E-Newsletters

Welcome to Verba Mentis – the newspaper which finds you the most current and relevant news for the sector so that you don't have to do the searching yourself. If you are a clinician or a researcher you will find business updates, news stories and features relevant to you. Our expert editorial team will filter the information with the aim of keeping you abreast of developments across neurology, neuropsychiatry and psychiatry. You can then prioritise those stories most relevant to you for further exploration

• Monitoring illicit drug supply in Europe
• Policies and clinical practices in the treatment of cannabis-related problems
• 2011 work programme — in step with today’s drugs problem
• Poland passes new law to control ‘head shops’ and ‘legal highs’
• Cooperation with Europe’s closest neighbours
• New EMCDDA products and services
• Scientific Committee: ‘EMCDDA work programme grows in strength and quality’

WHO/Europe organized a meeting of national experts on alcohol policy in Zurich, Switzerland on 4–5 May 2011 to discuss the draft European alcohol action plan. The experts considered a series of planned surveys on alcohol and health and exchanged information on developments in policy making. Alcohol is the number one risk factor for ill health and premature death among people aged 15–59 years.

The Global Commission on Drug Policy has release a groundbreaking report.  The report condemns the drug war as a failure and recommends major reforms of the global drug prohibition regime.

The Commission's recommendations are as follows:

• End the criminalization, marginalization and stigmatization of people who use drugs but who do no harm to others.
• Encourage experimentation by governments with models of legal regulation of drugs (especially cannabis) to undermine the power of organized crime and safeguard the health and security of their citizens.
• Ensure that a variety of treatment modalities are available. Including not just methadone and buprenorphine treatment but also the heroin-assisted treatment programs that have proven successful in many European countries and Canada.
• Apply human rights and harm reduction principles and policies both to people who use drugs as well as those involved in the lower ends of illegal drug markets such as farmers, couriers and petty sellers.

Further information is available at

• BBC News: "Global war on drugs 'has failed' say former leaders"
• The Guardian: "War on drugs not working, says global commission"
• Le Monde: "Un rapport pointe l'échec de la guerre contre la drogue"
• Wall Street Journal: "Panel Calls War on Drugs a Failure"

NDTMS Data Set J: Initial Understanding

From 1st November 2012, the NTA advices substance misuse treatment services to record data in line with the updated NDTMS Data Set J format.

This article is based on our understanding of the changes to the NDTMS Core Data Set J and how these amendments will affect substance misuse treatment services

Download the article