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I. INTRODUCTION Mary and Martha were a lesbian couple living together in Florida. They had been in a committed relationship for five years when they decided that they would like [...]

The importance of Southeast Asia's tropical peat swamp forests for biodiversity is becoming increasingly recognised. Information on species presence within peatland areas is scant, however, limiting our ability to develop species conservation strategies and monitor responses to human activities. We compile species presence records for the Sebangau forest in Indonesian Borneo since 1993 and present the most complete Bornean PSF biodiversity inventory yet published. Including morpho-species that are likely to represent true species, this list comprises 215 tree, 92 non-tree flora, 73 ant, 66 butterfly, 297 spider, 41 dragon/damselfly, 55 fish, 11 amphibian, 46 reptile, 172 bird and 65 mammal taxa. Of these, 46 species are globally threatened and 59 are currently protected in Indonesia; 22 vertebrate species are Borneo endemics. Because our sampling is both biased and incomplete, the true number of species found at this site is likely to be much higher. Little is known about many of these taxa in Sebangau and peat swamp forests elsewhere. Many of these species are considered forest dependent, and the entire community is expected to be important for maintaining the resilience of the peat swamp forest ecosystem and the environmental services that it provides. This highlights the need for urgent conservation of Sebangau and its diverse biological community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cannabis use can generate potential avoidable harms, hence the need for effective preventive measures and treatment. Studies show the efficacy of harm reduction (HR) in minimizing undesirable consequences associated with this use. Despite its proven efficacy, HR in cannabis use remains poorly applied by many health and social services (HSS) practitioners, especially with young people. However, knowledge regarding the underlying reasons for this is limited. To fill this gap, we aimed to identify facilitators of and obstacles to HSS practitioners' adoption of HR in cannabis use across OECD countries., Methods: We conducted a scoping review, guided by Arksey and O'Malley's model. The search strategy, executed on health databases and in the grey literature, captured 1804 studies, of which 35 were retained. Data from these studies were extracted in summary sheets for qualitative and numerical analysis., Results: Facilitators and obstacles were grouped into four themes: stakeholders' characteristics (e.g., education, practice experience); clients' characteristics (e.g., personal, medical); factors related to HR (e.g., perceived efficacy, misconceptions); factors related to the workplace (e.g., type of workplace). Data were also extracted to describe the populations recruited in the selected studies: type of population, clientele, workplace., Conclusion: Several factors might facilitate or hinder HSS practitioners' adoption of HR in cannabis use. Taking these into consideration when translating knowledge about HR can improve its acceptability and applicability. Future research and action should focus on this when addressing practitioners' adoption of HR., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The upcoming legalization of cannabis in Canada poses several challenges in which each province will have to respond with effective regulation. Studies show that policies alone have little impact on use rates. However, regulatory approaches and modalities seem important to reduce the possible negative consequences that may result from legalization. Although no framework system offers a perfect solution to the issues surrounding the use and sale of cannabis, it seems essential to implement a legalization model based on a public health perspective. The modalities of this model will have to ensure a compromise between restricted access to cannabis and the maintenance of a sufficient supply to counter the illegal market. We recommend controlling the legal cannabis market through the following: a state monopoly, competitive pricing in relation to the illicit market, a sales tax modeled on the THC content, the implementation of a controlled number of points of sale of small surface area and density, a legal age of purchase from the age of majority, and a complete ban on the promotion and advertising of cannabis products, as well as massive funding for prevention and research.

For many threatened species the rate and drivers of population decline are difficult to assess accurately: species' surveys are typically restricted to small geographic areas, are conducted over short time periods, and employ a wide range of survey protocols. We addressed methodological challenges for assessing change in the abundance of an endangered species. We applied novel methods for integrating field and interview survey data for the critically endangered Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), allowing a deeper understanding of the species' persistence through time. Our analysis revealed that Bornean orangutan populations have declined at a rate of 25% over the last 10 years. Survival rates of the species are lowest in areas with intermediate rainfall, where complex interrelations between soil fertility, agricultural productivity, and human settlement patterns influence persistence. These areas also have highest threats from human-wildlife conflict. Survival rates are further positively associated with forest extent, but are lower in areas where surrounding forest has been recently converted to industrial agriculture. Our study highlights the urgency of determining specific management interventions needed in different locations to counter the trend of decline and its associated drivers.