Drug trade-related violence has escalated dramatically in Mexico since 2007, and recent years have also witnessed large-scale efforts to combat trafficking, spearheaded by Mexico's conservative PAN party. This study examines the direct and spillover effects of Mexican policy toward the drug trade. Regression discontinuity estimates show that drug-related violence increases substantially after close elections of PAN mayors. Empirical evidence suggests that the violence reflects rival traffickers' attempts to usurp territories after crackdowns have weakened incumbent criminals. Moreover, the study uses a network model of trafficking routes to show that PAN victories divert drug traffic, increasing violence along alternative drug routes. (JEL D72, D85, K42, O17, Z13)

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Trafficking Networks and the Mexican Drug War

Aims To investigate whether opiate substitution therapy (OST) and needle and syringe programmes (NSP) can reduce hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission among injecting drug users (IDUs). Design Meta-analysis and pooled analysis, with logistic regression allowing adjustment for gender, injecting duration, crack injecting and homelessness. Setting Six UK sites (Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds, London and Wales), community recruitment. Participants A total of 2986 IDUs surveyed during 2001-09. Measurement Questionnaire responses were used to define intervention categories for OST (on OST or not) and high NSP coverage (100% versus <100% needles per injection). The primary outcome was new HCV infection, measured as antibody seroconversion at follow-up or HCV antibody-negative/RNA-positive result in cross-sectional surveys. Findings Preliminary meta-analysis showed little evidence of heterogeneity between the studies on the effects of OST (I 2 = 48%, P = 0.09) and NSP (I 2 = 0%, P = 0.75), allowing data pooling. The analysis of both interventions included 919 subjects with 40 new HCV infec- tions. Both receiving OST and high NSP coverage were associated with a reduction in new HCV infection (adjusted odds ratios (AORs) = 0.41, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.21-0.82 and 0.48, 95% CI: 0.25-0.93, respectively). Full harm reduction (on OST plus high NSP coverage) reduced the odds of new HCV infection by nearly 80% (AOR = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.08-0.52). Full harm reduction was associated with a reduction in self-reported needle sharing by 48% (AOR 0.52, 95% CI: 0.32-0.83) and mean injecting frequency by 20.8 injections per month (95% CI: -27.3 to -14.4). Conclusions There is good evidence that uptake of opiate substitution therapy and high coverage of needle and syringe programmes can substantially reduce the risk of hepatitis C virus transmission among injecting drug users. Research is now required on whether the scaling-up of intervention exposure can reduce and limit hepatitis C virus prevalence in this population.

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The impact of needle and syringe provision and opiate substitution therapy on the incidence of hepatitis C virus in injecting drug users: pooling of UK evidence.

Aims To assess the patterns of use, subjective effect profile and dependence liability of mephedrone, supported by corroborative urine toxicology.

Design  Cross-sectional structured telephone interview.

Setting  UK-based drug users associated with the dance music scene.

Participants  A total of 100 mephedrone users, recruited through their involvement with the dance music scene.

Measurements  Assessment of pattern of use, acute and after effects, DSM dependence criteria and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry urinalysis.

Findings  Mephedrone consumption results in typical stimulant-related subjective effects: euphoria, increased concentration, talkativeness, urge to move, empathy, jaw clenching, reduced appetite and insomnia. Thirty per cent of the sample potentially met criteria for DSM-IV dependence and there was evidence of a strong compulsion to use the drug (47% had used the drug for 2 or more consecutive days). Self-reported recent consumption of mephedrone was confirmed by toxicological analysis in all of the 14 participants who submitted a urine sample.

Conclusion  Mephedrone has a high abuse and health risk liability, with increased tolerance, impaired control and a compulsion to use, the predominant reported dependence symptoms.

/pdf/mephedrone-use-subjective-effects-and-health-risks-1n6hswwsoa.pdf

Mephedrone: use, subjective effects and health risks

Aims Increased potency and contamination of cannabis have been linked in the public domain to adverse mental health outcomes. This paper reviews the available international evidence on patterns of cannabis potency and contamination and potential associated harms, and discusses their implications for prevention and harm reduction measures. Methods A systematic literature search on cannabis potency and contamination was conducted. Results Cannabis samples tested in the United States, the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Italy have shown increasesinpotencyoverthelast10years.Somecountrieshavenotshownsignificantincreasesinpotency,whileother countries have not monitored potency over time. While there are some grounds to be concerned about potential contaminants in cannabis, there has been no systematic monitoring. Conclusion Increased potency has been observed in some countries, but there is enormous variation between samples, meaning that cannabis users may be exposed to greater variation in a single year than over years or decades. Claims made in the public domain about a 20or30-foldincreaseincannabispotencyandabouttheadversementalhealtheffectsof cannabiscontaminationarenot supportedcurrentlybytheevidence.Systematicscientifictestingof cannabisisneededtomonitorcurrentandongoing trends in cannabis potency, and to determine whether cannabis is contaminated. Additionally, more research is needed

Cannabis potency and contamination: a review of the literature

The Coalition: Our Programme for Government document was published in May 2010, and provides an overview of the key policies that the new Coalition Government will take forward. The programme is set around inspirations of Freedom, Fairness and Responsibility and aim to deliver a radical, reforming government that will develop a stronger society, a smaller state and power and responsibility in the hand of every citizen, thereby creating a Big Society matched by big Citizens.
In understanding the Coalition Government programmes, partners need to be mindful of the potential implication for existing Sport and Physical Activity programmes, for which the Government may wish to steer in another direction or may not be their priority.
This document was prepared by the West Midlands and shared with the regions to look at possible impacts on physical activity agendas and links to current work programmes of The Coalition Programme.

The Coalition: our programme for government - potential implications for physical activity

The United Kingdom (UK) Focal Point on Drugs is based at the Department of Health and the North West Public Health Observatory at the Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores University. It is the national partner of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and provides comprehensive information to the Centre on the drug situation in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Layla English

Papers

United Kingdom drug situation: annual report to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) 2012.