A report published by a Scottish Parliament-backed think tank has called for radical new ways to tackle the damage done by drugs and alcohol. Recommendations include the setting up of ‘consumption rooms’ where users would be able to take drugs safely, and for heroin to be prescribed to users. The report also suggested the taxation of cannabis to enable it to be more tightly regulated. The Scotland's Futures Forum was asked to look at ways of tackling addiction. BBC article >>

Steve Green, the Chief Constable of Nottinghamshire, has attacked supermarkets for selling alcohol too cheaply and has also called for alcohol to be sold from behind a counter, like cigarettes. Industry body the Portman Group, which promotes responsible drinking, said there are more effective ways to tackle underage and excessive drinking. The government says it is reviewing the relationship between the price of alcohol, the way it is promoted and advertised, and the harm it causes. BBC article >>

Current government policy on alcohol is informed by data on the views of 11 to 15 year olds but charity Life Education Centres believes that the perceptions of younger children should also be taken into account. It has conducted a small survey, in 25 schools across the country, of 1,491 children aged 9 to 11.
Life Education Centres findings >>

A Welsh authority has nearly halved the number of sales of alcohol to under 18s in two years. In 2006, figures from Wrexham council showed 30 per cent of test sales resulted in an underage person being sold alcohol. The council funded a part-time enforcement officer to raise awareness of licensees’ responsibilities. The officer also increased the number of test purchases of alcohol carried out annually. Figures up to March 2008 showed the rate of sales to underage volunteers had almost halved – to 17 per cent. The council will continue with efforts to cut sales of alcohol to under 18s, through schemes including a proof of age card and training for staff selling alcohol. CYPN article >>

A series of adverts warning 18 to 24 year olds about the consequences of binge-drinking is being launched by the Home Office. The TV images show young people injuring themselves and being violent and ill. The £4 million campaign for England and Wales asks: "You wouldn't start a night like this, so why end it that way?" The adverts will be shown in the evening and late at night to catch viewers before and after nights out. They will run until mid-August in England and then in Wales. BBC article >>

The advertising of alcohol, the marketing of alcoholic products, peer pressure and parental influence all play a part in the level of alcohol consumption among young people according to research undertaken by the University of Leicester. The study, funded by the Alcohol Education and Research Council, suggests that while there is mixed evidence as to whether there is a direct link between volume of advertising and alcohol consumption, there are links that can be made between advertising and teenage drinking.
Further information >>

Professionals working with parents who have mental health problems are being urged to think of the patient's whole family in a report by Barnardo's. The ‘Family Minded' report calls for age-appropriate information for children to help them cope with a parent's mental illness. It also calls for child-friendly facilities in hospitals where parents are treated. Barnardo's press release >>

The National Deaf Children's Society is to launch a campaign to help deaf young people access mainstream youth services. The Me2 campaign is part of the charity's three-year strategy, which also proposes personal development courses to help deaf children and young people develop communication skills and confidence. The campaign will also work to advise organisations on how to cater for deaf children and young people.
NDCS press release >>
Download NDCS Big Plans document (also in BSL in Video) >>

Young people with cancer often face significant delays in being initially diagnosed, researchers have warned. Three studies presented to a Teenage Cancer Trust conference in London showed that young people themselves tend to seek help quickly when symptoms appear. The delays usually occur because GPs fail to spot cancer signs, or hospital doctors order the wrong tests. Professor Tim Eden, one of the researchers behind the work, said it was important to educate professionals. Cancer causes 11% of all deaths in the 15-24 age group. BBC article >>