Resources

We are indebted to the International Doctors for Healthier Drug Policies for our Resources. We will be adding to them over time.

What should we expect of drug treatment?

Reviewing the evidence on drug use treatment.

Viewing addiction as a brain disease promotes social injustice

The view of drug use and drug addiction as a brain disease serves to perpetuate unrealistic, costly, and discriminatory drug policies, argues Carl L. Hart.

The war on drugs has failed. Now what?

A BMJ editor shares five key readings to understand drug policy and the urgent need for reform.

Access to controlled drugs for the treatment of dependence in Germany

Dr. med. Albrecht Ulmer tells us the situation of Opioid Agonist Therapy (“OAT”) formerly known as Opioid Substitution Treatment (“OST”) in Germany.

Child maltreatment and cannabis use in young adulthood: a birth cohort study

Aims to investigate whether child maltreatment is associated with life-time cannabis use, early-onset cannabis use,daily cannabis use and DSM-IV cannabis abuse in young adulthood.

Nonmedical use of prescription drugs among young people: A growing global concern

Middle East data indicate nonmedical use of prescription drugs warrants particular attention.

Black Sheep

An investigation into existing support for problematic cannabis use.

Highways and buyways: A snapshot of UK drug scene

Headline goals for Psychoactive Substances Act achieved but new forms of SCRA street dealing and distribution putting vulnerable groups at risk as rough sleeping numbers increase.

Drugs, alcohol, and suicide represent growing share of U.S. mortality

Americans are killing themselves at an alarming rate. Nationwide, the mortality rate, from drug poisoning, alcohol poisoning, and suicide increased by 52 percent between 2000 and 2014.

Youth RISE is back on the scene!

2016 was the year for our partners, Youth RISE to regenerate. With the beginning of 2017 they are excited to announce their rebranding. They now bring a new set of resources to support, educate, and empower young people to help the world's at-risk youths with innovative thinking, new approaches, and a new appearance.

Dr Bob Newman tells us about OAT (OST) in the USA

Dr Bob Newman tells us the situation of Opioid Agonist Therapy (“OAT”) formerly known as Opioid Substitution Treatment (“OST”) In the USA.

Lola - A Case Story

Written by Dr Beatrice Stambul, Former Head of the Center for Prevention and Addiction Treatment (CSAPA) Villa Floreal, Aix en Provence, France

“Interesting times” to be providing, or receiving OST in England.

Dr Gordon Morse, the medical director of health and social care organisation Turning Point, tells us the situation of Opioid Agonist Therapy (“OAT”) formerly known as Opioid Substitution Treatment (“OST”) in England.

Irish clinical guidelines published without adequate peer review

Dr Garrett McGovern and Dr Cathal O Sullióbháin are GPs specialising in treatment of people who use drugs in Dublin, Ireland. Here they tell us the situation of Opioid Agonist Therapy (“OAT”) formerly known as Opioid Substitution Treatment (“OST”) in Ireland.

OST History in France

Dr Beatrice Stambul, former Head of the Center for Prevention and Addiction Treatment (CSAPA) tells us the situation of Opioid Agonist Therapy (“OAT”) formerly known as Opioid Substitution Treatment (“OST”) in France.

The perils of supervised consumption – a case study

Written by Dr Garrett McGovern, GP Specialising in substance use, Dublin.

Poor availability of opioid medications for treatment of opioid dependence in India: A persistent pain in the neck

Atul Ambekar, MD, Professor at the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), tells us the situation of Opioid Agonist Therapy (“OAT”) formerly known as Opioid Substitution Treatment (“OST”) in India.

Why people who use heroin aren't as afraid of deadly fentanyl as they should be

Decades of misinformation from the war on drugs have left hardcore users cynical about a very real danger.

Women speak out: Understanding women who inject drugs in Indonesia

The needs of women who inject drugs have largely been ignored by existing programmes and policies in Indonesia.

Opioid substitution therapy in South Africa: (slow) movements towards equitable access

Dr. Andrew Scheibe tells us the situation of Opioid Agonist Therapy (“OAT”) formerly known as Opioid Substitution Treatment (“OST”) in South Africa.

Russia continue ban on OAT as it says there is no evidence!

The current situation of Opioid Agonist Therapy (“OAT”) formerly known as Opioid Substitution Treatment (“OST”) In Russia.

New advice on reducing health inequalities in the criminal justice system

Local bodies can use new advice to close the shocking health gap between people in the criminal justice system and the wider population.

The Seven Costs

The War on Drugs: Are we paying too high a price?

Heroin-assisted treatment in Switzerland: successfully regulating the supply and use of a high-risk injectable drug

A number of countries prescribe heroin for use under medical supervision, as part of successful programmes to treat people who use illicit opioids, long-term.

Incident and long-term opioid therapy among patients with psychiatric conditions and medications: a national study of commercial health care claims

This study examined health insurance claims among 10,311,961 patients who filled prescriptions for opioids. Specifically, they evaluated how opioid receipt differed among patients with and without a wide range of preexisting psychiatric and behavioural conditions.

Circumstances surrounding non-fatal opioid overdoses attended by ambulance services

This paper explores characteristics associated with non-fatal overdoses and aims to identify possible trends among these events in an urban area in Norway.

The 2016 Hep-CORE Report

Monitoring the implementation of hepatitis B and C policy recommendations in Europe.

A cost-benefit analysis of a potential supervised injection facility in San Francisco, California, USA

The authors estimate the economic costs and benefits of establishing a potential SIF in San Francisco using mathematical models that combine local public health data with previous research on the effects of existing SIFs.

Researchers identify factors associated with stopping treatment for opioid dependence

Individuals with opioid dependence who are treated with buprenorphine, a commonly prescribed drug to treat addiction, are more likely to disengage from treatment programs if they are black or Hispanic, unemployed, or have hepatitis C according to a study.

Dr Steve Brinksman calls for kindness and compassion in palliative care.

Dr Steve Brinksman calls for kindness and compassion in palliative care and says the way that we deal with end of life scenarios for the people who use drugs and alcohol defines how caring we are as a treatment system and a society – and yet this remains an area that commissioned services rarely address. Perhaps it’s time that they did.