recent posts for dwf_admin

(Estimated Number of Problem Drug Users in UK) "Combining the 2009/10 estimates for England, Scotland, Wales (Hay et al. 2011; ISD Scotland 2011; Welsh Government 2011a) and the most recent estimate for Northern Ireland for 2004 (Centre for Drug Misuse Research 2006) it is possible to derive an estimate for the United Kingdom of 383,534 problem drug users, a rate of 9.38 per 1,000 population aged 15 to 64 (Table 4.2)."

(Estimated Number of Problem Drug Users (PDUs) in Wales) "National PDU estimates for Wales for the period 2009/10 were published by the Welsh Government in October 2011 (Welsh Government 2011a; see UK Focal Point Report 2011). Regional differences were noted in the report across Health Board areas. The rate (per 1,000 population) ranged from 3.5 (95% CI 2.4 to 9.6) in the rural Powys area to 14.3 (95% CI 11.0 to 19.0) in the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University (ABMU)123 area."

(Estimated Number of Problem Drug Users (PDUs) in Scotland) "National and local estimates of the prevalence of problem drug use in Scotland for 2009/10 were published in autumn 2011 (ISD Scotland 2011). Estimates are for problematic opiate and/or illicit benzodiazepine use119 amongst individuals aged between 15 and 64 years old. Previous estimates have been published for the calendar years 2000, 2003 and 2006 (Hay et al. 2001; 2004; 2009).

(Estimated Number of Problem Drug Users (PDUs) in England) "The most recent estimates of problem drug use in England were published in 2011 (Hay et al. 2011; see UK Focal Point Report 2011) showing that there were an estimated 306,150118 opiate and/or crack cocaine users in 2009/10. New national and local estimates of the prevalence of opiate and/or crack cocaine use (OCU) are being calculated for 2010/11 with separate estimates for opiate use, crack cocaine use and injecting drug use. It is anticipated that the results will be available in 2013."

(Cultivation Offenses in the UK) "Data from Scotland show that there has been a large increase in recorded cultivation offences since 2006/07 from 437 to 1,242 in 2011/12 (Scottish Government 2012a). This corresponds to an increase in the number of cannabis plant seizures from 304 in 2006/07 to 970 in 2010/11, the last available year of data (Scottish Government 2008e; 2012d; see section 10.3.1).

(Stop and Searches for Drugs in England and Wales) "In 2010/11 there were almost 600,000 stop and searches for drugs carried out by the police in England and Wales accounting for almost half of all police stop and searches for any reason (Home Office 2012e). This is a five per cent increase on the previous year and continues a trend of increased use of this power. Almost half of the drug searches recorded were carried out in London.

(Alternative Development and Association with Eradication and Law Enforcement) "In Colombia, the government has sought to counter coca growth by building a solid regional and local economic base for agriculture, agro-industry, and forestry work. In addition, Colombia is currently developing a land tenure policy for traditional coca-growing areas to help solidify local support for licit alternatives to coca.¹⁵ For decades, alternative development has been a cornerstone of the international response to the illicit drug trade.

(Estimates of Coca-Related Deforestation in Peru) "Although it is very difficult to find reliable information on the magnitude of deforestation caused by illicit crops, some studies suggest that in Peru, 2.5 million hectares of Amazonian forest have been destroyed in order to grow coca.⁹"

(Eradication Efforts In Mexico and Guatemala) "Mexico has manually eradicated marijuana and opium poppy as an integral part of its drug control strategy for decades; indeed, between 2008 and the first half of 2012, the number of hectares of poppy eradicated averaged 15,600 per year. Guatemala also eradicates poppy and marijuana; as mentioned above, at least 1,490 hectares of poppy were eradicated in 2011.¹³"

(Environmental Impact of Illicit Drug Production and Eradication) "Plant-based drugs are often grown in ecologically valuable forest areas, with immediate and devastating consequences for the environment: deforestation, degradation of the soil, and pollution. Many traditional economic activities—such as agriculture, mining, and cattle ranching—have a negative impact on natural ecosystems, in part because they tend to replace native forests with croplands. The data provided below are, consequently, valid for both licit and illicit activities.