News

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

The UK’s largest provider of drug and alcohol treatment services has described the Budget as a “critical moment” for the sector with any reduction in funding risking an “unravelling” of rehabilitation provision. Last year, 5,448 drug poisoning deaths were registered, representing an 11 per cent increase rise from 2022 — the highest figure since records began in 1993. The drug posioning death rate has also almost doubled since 2012. 

Read the Politicshome.com article Here

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

The Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drug Strategy Colm Burke has announced almost €240,000 in funding for the enhancement of community addiction services for people who are homeless in Cork City. Funding will support the recruitment of three Peer Support workers and two Addiction Outreach workers, as part of a €500,000 investment in community-based drug services in 2024. This investment recognises the often-complex additional health needs of the homeless population who use drugs and alcohol, and the difficulties they experience in accessing addiction services. The provision of these additional posts will strengthen access to and availability of community services in order to reduce drug-related harms and deaths.

Read the Gov.ie article Here

24th October 2024

Harm from problem gambling in Great Britain ‘may be eight times higher than thought’

The scale of harm caused by gambling in Great Britain could be eight times higher than thought, according to the largest ever survey of the impact of the industry, piling pressure on ministers to enact promised gambling reforms. An estimated 2.5% of adults have struggled with “problem gambling”, according to the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB), which questioned almost 10,000 people. The numbers receiving addiction rehab and treatment for this problem well below 10% of people who suffer from pathological gambling.

Read the Guardian article Here

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

Minister of State at the Department of Justice with responsibility for Law Reform, James Browne TD, has today welcomed the passage of the Gambling Regulation Bill 2022 through both Houses of the Oireachtas. The historic legislation sets out the framework and legislative basis for the establishment of a new, independent statutory body – Údarás Rialála Cearrbhachais na hÉireann, the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland – and for a modern and robust licencing and regulatory framework for both in-person and online gambling. Gambling addiction is Ireland is on the increase and this underscores the needs for gambling addiction rehab treatment for sufferers and their families.

Read the Gov.ie article Here

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

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

The Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drug Strategy Colm Burke has today announced details of Budget 2025 funding for drug and alcohol services and inclusion health. The total increase in funding for drugs services and inclusion health in Budget 2025 is €40.5 million. This represents a 18% increase on the 2024 allocation and brings the total budget for drugs services and inclusion health to €261 million in 2025. 

Read the Gov.ie press release Here

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

22nd August 2024

Politicians lobbied more than 60 times over gambling legislation

Politicians have been lobbied dozens of times this year over long-awaited legislation which is expected to pass through all stages of the Oireachtas in the coming months. Analysis of the Lobbying Register shows more than 60 entries so far this year connected to the Gambling Regulation Bill, with around half of these being direct lobbying of James Browne, the minister of state spearheading the legislation.

Read the Irish Examiner article Here

25th June 2024

Activists hold breath over gambling legislation amid ‘barrage’ of lobbying

“It would have had a huge impact on my life, because in some ways, I was allowed to continue gambling with millions of turnover in my account,” says Tony O’Reilly on long-promised gambling legislation. “Even from a money laundering point of view, lodging tens of thousands every week was never flagged and if that had been flagged a bit earlier, it might not have got as serious as it did,” he adds.

Read the Irish Times article Here

18th June 2024

Meeting with Oireachtas Joint Committee on Drugs Use

The Chair of the Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use, Paul Reid, has told the inaugural meeting of the Oireachtas Committee on Drugs Use that the national approach to drugs use needs to change and that the Assembly’s 36 recommendations to reduce the harm caused by illicit drugs use sets out a comprehensive way forward.

Read the citizens assembly.ie article here

29th April 2024

How can we tackle the issue of alcohol abuse in Ireland?

68 is the number of people who have died on Irish roads this year, which is an increase of a third compared with the same period last year. While speed remains the primary factor in these incidents, alcohol, and drug consumption are also major contributors to the kind of numbers we are now seeing. Joining Anton to discuss the issue is Dr. Chris Luke Columnist with the Irish Medical Times and Retired consultant in emergency medicine & Dr. Sheila Gilheany, CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland.

Listen to the Newstalk article Here

15th April 2024

More than €2m spent so far on delayed gambling authority

More than €2m has been spent so far on the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland, even though the body has yet to get up and running due to delays in legislation. Figures from the Department of Justice released to Saturday with Colm O’ Mongáin, show that €161,000 was spent in 2022 to prepare for the establishment of the authority, which includes some staffing costs….

Read the RTE.ie article Here

15th February 2024

Open letter: an urgent call for this government to fully assess the implications of increased alcohol availability

As health, social and community organisations and advocates (74), we are coming together to voice our strong opposition to proposed measures in the Sale of Alcohol bill that will dramatically increase the number of venues serving alcohol, as well as significantly extending the opening hours of pubs, bars and nightclubs. Ireland has just begun to make tentative progress towards the goal of reducing alcohol consumption with drinking levels falling slowly on a population level thanks to the measures of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act, 2018 (PHAA). 

Read Alcohol Ireland letter Here

4th August 2023

Minister Naughton announces additional funding for Family Support under the national drugs strategy

Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Hildegarde Naughton, has announced the allocation of over €240,000 to the Health Service Executive (HSE) to fund family support measures under the national drugs strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery. This allocation is in addition to the €4 million secured in Budget 2023 to expand community and residential addiction services.

Read the Gov.ie publication Here

 

 

 

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