addiction

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CMF joins its voice to the growing criticism of the Government's Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England (01/09/2005)

Problem drinking – the bigger picture (triple helix - summer 2005)

Millions of us enjoy drinking alcohol with few, if any, ill effects. (Tony Blair, 2004) So begins the Prime Minister’s introduction to the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England (AHRSE).[1] After reminding us that moderate drinking can produce some health benefits, Mr Blair laments the fact that ‘alcohol misuse by...

Head to Head - Should we prescribe methadone for drug addicts? (triple helix - spring 2004)

'Yes!' John Latham is a GP trainer in inner-city Dublin Heroin addiction is a chronic disease with associated morbidity and mortality as well as forensic, public health and social consequences. Methadone has been increasingly used since Dole and Nyswander's original trial in 1965.[1] Its half-life is far longer than that...

Ethical Enigma 6 (nucleus - spring 2004)

There is no straightforward answer to this one and it is not an uncommon scenario for a GP. Many doctors would consider this as a ‘heartsink patient’. Our attitudes as Christians have got to be different though. The man before you is loved by God and, however desperate his situation appears...

Addiction - a view from the frontline (nucleus - autumn 2003)

'Freedom is a word I seldom use without meaning' sang Bob Dylan. But freedom is a word and a concept that is frequently used in Scripture to describe the effect that God has on individual believers: The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me...

Addiction - Helping Others and Ourselves (nucleus - winter 2000)

The treatment of addictions, including drug addictions, is part of the job of all doctors: ‘Drug mis-users have the same entitlement as other patients to the services provided by the NHS. It is the responsibility of all doctors to provide the care for both general health needs and drug related...

cmf file 8 (1999) - dependence and addiction ()

It's easy to buy drugs from illegal suppliers. However some drugs not only cause serious harm, but also make the user crave future doses. The need for repeated doses of a drug can occur with drugs pre-scribed by a doctor, as well as those bought illegally. Such dependence can be...

The Truth About Drugs (nucleus - autumn 1999)

Drug testing takes off in workplace On current trends within two years it will be almost impossible for recreational drug users to get a job with larger companies. Drug testing at work is probably the single most effective weapon we have against adult substance abuse. It is a proven, low...

Enter a shoplifter, exit an addict (triple helix - winter 1997)

Unlike Mickie, many of his fellow inmates have been involved with drugs prior to prison. In a survey of 1,751 sentenced male prisoners, 43% had misused drugs in the six month period before entering prison[1]. Maybe this is not too surprising. It is estimated that as much as 70% of...