The International journal on drug policy
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Int. J. Drug Policy · Jan 2014
Compulsory drug detention in East and Southeast Asia: evolving government, UN and donor responses.
According to official accounts, more than 235,000 people are detained in over 1000 compulsory drug detention centers in East and South East Asia. Individuals in such centers are held for periods of months to years, and can experience a wide range of human rights abuses, including violation of the rights to freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment; freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention; a fair trial; privacy; the highest attainable standard of health; and freedom from forced labor. ⋯ However, the lack of transparent governance, restrictions on free speech and prohibitions on monitoring by independent, international human rights organizations make assessing the evolving laws, policies and practices, as well as the attitudes of key governments officials, difficult. Looking specifically at publicly announced reforms and statements by government officials in China, Cambodia, Vietnam and Lao PDR reveals possible improvements in respect for the rights of drug users, and on-going challenges.
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Int. J. Drug Policy · Jan 2014
Brief overdose education can significantly increase accurate recognition of opioid overdose among heroin users.
In an effort to increase effective intervention following opioid overdose, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) has implemented programs where bystanders are given brief education in recognizing the signs of opioid overdose and how to provide intervention, including the use of naloxone. The current study sought to assess the ability of NYSDOH training to increase accurate identification of opioid and non-opioid overdose, and naloxone use among heroin users. ⋯ The data indicate that overdose prevention training improves participants' knowledge of opioid overdose and naloxone use, but naloxone may be administered in some situations where it is not warranted. Training curriculum could be improved by teaching individuals to recognize symptoms of non-opioid drug over-intoxication.
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Int. J. Drug Policy · Nov 2013
Multicenter Study Observational StudyMethadone treatment improves tuberculosis treatment among hospitalized opioid dependent patients in Ukraine.
Ukraine's volatile syndemics of tuberculosis (TB) and HIV among people who inject drugs (PWIDs) introduces numerous treatment challenges for each condition, including high mortality and development of multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB). ⋯ MMT integrated into inpatient TB treatment significantly improves retention in TB treatment and TB medication adherence among PWIDs. These findings call for policy change to increase the number of MMT sites in TB facilities and make MMT a low-threshold treatment option for opioid dependence in Ukraine.