Addiction
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Randomized Controlled Trial Pragmatic Clinical Trial
Treatment retention, drug use and social functioning outcomes in those receiving 3 months versus 1 month of supervised opioid maintenance treatment. Results from the Super C randomized controlled trial.
Supervised consumption of opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) is standard in many drug centres reducing drug diversion, but is costly. We aimed to determine whether supervised consumption of OMT improved retention and other measures of drug use. ⋯ There was no evidence of a difference in treatment retention or opioid use rates between patients whose consumption of opioid maintenance treatment was supervised for 3 months daily (except Saturdays) compared with supervision for 1 month. There was some evidence that longer periods of supervised consumption were associated with higher levels of criminality.
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We tested whether prevalence of cigarette pack display and smoking at outdoor venues and pack orientation changed following the introduction of plain packaging and larger pictorial health warnings in Australia. ⋯ Following Australia's 2012 policy of plain packaging and larger pictorial health warnings on cigarette and tobacco packs, smoking in outdoor areas of cafés, restaurants and bars and personal pack display (packs clearly visible on tables) declined. Further, a small proportion of smokers took steps to conceal packs that would otherwise be visible. Both are promising outcomes to minimize exposure to tobacco promotion.
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In 2006, Drinkaware was established as a charity in the United Kingdom following a memorandum of understanding between the Portman Group and various UK government agencies. This debate piece briefly reviews the international literature on industry social aspects organizations, examines the nature of Drinkaware's activities and considers how the public health community should respond. ⋯ We suggest that working with, and for, industry bodies such as Drinkaware helps disguise fundamental conflicts of interest and serves only to legitimize corporate efforts to promote partnership as a means of averting evidence-based alcohol policies. We invite vigorous debate on these internationally significant issues and propose that similar industry bodies should be carefully studied in other countries.