Recent bulletins from the drug and alcohol bank:
The impact of Scotland’s ambitious alcohol strategy
While some evidence-based interventions from Scotland’s alcohol strategy have been implemented, failure to introduce minimum unit pricing has limited the strategy’s contribution to declines in alcohol consumption and related harm.
Alcohol-related injuries up by a third when Amsterdam bars open later
Adding just one or two hours to late-night opening times for bars and clubs in two of Amsterdam’s nightlife areas led to a persistent 34% increase in alcohol-related injuries.
Prizes for abstinence work ... at first
Systematically offering substance use patients the chance to win prizes if they test abstinent offers a lower cost alternative to ‘contingency management’ systems which give rewards each time, but does it work? Across 18 studies the answer was ‘Yes,’ though effects soon faded to zero.
Are three questions enough to detect unhealthy drinking?
AUDIT is a popular 10-question screening test for detecting unhealthy drinking. But with a shorter version also available, this review asks whether its first three questions have proved just as useful.
Drug education yet to match great (preventive) expectations
Updated hot topic on school-based drug education, for many the great hope for preventing substance use across a population. The potential is obvious, the fulfilment less so. Biggest disappointment for the UK was the multi-million pound Blueprint trial. Is this record due to inherent contradictions, or is it just that we have yet to find the right formula?
Recent Comments