News and Notes

Abstract

A law banning smoking in public places and regulating tobacco products in Kenya came into force in July, ending a long legal tussle between the government and tobacco firms. The Tobacco Control Act was passed in parliament last year but given a nine-month implementation period. It provides a legal framework to control the production, manufacture, sale, advertising and use of tobacco products. The ban defines ‘public places’ as office blocks, working areas, court buildings, education institutions, residential areas, places of worship, police stations, prisons, markets, malls, cinemas, theatres, children's homes and playing fields, but it allows smokers to light up in special designated areas. Importantly, the law bans the sale of cigarettes to people aged under 18 years, selling tobacco in a packet of less than 10 cigarettes, promoting tobacco by sponsoring public activities and branding of buildings other than those owned or leased by manufacturers. The courts blocked previous attempts to enforce the nationwide ban on the grounds that the government did not give tobacco firms enough compliance time and would force them to destroy millions of dollars worth of their products. The tobacco industry has since sought to challenge the bans in the high court. New research from the University of Michigan School of Public Health [1] suggests that cadmium is one of the critical ingredients causing emphysema, and even low-level exposure attained through second-hand smoke and other means may also increase the chance of developing lung disease. The study suggests that higher cadmium levels in the body as much as double the risk of developing a pulmonary disease diagnosis such as emphysema or chronic bronchitis. Although some studies have linked high levels of cadmium with decreased lung function in occupationally exposed workers, this is only the second known study to show that subjects with even slightly increased levels of cadmium had decreased lung function and the first known study to do so using repeated measures of lung function over time. The study's authors suggest that cadmium is the critical ingredient in smoking that may be causing emphysema. Non-smokers are also exposed to cadmium when they eat contaminated foods or inhale second-hand smoke, as well as through a host of occupational exposures. Cadmium is a metal that is difficult for the body to dispel because kidneys tend to retain cadmium and it recycles into the body. The Guardian reports that scientists are exploring the use of psychedelic drugs such as LSD to treat a range of ailments from depression to cluster headaches and obsessive compulsive disorder. The first clinical trial using LSD since the 1970s began in Switzerland in June 2008, aiming to use ‘psychedelic psychotherapy’ to help patients with terminal illnesses come to terms with their imminent mortality and so improve their quality of life. Researchers are also trialling psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, which has shown promising results in trials for treating symptoms of terminal cancer patients and MDMA (ecstasy) as an experimental treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. Charles Grob, a professor of psychiatry at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Centre, has recently completed a trial that used psilocybin to help patients with terminal cancer come to terms with their illness. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine also published a study in 2006 of 36 healthy volunteers who were given psilocybin and then observed in the lab [1]. The participants' ages ranged from 24 to 64 and none had taken hallucinogens before. When the group were interviewed again 14 months later 58% said they rated the experience as being among the five most personally meaningful of their lives, 67% said it was in their top five spiritual experiences and 64% said it had increased their well-being or life satisfaction. They hope this work will help patients with terminal illnesses to face their own demise completely. Unpublished trials show some hope. Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/aug/12/medicalresearch.drugs The Times online reports that teenagers are to be banned from buying alcohol in France, as health advisers dismiss the cherished Gallic belief that children should be initiated in the art of wine-drinking at an early age. With British-style binge drinking gaining ground among French youth, officials say they want to send out a clear message against adolescent consumption. Roselyne Bachelot, the Health Minister, said that she was planning to make it illegal to sell alcohol to those under 18, with legislation likely to be introduced next year. In France, 16-year-olds have been able to buy wine and beer, but not spirits, in cafés and restaurants, and all alcoholic drinks in supermarkets and other shops with an off-licence. It marks a shift in official thinking over the hallowed French tradition of initiating the young in drinking rituals, notably involving wine. The French consensus has been that the first sips should be taken in early adolescence – or before – under parental supervision. This is believed to foster a mature, sensible approach to alcohol far removed from Anglo-Saxon excesses, but has been found wanting in recent changes in drinking patterns and more sophisticated research. The percentage of those under 18 saying they got drunk regularly rose from 19 to 26% between 2003 and 2006, for instance. According to the Health Ministry, the number of people under 24 treated in hospital in connection with alcohol increased by 50% between 2004 and 2007. The debate has been given added urgency by the death from alcohol poisoning last month of an 18-year-old student in central France who had been out to celebrate passing his end of school exams. In another well-publicised case this week, a father from Brittany sued the supermarket that had sold three bottles of spirits to his 16-year-old daughter, who was taken to hospital after losing consciousness. Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article4608210.ece SBIRT Colorado (Substance Use Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment) has partnered with the Colorado Clinical Guidelines Collaborative to create and release new guidelines. The guidelines recognize the critical role clinicians can play in preventing injury, disease and more severe substance use disorders. An online version is available free of charge to all healthcare professionals at http://www.coloradoguidelines.org/guidelines/sbirt.asp. The Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing has released findings of the Barriers and Incentives to Treatment for Illicit Drug Users research project. There were two main purposes of the study: an investigation of barriers and incentives to treatment for substance use; and the development of recommendations regarding possible policy and program directions arising from the research findings. The research project was conducted by LMS Consulting, the National Centre in HIV Social Research at the University of New South Wales and the Australian Injecting and Illicit Drug Users League. See: http://www.vaada.org.au/resources/items/2008/08/225903-upload-00001.pdf for more details. The Australian National Council on Drugs has developed a website recognising that treatment plays an important role in addressing drug and alcohol issues within the community, in an effort to reduce the marginalisation of drug users and provide inspiration for current drug users who want to deal with their drug use. The stories contained on this website offer real life examples of the impact of treatment in the community and the journey of those who are involved in the process. The stories have been provided by people who have successfully dealt with their drug use issues or those that are in the process of working towards this goal and family members who have supported or are currently supporting a family member through the treatment process. There are also stories from managers and workers from a variety of treatment services who can provide a first hand account about the role of treatment and the benefits it can offer. All of the contributions to this website are based on true stories, however, identifying details of authors, people and places have been changed to ensure anonymity. The website address is: http://www.positivestories.org.au Addiction Across the Life Span: Tracking Processes of Recovery. Society for the Study of Addiction Annual Symposium, 13–14 November 2008, Park Inn Hotel, York, United Kingdom. Contact: Graham Hunt, fax +44 (0)113 295 2787; email graham.hunt@leedspft.nhs.uk. Website: http://www.addiction-ssa.org/ssa_10.htm Evidence, Policy and Practice. Annual conference of APSAD, the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and Other Drugs, 23–26 November 2008, Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour, Sydney, Australia. Website: http://www.apsad2008.com/ Drugs and Cultures, 11–13 December 2008, Paris. Organised by the Observatoire Français des Drogues et des Toxicomanies (OFDT). Contact: email com@ofdt.fr. Website: http://www.drugsandcultures2008.com/ Alcohol our Favourite Drug: from Chemistry to Culture, 26–27 February 2009. Organised by The Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's National Academy. Contact: Duncan Welsh, Royal Society of Edinburgh, tel. +44 (0) 131 240 5027, fax +44 (0)131 240 5024; email dwelsh@royalsoced.org.uk. Website: http://www.royalsoced.org.uk 14th World Conference on Tobacco or Health, 8–12 March 2009, Mumbai, India. Contact: organisers’ email secretariat@14wctoh.org; registrations email wctoh@kwconferences.com (email subject “registrations”). Website: http://www.14wctoh.org Harm Reduction 2009: the International Harm Reduction Association's 20th International Conference, 19–23 April 2009, Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, Bangkok, Thailand. Website: http://www.ihra.net/Thailand/Home Society of Behavioural Medicine 30th Annual Meeting & Scientific Sessions, 22–25 April 2009, Palais des congrès de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Website: http://www.sbm.org/meeting/2009/ Collegium Internationale Neuro-Psychopharmacologicum (CINP) Thematic Meeting on Major Psychoses and Substance Abuse, 25–27 April 2009, Edinburgh International Conference Centre. Contact: email cinp2009@glasconf.demon.co.uk. Website: http://northernnetworking.co.uk/CINP_thematic_meeting.htm The Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT) 15th Annual Meeting—Joint Conference of SRNT and SRNT-Europe, 27–30 April 2009, Citywest Hotel Conference Leisure and Golf Resort, Saggart, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Website: http://www.srnt.org/meeting/2009/index.html American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) 40th Annual Medical-Scientific Conference, 30 April – 3 May 2009, New Orleans, LA. Website: http://www.asam.org/AnnualMeeting.html National Conference on Tobacco or Health, 10–12 June 2009, Phoenix Convention Centre, Phoenix, Arizona. Website: http://www.tobaccocontrolconference.org/2009/ The College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD) 71st Annual Meeting, 20–25 June 2009, John Ascuaga's Nugget Casino Resort, Reno/Sparks, Nevada. Website: http://www.cpdd.vcu.edu/index.html 2009 UK National Smoking Cessation Conference, 22–23 June 2009, Novotel London West Hotel and Convention Centre. Website: http://www.uknscc.org 2010 International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism (ISBRA) World Congress, jointly with Societe Francaise d’Alcoologie (SFA) National Meeting, 13–16 September 2010, Paris. Contact: email princeps.gdumas@orange.fr/michel.reynaud@pbr.aphp.fr. Regional Satellite Meetings, 17–18 September 2010, Heidelberg, Germany—contact: Helmut_Karl.Seitz@urz.uni-heidelberg.de; Vienna, Austria—contact: otto.lesch@meduniwien.ac.at. Website: http://www.isbra.com News and Notes welcomes contributions from its readers. Send your material to Peter Miller, News and Notes Editor, Addiction, National Addiction Centre PO48, 4 Windsor Walk, London SE5 8AF. Fax +44 (0)20 7848 5966; e-mail louisa@addictionjournal.org Conference entries should be sent to Molly Jarvis at molly@addictionjournal.org. Subject to editorial review, we will be glad to print, free of charge, details of your conference or event, up to 75 words and one entry only. Please send your notification three months before you wish the entry to appear.