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Facing Addiction in America: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health

Submitted by Hanna Heikkila on

The US Surgeon General's report finds alcohol and drug misuse and severe substance use disorders to be one of America's most pressing public health concerns. Nearly 21 million Americans – more than the number of people who have all cancers combined – suffer from substance use disorders. A nearly a quarter of the adult and adolescent population report binge drinking. Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General's Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health, marks the first time a U.S. Surgeon General has dedicated a report to substance misuse and related disorders. It reviews what we know about substance misuse and how you can use that knowledge to address substance misuse and related consequences.

It underlines how despite the social and economic costs, this is also a time of great opportunity. Ongoing advances in clinical, research, and information technologies are creating new opportunities for increased access to effective prevention and treatment services. On prevention, the report concludes it can be effective and cost-effective, explaining how well-supported scientific evidence exists for robust predictors (risk and protective factors) of substance use and misuse from birth through adulthood. These predictors show much consistency across gender, race and ethnicity, and income. Well-supported scientific evidence demonstrates that a variety of prevention programs and alcohol policies that address these predictors prevent substance initiation, harmful use, and substance use-related problems, and many have been found to be cost-effective. These programs and policies are effective at different stages of the lifespan, from infancy to adulthood, suggesting that it is never too early and never too late to prevent substance misuse and related problems. Furthermore, the report affirms that policies designed to reduce alcohol availability and increase the costs of alcohol have immediate, positive benefits in reducing drinking and binge drinking, as well as the resulting harms from alcohol misuse, such as motor vehicle crashes and fatalities.

The report identifies substance use disorders as a public health problem that requires a public health solution. It recommends taking action by eradicating negative attitudes and changing the way people think about substance use disorders; supporting prevention, recognizing substance misuse and intervening early; and expanding access to treatment. It offers not only encouragement on the possibilities to effectively address substance use, and attention on the importance of addressing substance use within a health centered drug control system, but can also serve as a useful reference and advocacy tool for all prevention stakeholders.

For the full report and executive summary, visit http://addiction.surgeongeneral.gov/.

Mentor Latvia

Mentor Latvia is a not-for-profit organisation which has been operating since 2010. Its main purpose is to provide emotional support and promote the well-being of young people (aged 15-25) through engaging them in various activities and thus empowering them to make healthy life decisions.

Mentor UK

Mentor is a UK charity which believes that prevention is better than cure and focuses its efforts on promoting the health and wellbeing of children and young people to reduce the damage that drugs can do to lives. Mentor UK thinks that a lot has been learnt about good prevention over recent years. In fact, the organisation sees that reflected back in the local partnerships, but there is still a long way to go to make a significant difference to those young people at risk of drug and alcohol misuse.

Mentor USA

The Mentor Foundation USA opened its Washington, D.C. office in 2010, with a mission to prevent drug abuse and promote health and well-being among children and youth in the United States.

Mentor Sweden

Mentor Sweden is a non-governmental organisation established in 1994 working with a sole focus on health promotion and prevention of drug abuse among children and young people in Sweden. In partnership with Swedish corporations and adult volunteers from the public, Mentor Sweden manages three key programmes: Mentoring, Parenting and Inspirational activities. The activities aim to prevent abuse by building relationships between young people and adults and increasing motivation at school.

Mentor Lithuania

Mentor Lithuania's activities are aimed at children and young people and their caregivers, and institutions (including parents, grandparents, guardians, teachers, youth workers, social workers, health professionals). Mentor Lithuania’s goal is to become the authority on undertaking prevention programmes and enhancing the knowledge and understanding of prevention.

Mentor Germany

Mentor Germany initiates and promotes the development, implementation and dissemination of prevention projects for children (6-14 years) and adolescents and young adults (15-25). It aims to meet children and young people as equals and enable them to develop in a healthy way. Mentor Germany sees itself as a mediator and mouthpiece for the interests of children and young people and represents their views to society and politicians.

Mentor Colombia

Mentor Colombia is a non-profit organisation that is committed to designing, developing, implementing and evaluating services and projects for promoting health and preventing drug consumption amongst young people. Mentor Colombia also develops activities for social promotion, advisory and consultancy services on drug demand reduction and related issues.

Rapid Needs Assessment

A specific form of needs assessment that involves using local resources and specific methods to undertake a relatively quick, easy and inexpensive snapshot of a specific group or community in order to assess the needs of any planned initiative. It is a way of working that does not use a traditional scientific approach to needs assessment but encourages using local people using tools such as questionnaires, observation, group meetings and interviews for qualitative data on which to assess need and propose plans for action.

Swedish study tests brief motivational advice and telephone interventions: Worthwhile drinking reductions found

Submitted by Andy Travis on

This study examined excessive or unhealthy drinking among psychotic outpatients. Researchers discovered significant benefits after only 15 minute long phone interventions.

Non psychotic patients visiting adult psychiatric outpatient units in Lund and Uppsala were invited to be screened for alcohol and drug problems. Patients were given two self-completion screening forms for alcohol and for drugs, though only hazardous drinkers and drink-related outcomes were investigated by the study. 1746 patients filled them in and agreed to participate in the study.

UNODC leadership changes confirmed. Russian influence set to grow

Submitted by Andy Travis on

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has announced the appointment of Yuri Fedotov (Russian Federation) as the new Executive Director of UNODC and as Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV).

Mr. Fedotov has been generally well regarded at the United Nations, where he served as deputy Russian ambassador. He was also Russia's representative on the commission overseeing the U.N. weapons inspectors in Iraq. He managed U.N. affairs in the Russian foreign ministry, before being assigned to head Russia's embassy in Britain. However, Mr.

High degree of variability in US State legislation regarding drug-impaired driving.

Submitted by Andy Travis on

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a state by state analysis of laws dealing with driving under the influence of drugs.

The study found that in many states it is difficult to identify, prosecute or convict drug impaired drivers.

Study Says Skills Training Works for High-Risk College Kids

Submitted by Andy Travis on

A training program based on cognitive-skills intervention and motivational techniques proved more effective than a 12-step approach in improving outcomes among high-risk college drinkers, according to Swedish researchers.

The two-year study by Lund University researchers found that, overall, students who took part in a brief skills-training program (based on the University of Washington's Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students) or the 12-step oriented program significantly reduced their Alcoh

Drug Information For Hard To Reach Parents, UK, 2005

Submitted by Andy Travis on

Parents have expressed the need to be better informed about drugs. The difficulty lies in engaging them in drug education interventions. Many drug education programmes tend to be located within and initiated by schools. School based events in general are excellent for the recruitment of many parents; however there are other groups of parents that professionals find especially difficult to engage with or are hard to reach. This document outlines the development of a project conducted by DrugScope, UK, to provide Drug Education for Hard to Reach Parents.

Research shows that the debate over alcohol related harm and public health policy in Australia has been based on inaccurate and misleading statistics

Submitted by Andy Travis on

This comprehensive study analysed data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the World Advertising Research Centre finding recent increases both in the strength of wine and in wine consumption.

“Until recently, official national annual totals of PCC of alcohol were underestimated and led to the mistaken impression that levels of alcohol consumption had been stable since the early 1990s. In fact, Australia’s total PCC has been increasing significantly over time because of a gradual increase in the alcohol content and market share of wine and is now at one of its highest points since 1991–92. This new information is consistent with evidence of increasing alcohol-related harm and highlights the need for timely and accurate data on alcohol sales and harms across Australia.”

Both In Australia and the USA the alcohol content of table wine has gradually increased since the late 1980s because winemakers have increasingly used highly ripened fruit to give a richer flavour to wine. This practice produces more alcohol during fermentation.

Link: Per capita alcohol consumption in Australia: will the real trend please step forward? - The Medical Journal of Australia.

Is alcohol the most dangerous and widely misused drug for pain?

Submitted by Andy Travis on

Following our December article, Further debate ignited on the relative harm caused by alcohol and the nature of evidence-based drugs policy, this item in “Pain Treatment Topics” website applies the research to the USA.

The website points out that more than 15 million Americans abuse or are addicted to alcohol, plus 3 million have abuse or addiction involving both alcohol and illicit drugs, according to U.S. government survey data.

Teen smoking linked to pre-natal nicotine exposure

Submitted by Andy Travis on

This joint Finnish-Russian study found that teens with prenatal nicotine exposure are more likely to start smoking earlier than their peers. The findings show morphine and its related compounds, which normally attach to their own receptors, also bind to nicotinic receptors, causing altered nicotine responses.

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17 US attorney generals call for changes to new alcopop 'Blast'

Submitted by Andy Travis on

Further to our recent coverage of alcopops issues, 17 US attorney generals have criticised the new drink 'Blast' brewed by the makers of Colt 45. The attorneys have called for a reduction in the 12% alcoholic strength and changes in the advertising appeal to young drinkers. Attorney General Gansler said, "At a time when we’re fighting to prevent underage and binge drinking, we call upon Pabst to rethink the dangers posed by Blast, promoted by a popular hip-hop celebrity, as a ‘binge-in-a-can’ in sweet flavors and bright colors aimed at the youngest drinkers."

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Prevention programme 'dosage' found to be critical

Submitted by Andy Travis on

It was no surprise to read in Prevention Action that young people exposed to high levels of prevention interventions do better than those with no exposure. It was rather surprising, however, to read that children receiving a low dosage of two proven interventions ended up using drugs and alcohol more than children in the control group receiving no intervention. The Swedish and US researchers conclude that evidence-based prevention programmes should be delivered effectively, and at the optimal dosage, just as a doctor would want for a prescribed dose of medicine!

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Call for grant applications re fiscal policies for tobacco control

Submitted by Andy Travis on

The International Development Research Centre and the Canadian Global Tobacco Control Forum are calling for 'Concept Notes' concerning the expansion of fiscal policies for global and national tobacco control. The objective is to generate knowledge designed to accelerate the adoption of effective fiscal policies for tobacco control in low-and middleincome countries. Applicants from low/middle income countries can apply for grants from $20 000 to $100 000, or more from multi-national projects. Deadline for submission is September 23 2011.

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Smoking linked with brain damage and dementia

Submitted by Andy Travis on

This new study published in 'Neurology' suggests that smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and being overweight in middle age may cause brain shrinkage and cognitive problems. 1,352 people without dementia from the Framingham Offspring Study, average age 54, were comprehensively assessed over 10 years. Smokers lost brain volume in the hippocampus faster than non-smokers. They were also more likely to suffer damage to the brain's blood vessels. Charles DeCarli, MD, with the University of California, Davis Alzheimer’s Disease Center, said “Our findings provide evidence that identifying these risk factors early in people of middle age could be useful in screening people for at-risk dementia and encouraging people to make changes to their lifestyle before it’s too late.”

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Comprehensive tobacco control policy predictions for the Netherlands

Submitted by Andy Travis on

The Netherlands authorities are considering simulation model projections on the effects of tobacco control policies. An adapted SimSmoke simulation model predicts the effects of tax increases, smoke-free legislation, high-intensity media campaigns, stronger advertising bans and health warnings, comprehensive cessation treatment and youth access laws. With a comprehensive set of policies, as recommended by MPOWER, it is suggested that smoking prevalence can be decreased by as much as 21% in the first year, 35% in the next 20 years and almost 40% by 30 years. It follows that similar policies would be likely to achieve even better results in countries with weaker existing tobacco control.

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