28th November 2024

‘Largest addiction rehabilitation center in the Northeast’ to come to University City

Real estate investment group Creating Shared Communities will build a 517,000-square-foot addiction rehabilitation center at 3700 Ludlow St., blocks away from Penn’s campus. When completed, the 40-story building is set to have both inpatient and outpatient services and will be the largest addiction rehabilitation center in the Northeast. General manager of CSC Sal Smeke called the facility the “Mayo Clinic of drug abuse in the Northeast.” This significant development underscores the need for timely and accessible addiction rehab and treatment services to people suffering from dependency issues.

Read THE thedp.com article Here

27th November 2024

HPRA warns of health risks of semaglutide type products sold illegally online

1,401 units of illegal semaglutide and other GLP-1 agonists detained in 2024 to-date. In light of its increasing detention of illegal products, the HPRA is today warning the public to only source GLP-1 medicines, including semaglutide, liraglutide and tirzepatide, from a registered pharmacy using a valid prescription from their healthcare professional. As a result of its proactive enforcement work in this area, the HPRA has detained some 1,401 units of illegal GLP-1 products in 2024 to date.

Read the HPRA article Here

26th November 2024

Gunnebah drug, alcohol rehab deepens Bond Uni medical students’ understanding of addiction

Medical student Gordon Nguyen knows he’s lived a relatively sheltered life when it comes to substance abuse. “I don’t really have a background in addiction — I’ve never really been affected by it,” he said. So when he spent six weeks at a rehabilitation clinic as part of his medical degree, the 24-year-old had an “eye-opening” experience. “It’s not just the medical side, like the drug — addiction is more of a symptom of something else,” he said.

Read the ABC.net article Here

25th November 2024

A controversial but effective addiction treatment for meth addiction gains ground

Bernard Groves has spent five years trying to quit methamphetamine. He lost his job. He lost his car. He nearly lost his apartment. Worse than that, he says, his addiction has hurt his family. “I went [to lunch] with my auntie and I saw such sadness in her eyes,” Groves said. The 35-year-old checked himself into several rehab programs in San Diego and San Francisco hoping “to be that Bernard I used to be for the people that I love.”

Read the npr.org article Here

22nd November 2024

Vapes with cannabinoids causing psychosis in users as young as 13

Dangerous synthetic cannabinoids being sold in vape shops are causing psychosis in children as young as 13 that may damage them for life, a leading psychiatrist has warned. Professor Bobby Smyth, a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist and clinical professor at Trinity College Dublin, said 20-25% of presentations to adolescent addiction services he works in now involve hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) — a semi-synthetic cannabinoid with broadly similar effects to cannabis.

This highlights the lack of good regulation around cannabinoid products. The Citizens Assembly last year advocated for greater resources for addiction rehab and treatment and a vote to legalise cannabis was narrowly defeated by the Citizens.

Read the Irish Examiner article Here

21st November 2024

Drivers must wait for checkpoint drug test result, Supreme Court rules

The Supreme Court has ruled that a suspected drug driver was required to wait at the scene of a roadside Garda checkpoint for the result of a drug test. And while it was an error of law for a garda to tell the driver that he was obliged to wait for one hour for the result, the law requiring him to provide a breath specimen for the drug test encompassed a requirement to wait for the result, the court said. The case concerned an appeal brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) against a High Court decision that found the garda was not entitled to detain the driver at the roadside for up to an hour for the test result.

Read the Irish Times article Here

20th November 2024

‘This will save lives’ – Ireland’s first supervised drug injection centre to open this December

Ireland’s first medically supervised drug injection facility (MSIF) is set to open in Dublin in December, according to the charity overseeing the service. Homeless and addiction services charity Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) told The Journal that construction is at a “well-advanced” stage, and they facility is expected to open before Christmas. MQI chief executive Eddie Mullins said the charity is aiming for a mid-December opening date, adding that the charity is “right up to the line in terms of the work with our builders”. As well as an increase in funding and resources for addiction rehab and treatment this service will strengthen the harm reduction options for people who inject drugs.

Read the Journal.ie article Here

19th November 2024

Parties urged to back drug decriminalisation

A coalition of community drug projects has called on all political parties to commit to implementing the recommendations of the citizens’ assembly on drugs and the Oireachtas committee on drugs — including their calls to decriminalise the possession of drugs for personal use. Citywide Drugs Crisis Campaign is also urging concentrated investment in the most disadvantaged of communities and in local drugs task forces. The recent Citizens Assembly on drugs recommended a health led approach with expansion of addiction rehab and treatment services.

Read the Irish Examiner article Here

18th November 2024

Next government must establish an Office for Alcohol Harm Reduction

Alcohol Action Ireland (AAI) welcomes the upcoming General Election as an opportunity for the people of Ireland to have their voices heard on the issues that matter most and AAI believes that reducing harm from alcohol is one of them. Political parties are setting out their positions on multiple issues from crime to health to the economy. Alcohol harm permeates all these areas, yet government responses are disjointed and often contradictory. Alcohol harm costs high-income countries like Ireland 2.5% of GDP – €12bn annually – according to the World Health Organisation. 1,500 hospital beds are in use daily due to alcohol harm; almost one million people have grown up with a problem drinker in the home; 600,000 people are classified as having alcohol use disorder and 37% of driver fatalities with a toxicology result available had a positive toxicology for alcohol. Readily available alcohol rehab treatment options also need to be expanded.

Read the AAI press release Here

15th November 2024

Cannabis users spiked with heroin while dealers offer free cocaine to expand their market

Young cannabis users are being spiked with heroin and pushed to take cocaine by dealers intent on hooking them to expand their market. Children as young as 13 are being offered free cocaine samples by dealers when they buy cannabis, according to addiction therapist Michael Guerin. As the cocaine high is short and the drug is expensive, users can quickly end up in debt and be forced to become mules, carrying large quantities of drugs for organised crime to pay back debt. This is a very worrying development and the greater the use of cannabis the greater the risk of negative outcomes relating to a contaminated supply. Any person who feels they have a problem with cannabis use should explore addiction rehab treatment.

Read the Irish Examiner article Here

14th November 2024

Where have Fine Gael (and Simon Harris) stood on drug decriminalisation in the past?

Drug Policy has become a campaign talking point this week since Taoiseach Simon Harris took aim at Fianna Fáil’s manifesto pledge to decriminalise the possession of drugs for personal use. Fianna Fáil’s manifesto states the party would “continue to develop our health-led response to drug addiction” and “decriminalise drug possession for personal use”, without naming specific substances. When questions were raised about the party’s position, Fianna Fáil narrowed the scope of its ambition to cannabis and ruled out substances like heroin and cocaine. A health led approach would look at treating drug possession with an intervention and offering rehab addiction treatment for people who have a problem.

Read the Journail.ie article Here

13th November 2024

Is it right to force someone into rehab? The man whose life inspired a landmark law

Sitting at his dining room table, Kelsey Klausmeyer, 41, looks at a picture of his late husband, Enrique Klausmeyer-Garcia, known to most as Ricky. He died almost exactly a year ago, at the age of 37. Kelsey can’t make sense of it. When they met, Kelsey was awed by Ricky’s story: his long battle with addiction, his years of sobriety, his advocacy for recovery.

Read the Guardian.co.uk article Here

12th November 2024

Ireland’s Aaron Connolly opens up about alcoholism and rehab

Sunderland and Ireland forward Aaron Connolly has revealed he has battled alcoholism for several years, saying he spent a month in  an addiction treatment rehab clinic this summer after realising the addiction was killing him. The 24-year-old, who opened up about his alcoholism in an interview on second-tier Sunderland’s website to mark World Mental Health Day, pointed to his brilliant Premier League start when still a teenager as the beginning of his downward spiral.

Read the Breaknews.ie article Here

11th November 2024

‘Most drug users are functioning people. They go to work, go to college’

A suggestion in a workplace survey that 16 per cent of employees are addicted to or have an unhealthy relationship with at least one Class A illegal drug is probably an underestimate, according to the head of one of the country’s leading addiction and rehab services.

Read the Irish Times article Here

8th November 2024

‘I was spending up to £400 a day on cocaine’

A man who spent up to £400 a day on cocaine at the height of his drug and alcohol addiction is now helping others turn their lives around. Dan Robinson, 30, from Telford, started drinking at the age of 14 and later tried to take his own life due to poor mental health. Since attending recovery groups, he now works for a service called Shropshire Recovery Partnership to support others with their addiction, providing addiction rehab and treatment.

Read the BBC article Here

7th November 2024

Admitting I had a problem was hard. Then came the even harder part

Rehab was a battlefield, but I liked the person who emerged from the fog of alcoholism. My name is Matthew and I’m an alcoholic. An addict. That sullen string of words has taken me a long time to say aloud, let alone write and lay bare for all to see. I began drinking at 18. It was a way of escaping the complexity of life at home. My mother was also an addict. Her vice was sleeping pills and pain medication given to counter the effects of her cancer. 

Read the cbc.ca article Here

6th November 2024

Man in addiction recovery from gambling problem on a mission to help others

  A man who ended up behind bars from a gambling problem is helping to run a support service for others. Ben Jones, 34, was jailed for three years in 2019 for stealing money from his employer to feed his addiction. Now he is part of a service commissioned by Nottingham City Council – and he says he wishes it had been available to him at the time. The TimeOut project, run by recovery charity Double Impact, offers a range of help, including one-to-one holistic support and peer-led support groups.

Read the BBC article Here

5th November 2024

Disappointment at gambling addiction rehab and treatment centre delay

Jersey’s gambling regulation chief has said he is disappointed a specialist gambling addiction treatment centre has not been delivered. Cyril Whelan, chairman of Jersey Gambling Commission, said plans for a centre had come up against obstacles “with dull regularity”. Last year, the commission was close to signing a contract with an overseas treatment specialist who ended the partnership in order to focus on other work. Mr Whelan said this was a “cruel blow” but he was determined to work with the Government of Jersey to provide a rehab and addiction treatment service.

Read the BBC article Here

4th November 2024

Minister Donnelly announces passing of the Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2024 by Houses of the Oireachtas

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has today announced the passing of the Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2024 by the Seanad, completing its passage through both Houses of the Oireachtas. The Bill will increase the minimum legal age of the sale of tobacco products to 21 years of age. The measure is being introduced in order to accelerate the decline in adult smoking prevalence, which has remained at 18% for several years, and to reduce smoking prevalence among children to zero. On enactment, Ireland will become the first country in the EU to raise its age of sale to 21. Smoking addiction results in over 6,000 premature deaths in Ireland every and smokers needs a range of treatment options to overcome their smoking habit.

Read the Gov.ie article Here

1st November 2024

New gambling regulator to begin work on phased basis next year

The State’s new gambling regulator is likely to begin overseeing betting businesses in the Republic midway through next year, industry figures predict. President Micheal D Higgins recently signed the new Gambling Regulation Act, which overhauls licensing and creates a new authority to govern betting firms, into law. Industry figures forecast that the new regime should begin operating midway through next year, a key point for many businesses as they will have to renew online betting licences by that time. Gambling addiction is an increasing problem in Ireland and the new gambling Bill along with tailored addiction rehab and treatment services are important for those suffering from this condition.

Read the Irish Times article Here

31st October 2024

‘I had six cans of lager and two bottles of wine on the way to rehab’

After alcohol-induced seizures nearly killed him, Ben Robinson went to Steps Together in Nottinghamshire – and he is now six years sober thanks to receiving alcohol rehab treatment. Timely treatment for alcohol addiction is essential if people with problematic alcohol use are to be given the best opportunity to achieve recovery.

Read the Telegraph.co.uk article Here

30th October 2024

The Budget Is A “Critical Moment” For Drug And Alcohol Rehab Services

29th October 2024

How ‘pink cocaine’ – the drug that killed Liam Payne – an addiction that is taking a grip in Ireland

The seizure earlier this month of €91,000 worth of “pink cocaine” in Dublin signaled how the lethal drug that killed Liam Payne is taking a grip in Ireland. Gardai also discovered an estimated €180,000 in cannabis herb and MDMA tablets believed to be worth €7,650 in that operation in Dublin 12, but it was the pink cocaine that stood out. Despite its name, pink cocaine does not necessarily contain cocaine but is often a mixture of various substances, including MDMA, ketamine, and 2C-B. This drug is typically found in powder or pill form and is known for its vibrant pink colour, which makes it visually appealing to users. This addictive drug could put a strain an already under resourced and challenged addiction treatment services.

Read the Sunday World article Here

28th October 2024

It’s time to change our approach to drug use and addiction

An excellent article by Lynn Ruane about the need to change our drug laws to help people who are in active addiction and who need addiction rehab and treatment.

My social media feed is dense with discussions about topics like addiction, trauma, connection and recovery. Videos of people like Gabor Maté talk about how our early childhood experiences shape our outcomes in life and how important compassion is in our understanding of the decisions people make in their lives.

Read the Journal.ie article Here

25th October 2024

Minister of State Colm Burke announces funding for enhanced addiction treatment and rehab services for homeless people

24th October 2024

23rd October 2024

Centres in the US for problem gambling are noticing an alarming rise in calls to their helplines

In state after state, centers for problem gambling are noticing an alarming rise in calls to their helplines. The circumstances reported are also getting more severe, according to the directors of five problem gambling centers, a gambling researcher and an addiction counselor. People are filing for bankruptcy or losing homes or relationships. At the same time, callers are skewing younger, the experts said — often men in their 20s and 30s.

Read the NBC article Here

22nd October 2024

Stress and substance misuse are a ‘scourge’ on doctors, says medical council president

The Medical Council President, Dr Suzanne Crowe, said there had been an increase in mental health-related issues within the profession in recent years.“We’ve seen it in complaints and representations coming into the council. There are serious concerns around substance misuse. That is reflective of a profession who doesn’t feel heard, who doesn’t feel supported and who increasingly feels disconnected from those who are making decisions,” she said.

Read the Irish Times article Here

21st October 2024

Minimum Unit Pricing for alcohol – an opportunity to save lives across the island of Ireland

Alcohol Action Ireland warmly welcomes reports that Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) looks set to be introduced in Northern Ireland. MUP is an evidence-based public health measure which provides a floor price beneath which alcohol cannot be sold. It was introduced in Ireland in January 2022 and is also in place in Scotland and Wales. It specifically targets cheap, high strength alcohol which is often available at pocket money prices and which carries particular risks for groups such as young people and heavy drinkers. MUP is one of a number of strategies aimed at reducing alcohol consumption, particularly in problematic users, who also require ready access to addiction rehab and treatment services.

Read the Alcohol Action Ireland article Here

18th October 2024

I got addicted to gambling during school lunch breaks

“A £1 spin led to a £7 win” and that is all it took for Declan Cregan to get hooked on gambling at the age of 16.

That first win on a roulette wheel then led to online gambling and trips to the bookies – it was a habit that spiralled out of control and would eventually cost him about £500,000. “People never think it’s going to be them,” said Declan who is now in recovery after a 10-year battle with gambling addiction. “It’ll never be that young 15-year-old who has their first bet,” he said. “They just don’t see how it can escalate to a serious gambling problem.”

Gambling addiction is a very pervasive issue and and there needs to be greater treatment options in terms rehab and treatment to meet the demand.

Read the BBC article Here

17th October 2024

Minister of State James Browne TD, has today welcomed the passage of the Gambling Regulation Bill 2022 through both Houses of the Oireachtas

16th October 2024

200% rise in demand for cocaine addiction treatment since 2017

Ireland’s problem with cocaine is getting worse, with a 200% surge in the number of people requiring drug addiction rehab, detoxification and treatment since 2017. There has also been a sharp increase in the number of women getting hooked on cocaine, according to the latest report from the Health Research Board. The board has detailed a record-high 13,103 cases of people being treated for problem drug use last year, with cocaine the most commonly reported problem, and almost 40% of cases involving people who were never treated before. Cocaine addiction rehab requires cognitive behavioural approaches with addiction counselling.

Read the Irish Examiner article Here

15th October 2024

Over 3 million annual deaths due to alcohol and drug use, majority among men

A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) highlights that 2.6 million deaths per year were attributable to alcohol consumption, accounting for 4.7% of all deaths, and 0.6 million deaths to psychoactive drug use. Notably, 2 million of alcohol and 0.4 million of drug-attributable deaths were among men. This underscores the importance of readily available drug and alcohol addiction rehabilitation treatment.

Read the WHO article Here

14th October 2024

Addiction rehab clinic plans above nursery sparks protest

Parents of cOver 3 million annual deaths due to alcohol and drug use, majority among menhildren in an east London nursery have protested against council plans for a drug rehab clinic to be created in the same building. Tower Hamlets council intends to introduce a “culturally sensitive substance misuse recovery centre” in the floor above Step by Step nursery in Wapping. On Saturday, parents told BBC London at a demonstration the location was not appropriate for such a facility.

Read the BBC article Here

12th October 2024

Is it right to coerce people into alcohol and drug rehab treatment?

The US has been experimenting with coerced and legally mandated drug and alcohol addiction rehab treatment for decades. The debate over their efficacy, practicality and ethicality is seeing renewed urgency in states such as New York, California and Washington, where addiction and severe mental health disorders have become a highly visible and highly political issue.

Read the Guardian article Here

11th October 2024

Leading addiction treatment centre reports significant rise in cocaine and gambling addictions

One of Ireland’s leading addiction treatment centres has reported a “significant increase” in cocaine and gambling addictions. The Rutland Centre also reported a significant increase in “poly-addiction” cases, which is when people are struggling with three or more substances or behaviours. The findings come from the Rutland Centre’s 2023 annual report which was released today. The Rutland Centre is based in Knocklyon, Dublin 16, and recorded 5,213 bed nights last year, its highest on record.

Read The Journal.ie article Here

10th October 2024

Binge drinking can lead to clinically relevant heart arrhythmias 

Researchers at LMU University Hospital conducted the MunichBREW II study, revealing that over 5% of healthy young adults experienced clinically relevant arrhythmias after binge drinking. Using mobile ECG monitors, the study documented heart rate changes during and after alcohol consumption, underscoring the acute risks associated with excessive drinking and the importance of accessing alcohol rehab treatment.

Read the Technologynetworks.com article Here

8th October 2024

Minister of State Colm Burke announces additional €40 million in funding for drug and alcohol services and inclusion health

4th October 2024

Ministers for Health announce record €25.8 billion budget for the delivery of health services in 2025

The Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly, Minister for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler and Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drug Strategy, Colm Burke have today announced a record €25.8 billion health budget to support the continued delivery and expansion of quality, affordable healthcare services in 2025. Drugs initiatives will be boosted by €4.2 million funding, with a focus on expansion of community drug and alcohol treatment centre services to respond to increased demand. €1 million has been allocated for the national roll-out of integrated community alcohol treatment services, ensuring full geographic coverage across all health regions.

Read the Gov.ie press release Here

2nd October 2024

Why is alcohol so dangerous for young adults’ brains?

I turned 18 the day before I left home for university, conveniently passing the UK’s age threshold for buying alcohol just in time to explore student pubs and bars. When I signed up with a doctor near my new home, she asked how many units of alcohol I drank each week – a common way to measure alcohol intake here in the UK, with 1.5 units roughly equalling a small glass of wine.

Read the BBC article Here

1st October 2024

Combining e-cigarettes and counselling help smokers quit

Clinical trials have shown that nicotine-containing electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) can help people to stop smoking. However, combining their use with counseling may be more effective. In a randomized trial, 1,246 people who smoked at least five cigarettes daily and were motivated to quit underwent therapy that consisted of either e-cigarettes plus smoking-cessation counseling or counseling only. After six months, almost twice as many people in the e-cigarette group (about 29%) had abstained from smoking compared with those who received only counseling (16%)

Read the Harvard Health article Here

30th September 2024

Minister Foley announces Jigsaw as successful bidder deliver programme to support wellbeing and mental health

Minister for Education Norma Foley is delighted to announce Jigsaw as the successful bidder to provide services to further support wellbeing and mental health in post-primary schools. The new programme will be called Neart – the Irish word for strength. The tender, published in April of this year, invited suitable providers to work closely with the Department of Education over a three-year period to develop and deliver additional supports to enhance Student Support Team capacity to work with students, parents and school staff.

Read the Gov.ie publication Here

23rd August 2024

 ‘Significant’ increase in wholesale price of cocaine in Ireland

There has been a “significant” increase in the wholesale price of cocaine being imported into Ireland since the end of last year, the head of the Garda National Drug and Organised Crime Bureau has said. Detective Chief Superintendent Séamus Boland said there has been a sharp rise in the wholesale price per kilo of cocaine since last October and the increase was probably due to large seizures of the drug by gardaí and Revenue officers.

Read the Irish Times article Here