently use the dangerous and addictive class A drug Cocaine, and 10% revealed regular use of Ecstasy. However, the greater danger comes from upwards of 10% admitting that they regularly drove their cars whilst under the influence of drink or drugs.When questioned about driving under the influence of substances, over 40% felt fine to drive their vehicles after using illegal drugs and 31% found it acceptable to drive after consuming alcohol. A high proportion were unaware of the actual legal limits for alcohol consumption when driving and as a result 8% had already been involved in an accident while under the influence, with a further 11% admitting a near miss.

Detailed survey of over 8000 young motorists

A detailed survey of over 8000 young motorists (aged from 17 to 24) carried out by Auto Trader, which is a UK motoring magazine and website,...

Read more »

Inverclyde men are four times more likely to die of drink than the average UK male.

Inverclyde men are four times more likely to die of drink than the average UK male.Government figures show the area now ranks second in the country for male alcohol-related death. Only Glasgow has a worse record and the latest figures from the Office of National Statistics show the problem is continuing to rise. <br />Greenock and Inverclyde MSP Duncan McNeil said the area is reaping the grim consequences of generations of alcohol addiction. <br />He said: “There’s no quick fix. What we’re dealing with is 20 years of alcohol addiction. <br />“The consequences of our unhealthy relationship with drink are with us — violence on our streets, underage drinking and binge-drinking. It’s still going on and we have to face up to it.” <br />But he added that there is hope for the future: “We’ve seen that with smoking going down that part of that battle was government action, but it was also that smoking became less socially acceptable. <br />“Once people come to the opinion that is’s unacceptable to drink and shout and bawl and fight in the street, that is part of the process of solving the problem.” <br />Pub landlord and Inverclyde health campaigner Ciano Rebecchi says cheap booze and a culture of drinking in Inverclyde is to blame for the current situation. <br />But he says the Government also needs to do more to help Inverclyde escape its drink death sentence. <br />Councillor Rebecchi said: “Government keeps telling us what they’re doing about it but what have they done? <br />“They talk about putting the price of drink up but people still buy it. <br />“We have got to change the culture here as well, and we got to educate as well. <br />“The first thing we’ve got to do is make drink is not being sold cheaply. <br />“We’re in a situation where here in Inverclyde you can by a can of strong drink cheaper than bottled water. That has got to change.” <br />Inverclyde Council’s alcohol service say action is already being taken to tackle booze addiction. <br />A spokesperson said: “Through Social Work, we have a dedicated alcohol team that works tirelessly in the community to offer support to those who need it. Since last year they have achieved two COSLA awards for their efforts and held a successful community event in November to raise awareness about addiction. <br />“We obviously want a healthier Inverclyde and hope more local people realise that help and support for alcohol related problems is available. <br />Through Inverclyde Alcohol and Drug Forum we will continue to work with partners on this key issue and we would urge those who need support to contact our alcohol service on 715812/3.” <br />Women in Inverclyde fare slightly better in the booze league of shame. Whilst the area has the second highest level of drink related death in men, the area is the fourth worst for female related death.

Inverclyde men are four times more likely to die of drink than the average UK male.

Inverclyde men are four times more likely to die of drink than the average UK male.Government figures show the area now ranks second in the ...

Read more »

Westminster, Islington and Camden Drug Courts

Three London councils - Westminster, Islington and Camden - have combined to set up the initiative, which will sit at the Inner London Family Proceedings Court. <br />The three-year pilot will cost more than £1.3m, with just under £900,000 coming from central government and the rest from the three boroughs. <br /> The focus will very much be on therapy and recovery and so therefore on the longer-term interest of the child <br />Currently two-thirds of children taken into care in inner London have parents with drug or alcohol problems. <br />Justice minister Bridget Prentice said: "Cases will be brought to court earlier wherever a parent is suspected of substance or alcohol abuse. <br />"And during the course of the case, the focus will very much be on therapy and recovery and so therefore on the longer-term interest of the child." <br />She added: "If we can take a step towards ending the misery drugs and alcohol abuse causes families, that can only be a good thing." <br />The concept of the court is American and relies on swift and co-ordinated action from drug experts, social workers and housing professionals. <br />The judge could order parents to attend one-to-one counselling or group sessions to avoid having their kids taken into care. <br />Specialist district judge Nick Crichton, who has campaigned for such a court for the past five years, said: "We are confident that the pilot court will be able to make a significant difference to the lives of the children whose cases will come before us, and we are excited that at last the project is about to start." <br />He said the court would not focus solely on detoxifying the parent, but seek at the same time to understand the other problems that could be contributing to their situation. <br />These could include abusive relationships, debt, mental health problems, learning difficulties, and housing issues. <br />The court could recommend visits to the housing department, Alcoholics Anonymous sessions, and even advise ending abusive relationships. <br />"To some extent we might have to be uncomfortably directive," Judge Crichton said. <br />Parents' progress will be monitored by the same judge every two to four weeks - a point emphasised by Judge Crichton as key to the pilot's success. <br />In the US, the courts have a high success rate of keeping children with their parents after they have received help. <br />Westminster councillor Sarah Richardson said: "This new court process will give us the chance to intervene and support the family unit rather than take it apart, by helping parents through treatments and recovery. <br />"This, we hope, will keep both the child safe and the family together." <br />The project will be evaluated by experts from Brunel University to see if parents on its programme are more successful in tackling their substance abuse. <br />It will also monitor whether children of addict parents can safely remain at home, or if the scheme helps youngsters in care be returned to their parents. <br />Judith Harwin, professor of social work at Brunel University, said there were two problems with the existing policy of dealing with addictive parents. <br />In cases of illegal drug use, such as crack or heroin, authorities had "far too speedy a response" to remove the child before "parents have a chance to show whether they can address their problems". <br />In other cases, such as alcohol abuse, the case comes to court "far too late". The child can already be suffering from neglect and is more difficult to place with an alternative family. <br />"This means the child may drift in care for a long time", which could have poor outcomes for their future education, health and employment prospects, Professor Harwin said.

Westminster, Islington and Camden Drug Courts

Three London councils - Westminster, Islington and Camden - have combined to set up the initiative, which will sit at the Inner London Famil...

Read more »

UK's first family drug and alcohol court

The UK's first family drug and alcohol court is due to open in London today.<br />The court, based on a US model, will hear childcare cases where one or both parents suffer from an addiction to alcohol or narcotics.<br />The new venture will hear family cases - such as child care applications - from three London councils - Westminster, Islington and Camden. A specialist judge will work with addiction specialists and social workers at the Family Drug and Alcohol Court, fast-tracking addicted parents into treatment and recovery programmes.<br />The three-year pilot, set up as a joint initiative by the three councils, will cost more than £1.3m, with just under £900,000 coming from central government and the rest from the three boroughs. <br />Currently, two-thirds of children taken into care in inner London have parents with drug or alcohol problems. <br />Justice minister Bridget Prentice said: "Cases will be brought to court earlier wherever a parent is suspected of substance or alcohol abuse. <br />"And during the course of the case, the focus will very much be on therapy and recovery and so therefore on the longer-term interest of the child." <br />She added: "If we can take a step towards ending the misery drugs and alcohol abuse causes families, that can only be a good thing." <br />The judge will be able to order parents to attend one-to-one counselling or group sessions to avoid having children taken into care.<br />The court may also recommend that a parent ends an abusive relationship or can advise them to visit a housing department or attend AA meetings.<br />Specialist district judge Nick Crichton, who has campaigned for such a court for the past five years, said: "We are confident that the pilot court will be able to make a significant difference to the lives of the children whose cases will come before us, and we are excited that at last the project is about to start." <br />Parents' progress will be monitored by the same judge every two to four weeks - a point emphasised by Judge Crichton as key to the pilot's success. <br />The project will be evaluated by experts from Brunel University

UK's first family drug and alcohol court

The UK's first family drug and alcohol court is due to open in London today. The court, based on a US model, will hear childcare cases w...

Read more »

stops the drug from reaching the brain and producing a sought-after high

In a search for what could be the ultimate cure for drug addiction, scientists have developed a vaccine which prevents the body from getting high.<br />The hope is that it can stop people from falling back into a spiral of addiction if they have a relapse.<br />The most promising results so far have been with cocaine, but researchers hope it could also one day be used to cure addiction to methamphetamine, heroin and even cigarettes.<br />"The vaccine slowly decreases the amount of cocaine that reaches the brain," said Thomas Kosten, a professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, who has been working on the vaccine since 1995.<br />"It's a slow process, and patients do not go through any significant withdrawal symptoms."<br />The vaccine works by getting the body's immune system to recognize the drug as foreign and attack it in the blood stream.<br />It does so by injecting an altered version of the drug into the body which has been attached to a protein that the body will recognize as a threat.<br />"The body then says, 'This is a foreign article. I should start making antibodies to it,'" Kosten said in a telephone interview.<br />The cocaine molecules eventually pass through the kidneys and are excreted through the urine.<br />That stops the drug from reaching the brain and producing a sought-after high.<br />Use of the vaccine would lead to a gradual tapering of dependence, Kosten said.<br />"Gradually, antibody levels would rise. If you kept using (cocaine), you'd get less and less of an effect."<br />Of all the drugs tested, cocaine is the easiest one for which to develop a vaccine because of an enzyme in the bloodstream, cholinesterase, that helps break it down, Kosten said.<br />He has also begun to test vaccines for methamphetamine and heroin in animal studies, and hopes to eventually add nicotine to the list.<br />"That's going to be the moneymaker," he said.<br />The injections are designed for therapeutic -- not for preventative -- use, and are meant for those already suffering from addiction.<br />That, however, does not rule out other possible future uses, Kosten said.<br />"You could potentially inject pregnant cocaine users with the vaccine to prevent their fetuses from becoming contaminated," he explained.<br />Other uses could include administering the vaccine to high-risk adolescents in order to prevent them from becoming addicted early on, he said, while acknowledging that this would raise serious ethical and legal questions.<br />Testing for the cocaine vaccine has included a series of five injections over a period of three months, Kosten said.<br />The vaccine has one more large scale human study scheduled before it is ready for the federal Food and Drug Administration approval process.<br />A similar nicotine vaccine is also in the early stages of testing by several groups of European researchers. Kosten hopes to have the vaccine on the market in two to three years.

stops the drug from reaching the brain and producing a sought-after high

In a search for what could be the ultimate cure for drug addiction, scientists have developed a vaccine which prevents the body from getting...

Read more »

Drug Court model for United Kingdom

Instead of sentences, Mercer County Circuit Court Judge William Sadler handed down diplomas and new leases on life Monday.<br />The judge and a crowded courtroom of supporters gathered to wish seven graduates of the Southern Regional Drug Court well on their way into new, drug-free journeys, and two of the special speakers know what it’s like to travel the same roads.<br />Melissa Tedder was one of the first to complete the Mercer County program designed to provide alternative sentencing designed to help drug offenders overcome addiction and escape time behind bars. At the time she entered the program, Tedder didn’t have much to smile about and even fewer opportunities in her outlook.<br />“I was a menace to society. My life had fallen apart as a result of my drug addiction,” she said Monday.<br />This week, she couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her face as she told the audience how her life had turned around since she entered the program and graduated in June 2007. In fact, she’s getting married soon. She’s held a job for 18 months straight, and she’s worked hard to repair relationships with her children and her mother.<br />Though she did the recovery work herself, she said it never would have been possible without the court’s strict supervision and the support of the drug court treatment team.<br />“I’ll always be grateful for this program,” she said.<br />Kenneth Shrader, another graduate, said he carries many titles. He’s a father, a husband, an employee and more. A couple of years ago, there were some other names he called himself.<br />“I was hopeless. I was an addict,” he said.<br />Shrader said his family and everyone who cared about him had given up, but there was one chance left. He was referred and accepted to the drug court docket, and today, he’s sober and once more surrounded by a family who knows he is strong enough to beat addiction.<br />Holding his new baby and watching his daughter in the audience, he said those relationships showcase the biggest differences in his life.<br />“Today, I remember a 4-year-old who didn’t want to leave her mommy’s leg, and now comes running to her daddy at the door,” he said.<br />Magistrate Mike Flanigan, who oversees the misdemeanor segment of the Southern Regional Drug Court along with Magistrate Rick Fowler, hosted Monday’s ceremony and reminded the seven graduates that the celebration was not a conclusion.<br />“It’s not the end, only the beginning,” he said.<br />Though Sadler said he was a skeptic when Circuit Court Judge Derek Swope approached him about a drug court, he said he became a believer as a team of community corrections officials began touring similar courts and making plans for their own in late 2004 and early 2005.<br />“We saw what drug court was truly about ... It was truly about helping people with addiction problems,” he said, along with relieving the court system of non-violent drug offenders and the expenses associated with incarcerating non-violent offenders.<br />It costs approximately $25,000 a year to incarcerate someone, and Mercer County has struggled to tame its bills to the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver. Participants in Monday’s graduation said the drug court not only saves money in jail fees; they said it spends treatment dollars more wisely.<br />In addition, drug court participants are expected to submit to drug testing, complete treatment goals, hold down jobs and give back to the communities in which they were once burdens.<br />Drug Court Coordinator Laura Helton said the 78 participants accepted so far have completed more than 15,000 hours of community services, performing tasks that would have cost the county an estimated $92,000 if community corrections clients had not performed them.<br />West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals Justice Brent Benjamin, has attended all three of the local drug court graduation and said he was proud to see seven graduates Monday, a sure sign the program is picking up momentum. While speed of completion and statistics were to be commended, he said they were not the most important things to recognize during the graduation ceremony.<br />“The lives changed are what matter,” he said. <br />To the grads, he said, “Get out there, and start the rest of your lives.”<br />The keynote speaker for the day, West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Justice Elliott “Spike” Maynard, changed his address after hearing the previous graduates speak.<br />“I don’t know anything I could say that would be as powerful as what Melissa Tedder and Kenneth Shrader had to say,” he said.<br />There are five drug courts in operation in West Virginia — three for adults and two for juveniles. Maynard said their successes prove to judges and observers alike that putting people behind bars isn’t always the answer.<br />“This works. This saves lives and saves families,” he said.<br />Though he said words would never be enough to express his pride in the treatment team and graduates, he said he still had two special ones to deliver: “Thank you.”<br />“Thank you for making changes in your lives,” he said. “God bless you, and thank you for being such a success and for making the program such a success.”<br />As the seven new graduates were called to accept their diplomas, Flanigan and Sadler touted their accomplishments in the program and tallied their drug-free days, and all announcements were met with broad smiles and a room full of applause.<br />At the conclusion, Flanigan announced, “To our graduates, congratulations. To our participants, you’re next.”

Drug Court model for United Kingdom

Instead of sentences, Mercer County Circuit Court Judge William Sadler handed down diplomas and new leases on life Monday. The judge and a c...

Read more »

Scotland needs an army of 750 new drugs workers

Scotland needs an army of 750 new drugs workers if the escalating problem of substance misuse is to be tackled effectively, according to the Scottish Drugs Forum (SDF), which submitted recommendations to the government last week in the hope they will influence its forthcoming Drugs Strategy for Scotland.<br />SDF director Dave Liddell said it was time to stop treating drug addiction as a medical problem and more as a social problem. He said the 750 workers proposed by the SDF would be broken down into 200 housing support posts, 200 workers to help drug users find work, 250 family support officers and 100 outreach workers.<br />Liddell said: "It's about wraparound treatment that goes beyond the medical focus, and those 750 posts recognise that people with drug problems, in most cases, have a range of social problems, and if they are not addressed then the chances of them addressing their drug problem is pretty remote."<br />He insisted that extra investment for drugs resources should come out of the regeneration budget, which is about £1.6 billion over the next three years.<br />Liddell said it was clear existing regeneration programmes "don't take full account of the social problems that exist in that community" and instead concentrate on the "bricks and mortar".<br />"It's not enough to fix housing stock on its own; it's about regenerating the entire community," he said.<br />"We should look at the models we use for development in third world countries where you start to prepare those communities to become more resilient, and that obviously involves education, training and employment in the local area."<br />Joy Barlow, head of Scottish Training on Drug and Alcohol (Strada) said it was time for everyone entering social care professions to have basic training in drug and alcohol misuse.<br />"Very few professionals have drug and alcohol misuse training as part of their pre-qualification or undergraduate diploma. For example, very few school teachers ever really had the opportunity to explore these issues. It is fundamental that teachers are able to identify and intervene with those children who are experiencing drug and alcohol misuse or are living with someone who is.<br />"The Curriculum for Excellence is going to find it hard to meet its four national characteristics, which include things such as confident learners, if quite a few of them are disadvantaged by life's circumstances, and drug and alcohol misuse can be a disabling life experience for them," she said.<br />"Drug and alcohol misuse probably impacts every level of professional discipline across Scotland today, and in education and training we are not hitting the spot."<br />Andrew Horne, director of Addaction Scotland, a drug and alcohol treatment charity, said more staff were needed to address the log jam of drug addicts who were seeking services.<br />"I met a guy in our service who couldn't even get on a waiting list because he was seen as not priority, and he then doesn't show up on statistics. If you can't get into treatment you can't get into rehabilitation.<br />"He is left out there and that happens quite a lot. You have a motivated person who can't even stabilise or detox, he can't even get his foot in the door.<br />"Then there are those who want to get out, but there aren't enough employability workers in the field who can help with training and education."<br />A Scottish government spokesman said: "We welcome the Scottish Drugs Forum's recommendations and will give them careful consideration as we develop our new drugs strategy."

Scotland needs an army of 750 new drugs workers

Scotland needs an army of 750 new drugs workers if the escalating problem of substance misuse is to be tackled effectively, according to the...

Read more »

Malta's first National Drugs Policy

Malta's first National Drugs Policy was launched which will be coordinated by a newly set up National Coordinating Unit for Drugs and Alcohol within the Ministry of Social Solidarity. <br />€69,000 (Lm30,000) have been allocated to Caritas for the organisation’s drug harm reduction shelter. Other entities running drug rehabilitation programmes will also benefit from financial aids, so that those who opt to follow residential care instead of a prison sentence could receive a weekly allowance.<br />Minister Dolores Cristina announced that the Housing Authority will be renting out two apartments for youths who finished residential programmes and need help integrating in society.<br />She also said the policy provides the necessary tools to battle the drug problem better in Malta. The policy streamlines the practices to be adopted by various entities involved in providing drug-related services and aims to improve the quality and increase the provision of services as well as provide a more coordinated mechanism to reduce the supply and demand of drugs.

Malta's first National Drugs Policy

Malta's first National Drugs Policy was launched which will be coordinated by a newly set up National Coordinating Unit for Drugs and A...

Read more »

overdose kits

overdose kits given to heroin addicts have saved eight lives, leading to calls for them to be provided for thousands of addicts in Scotland.<br />About 300 of the kits – syringes loaded with the drug naloxone – have been given to addicts' friends and families under two Scottish pilot schemes. Similar action has sharply cut deaths in Berlin, San Francisco and Chicago.<br />The pilot schemes, in Glasgow and South Lanarkshire, involve take-home doses of naloxone, a liquid that is injected and blocks the effects of opiates. It will keep a heroin user who is slipping into a potentially fatal coma alive for up to 20 minutes.<br />Under the pilots, which have been running since last April, with the cost of around £40,000 funded by local NHS boards, family members and friends of drug users are given training on how to detect the early signs of an overdose and on basic resuscitation techniques.<br />There have been six successful uses of the drug in Glasgow and a further two in South Lanarkshire.<br />But one of Scotland's leading drug experts has voiced grave fears that the drug will only encourage even more reckless drug abuse among Scotland's estimated 50,000 heroin addicts.<br />Neil McKeganey, professor of drug misuse research at Glasgow University, also believes giving drug users' families needles to take home will put children in danger and says the pilots are not being properly evaluated.<br />With the number of drug deaths hitting a record high of 421 in 2006 and a similar figure expected for 2007, experts say naloxone kits should be given to thousands of addicts' relatives and friends around the country.<br />Dr Jane Jay, chairwoman of the National Drug Death Forum, said: "This drug has, in a number of cases, made the difference between life and death. The cost is relatively low, but I would also ask 'what price a life'?"<br />She is now urging Kenny MacAskill, the justice secretary, to approve a national roll-out of naloxone among all heroin addicts in Scotland.

overdose kits

overdose kits given to heroin addicts have saved eight lives, leading to calls for them to be provided for thousands of addicts in Scotland....

Read more »

zolpidem,Stilnoct

sleeping drug which actor Heath Ledger had admitted taking has been linked to six deaths in the UK.<br />Figures obtained by the Sunday Herald have revealed that six fatal suspected adverse drug reactions to zolpidem have been reported to Britain's medicines watchdog since 2001.<br />Almost 200 further incidents of adverse reactions, ranging from psychiatric and cardiac disorders to "injuries" and eye disorders have also been reported to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).<br />Ledger was found dead by his housekeeper at his New York apartment last Tuesday. Pills were found near his body and Ledger recently admitted taking the prescription drug Ambien - the trade name of zolpidem in America - to combat insomnia.<br />Results of a postmortem examination last week on the 28-year-old actor, who had won acclaim in films such as Brokeback Mountain, are inconclusive, but there has been speculation he died from an accidental overdose of sleeping pills.<br />This prompted movie star Jack Nicholson to say the tragedy could be a warning about the dangers of certain sleeping pills. Nicholson said he had taken Ambien and it had serious side effects.<br />During a promotional visit to London for his latest film he said: "I warn people about Ambien. I almost drove off a cliff once. I don't take sleeping pills but somebody said, take this, it's mild'.<br />"I got a call in the middle of the night, kind of an emergency, and I almost drove off a cliff 50 yards from my house. I live up in the mountains in Aspen. It's something to warn people about."<br />The figures from the MHRA show the incidents recorded under its "yellow card" scheme, which doctors use to alert the agency to patients suffering side-effects to a drug. Health professionals and patients report reactions on a voluntary basis - companies are legally obliged to do so - and it is designed to act as an early warning system to flag up any previously unrecognised problems.<br />A total of 197 suspected adverse drug reactions have been reported to date in connection with zolpidem - which is marketed as Stilnoct in the UK - the majority of which were categorised as psychiatric disorders.<br />Six cases of deaths linked to a suspected adverse reaction to the drug were also recorded - three involving psychiatric disorders, with the rest categorised as general disorders, injuries and vascular disorders.<br />Last year research by Australia's Federal Health Department linked zolpidem to a series of incidents of strange behaviour, including a woman who painted her front door while still asleep.<br />Problems involving zolpidem have emerged in America, where some people have been injured by cars driven by people under the influence of the drug.<br />A spokesman for the MHRA said the safety of zolpidem has been "carefully monitored" and product information had been updated to include warnings of psychiatric adverse effects.<br />A spokesman for Sanofi Aventis, which makes Stilnoct, said it could not comment on the MHRA figures, but said when taken as prescribed, the drug was "generally well tolerated".

zolpidem,Stilnoct

sleeping drug which actor Heath Ledger had admitted taking has been linked to six deaths in the UK. Figures obtained by the Sunday Herald ha...

Read more »