The intersection of substance use with broader public health concerns.
Public Health
Characteristics of Fentanyl Overdose — Massachusetts, 2014–2016
Summary What is already known about this topic? Fentanyl has a growing presence in the illicit drug market and is involved in an increasing proportion of opioid overdose deaths. What is added by this report? Approximately two thirds of...
Estimation of National, Regional and Global Prevalence of Alcohol Use during Pregnancy and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Background Alcohol use during pregnancy is the direct cause of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). We aimed to estimate the prevalence of alcohol use during pregnancy and FAS in the general population and, by linking these two indicators...
‘Ex-spliff-cit’ Content: If Legalised, Should Marijuana Carry Age Restrictions?
Canadians will soon know whether marijuana will be made legal. If legalised, should the drug carry an age restriction? This question is central to new research published in the journal Health which suggests that young users report lower...
Can Abstaining from Alcohol Help to Fight the Spread of HIV?
Studies have shown that alcohol may play a role in more that 13% of deaths resulting from infectious diseases, including HIV. Evidence suggests that alcohol consumption negatively affects the fight against HIV primarily by: Increasing the...
Young People are More Likely to Report Seeing Alcohol Advertising Online, Pilot Study Finds
An American pilot study published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research has found that underage youngsters between 13 and 20 years old are more likely than adults to report seeing alcohol marketing online. The...
Smoke-free Implementation in Colombia: Monitoring, Outside Funding and Business Support
Objective: To analyze successful national smoke-free policy implementation in Colombia, a middle income country. Materials and methods: Key informants at the national and local levels were interviewed and news sources and government...
Background on Alcohol Marketing Regulation and Monitoring for the Protection of Public Health
This document provides evidence for arguments supporting alcohol marketing regulation, and suggests key elements that can be considered by countries in planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating effective regulation. It also...
eHealth Week 2017
The overarching theme of eHealth Week 2017 is Data for Health: The key to personalised sustainable care. Data lies at the heart of service delivery and the development of effective health policy. During eHealth Week, speakers and delegates will explore the changing ways in which personal health data is created, stored, shared and used.
Minimum Alcohol Price to Be Rolled out across the UK?
A minimum price of 50p per unit of alcohol was approved by Members of Scottish Parliament (MSPs) in 2012. The decision faced numerous legal challenges from the drinks industry before Scottish courts ruled in its favour in October 2016. This...
Wide Eyes and Slurred Words: The Dangers of Mixing Alcohol with Energy Drinks
Mixing energy drinks with alcohol is becoming increasingly popular. And yet, recent research suggests that combining the two could be risky, more so than drinking alcohol on its own or with more traditional mixers such as coca-cola or...