Drug Addicts Resell 'Spit-Meth'

It has been revealed that a number drug addicts in Scotland taking heroin substitute methadone are reselling it later after spitting it out when unsupervised. The practice, known as 'spit-meth', allows the addict to make money to pay for heroin. The BBC investigation said that addicts hide the drug under their tongue or at the back of their throat, before spitting it out for resell. The body which represents Scottish pharmacists is eager for the law to be changed in an effort to reduce the number of methadone users. Currently, only doctors can change methadone prescriptions. In Scotland, latest available figures indicate a 19% increase in methadone prescriptions in the five years between 2004 and 2008 and the official estimate is that at least 22,000 people, probably more, are being prescribed the drug. Many argue as to how effective the treatment is because it replaces an illegal addiction with a legal one. However, many drug abuse experts insist that methadone plays a crucial role in reducing the harm caused by addiction.

More Tuning In To Digital TV

Ofcom’s latest Digital TV Progress Report for Quarter 2 2010 has reported that take-up of digital television in UK households has risen by 2.9% in the past year. Published today, the report shows that 92.7% of UK households now own a digital TV, up 0.7% on the first quarter of 2010. Consumers are continuing to convert additional sets in the home. As a result almost 71% of all secondary TV sets had been converted to digital by the end of June 2010, up by one percentage point in a year but up 16 percentage point from two years ago. Taking these figures together, 80% of all TV sets had converted to digital television by the end of Quarter 2 2010 (this was stable on a year before but up 11% on two years previously). The remaining 20% of sets continue to receive analogue terrestrial broadcasts.

Minister Announces New ‘Arkive’ Of Rare Wildlife Images

Environment Minister Richard Benyon will tonight launch a new website to raise awareness of wildlife in the 14 UK Overseas Territories. Most people are unaware that the UK has responsibility for protecting many of the unique plants and animals that live in UK Overseas Territories habitats. The ARKive Overseas Territories website, run by Wildscreen, will be launched at the Big Nature Party event at London’s Natural History Museum. The website will host a unique collection of wildlife images from species and habitats found within UK Overseas Territories. Launching the ARKive picture gallery Environment Minister Richard Benyon said: "Many plants and animals that live in our Overseas Territories are found nowhere else in the world. The Montserrat mountain chicken, which is actually a frog, is only found in Montserrat and if it becomes extinct here it will be lost forever. This important project is an innovative way to increase knowledge and understanding of the importance of the unique wildlife in our Overseas Territories. Film and photos of wildlife are vital tools in educating everyone about the battle to save the world's most endangered species from the brink of extinction. It is crucial we do all we can to preserve species if we are to achieve the new targets that will be set in Nagoya later this month."

(BMcN/GK)