DrugWise Daily |
21st May 2026 |
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UK news
Process evaluation of Combating Drugs Partnerships
Findings from a process evaluation of Combating Drugs Partnerships, exploring local delivery of the national drug strategy through a whole system approach | Home Office, UK
At least 80% responsibility for ill health in old age down to individual, study says
The report, launched at the Smart Ageing Summit in Oxford last week, argues that individuals have far greater control over their longevity than is commonly understood. The authors call on the government to take legislative action on alcohol comparable to restrictions on smoking | Guardian, UK
“My life was in danger - the team was fantastic and helped me with everything they possibly could”: BCP charity calls for victims of cuckooing to come forward, after they supported 73 last year
On 29 April, the Crime and Policing Act made cuckooing a criminal offence for the first time - a recognition of the devastating impact this practice has on vulnerable people. In BCP alone, local drug and alcohol charity WithYou supported 73 victims of cuckooing in the last year - more than one a week | WithYou, UK
Recovery Street Film Festival - 2026 Theme
Closing date for 2026 entries is 23rd August 11.59pm. We’re looking for people who want to tell their story in an innovative and creative way. You don’t need to be an expert filmmaker or know any nifty editing tricks; we want imaginative ideas told well. Whether you’re making your film with professional kit or the camera on an old phone, the powerful bit is the story | RSFF, UK
Charity Golf Day to Honour Jonny Jones and Support Recovery
Whitley Bay Golf Club will host a special Charity Golf Day on Thursday 28th May in memory of Jonny Jones (1989–2025), raising funds for The Forward Trust’s Bridges residential rehab service in Hull | Forward Trust, UK
Lunch and learn webinar #3: Harm Reduction
Thursday 2 July • 12 PM - 1:30 PM GMT+1. Speaker line up: Katy Porter, CEO, The Loop - Speaking about the development of the Loop’s drug checking services. Ruth Squire, head of services for the Midlands at CGL - Outlining 1625Outreach, which engages 16-25 year olds in spaces they inhabit to reduce drug and alcohol related harms, and Ivan Ezquerra-Romano, founder of Substancy, and Josh Torrance, innovation officer for Cranstoun: Describing Drugbot, an anonymous AI harm reduction chatbot that provides evidence-based, non-judgemental information about drugs | DEF, UK
International news
MAGA runs on ZYN: Nicotine pouches become all the rage with Trump admin including the health secretary RFK Jr
Kennedy has publicly endorsed the popular product, calling it ‘probably the safest way to consume nicotine’ | Independent, UK
EU Justice and Home Affairs agencies unite in solidarity with Ukraine amid ongoing war
Since the start of Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the EU Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) agencies have been supporting EU Member States and institutions in responding to the consequences of the war and assisting those affected and displaced | EUDA, Portugal
Webinar 'Harm Reduction in Europe in 2026' - Global turmoil and shifting priorities in Europe; time to rethink harm reduction
May 26th, 12.00-1.30pm, Online, Teams. In a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape, European priorities are increasingly driven by security and strategic autonomy. As attention and resources move in that direction, public health oriented drug policy and harm reduction may risk losing ground. This webinar explores how these shifts are reshaping drug policy and influence harm reduction service in Europe | Trimbos, The Netherlands
Scientists make surprising discovery and find a possible new ally in the opioid crisis
Through collaborative research, BGSU scientists discovered that the average needle had a whopping eight different compounds, found 86% of needles tested contained the powerful tranquilizer xylazine—suggesting it is far more prevalent in illicit drugs than previously believed—and needles contained the presence of a dangerous fungal pathogen, Candida | Medical Xpress, USA
Driving under the influence: Adding a brief web-intervention to driver education decreased misperceptions of peer alcohol and cannabis use
In most developed countries, adolescence carries a heightened risk and greater prevalence of substance use experimentation. This coincides with the time when young people also get their driver’s license. Driving under the influence of alcohol or cannabis is dangerous, for the driver and passengers. This study examined the effects of a brief web-based intervention added to a driver education program on substance use, impaired driving behaviors and attitudes, and perceived peer alcohol and cannabis use norms | Recovery Research Institute, USA
Mortality risk decreases when opioid use disorder treatment duration continues past 6 months: results of a retrospective cohort study
Clinical guidelines suggest opioid use disorder medications should continue for at least 6 months to provide benefit, but it is unclear what the optimal treatment duration may be. This study examined how length of opioid use disorder medication treatment was associated with risk for mortality among a sample of veterans | Recovery Research Institute, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
The Czech Republic's Psilocybin Guidelines
I'm a fan of the Czechs. Not for the beauty of Prague or the country’s literary contributions to the world; impressive as they are. My appreciation in this instance is more specific than that, mainly of their psychedelic research group | Drug Science, UK
The Pacific Drug & HIV Crisis
Recent media reports highlight the growing use of the South Pacific as a transit corridor within the transnational cocaine trade, particularly in relation to the Australian market | HRA blog, Australia