DrugWise Daily |
20th August 2026 |
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UK news
Open consultation: Control of Gamma-Butyrolactone and 1,4-Butanediol
This consultation seeks views on a proposal to tighten controls on the substances Gamma-Butyrolactone (GBL) and 1,4-Butanediol (1,4-BD), which are controlled drugs that also have wide-ranging uses in industry as solvents. This consultation closes at 11:59pm on 11 November 2026 | Home Office, UK
Vapes could lead to health harms in children, doctors warn
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has reviewed about 81 studies into vaping and said it is linked to higher rates of breathing problems and evidence of harm in babies whose mothers used vapes while pregnant | BBC, UK [See Study here] [See also Expert reaction in blogs section below]
Open Houses - open the door to recovery
From September 2026, state-funded residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation centres across England are opening their doors. Open Houses is a national campaign in England to improve access to residential treatment services. We are extending an invitation to visit rehab centres and see recovery in action | Open Houses, UK
Improving research with patient and public involvement
Wednesday, September 2 • 11 AM - 12 PM GMT+1. Online. Dr Melissa Oldham will facilitate a discussion about patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) with Abigail Severn and Aunee Bhogaita. The session will offer practical insights for researchers who are new to this work, as well as an opportunity to consider involvement from the perspective of the people taking part | SSA, UK
Why positive cocaine test could mean end of Kyrgios' career
Nick Kyrgios once said there was "zero chance" he would be playing tennis into his 30s. But it was at the age of 31, while attempting another comeback from serious knee and wrist injuries, that he tested positive for a metabolite of cocaine at June's Mallorca Open | BBC, UK
International news
‘Not if, but when’: GSTHR Situation Report 2026 charts growing consumer demand for tobacco harm reduction, despite widening policy gulf (PDF)
The report’s analysis shows that rising use of safer nicotine products (SNP) has coincided with declining smoking prevalence across multiple countries and regions; Exclusive GSTHR estimates suggest that globally, 200 million people now use SNP; SNP use is equivalent to a fifth to a quarter of the global smoking population; Since 2025, the balance of global policy has moved further toward restrictive regulation and safer product bans, while cigarettes remain universally legal | GSTHR, UK
Former Liberian vice president charged in drug-trafficking probe
Liberia has charged former Vice-President Jewel Howard-Taylor with drug trafficking, money laundering and a range of other offences, the country's justice ministry confirmed | BBC, UK
You have to find a space for these wild psychedelics in a rule governed world - video
At ICPR 2024, we talked to anthropologist and author Nicolas Langlitz about the current hype around psychedelics, their place in medicine and culture, and why he sees them as holding the promise of moksha in the age of soma | Drug Reporter, Hungary
Cannabis, nicotine led US adult substance use trends in 2025
Adults in the United States reported cannabis use at or near record highs in 2025, reflecting a years-long climb.Nicotine vaping also remained high among young adults, according to the latest data from the University of Michigan’s Monitoring the Future Longitudinal Panel study, an annual examination of self-reported drug use in the U.S. among adults ages 19 to 65 supported by the National Institutes of Health | University of Michigan, USA
Cannabis consumption patterns may help identify people at risk of addiction
Nearly half of adults in the United States who use cannabis mainly smoke it, but about 1 in 7 use it in nearly every form available, a behavior tied to daily cannabis use and increased addiction risk, a new study shows | Medical Xpress, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
Expert reaction to RCPCH review of the impact of vaping on children
A review published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood looks at the impact of vaping on children. Dr Nicola Lindson, Associate Professor at the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, said... | SMC, UK
In Loving Memory of Lynsey 2013-2026 at Phoenix Futures
More than 25 years ago, a chance encounter between Phoenix colleague Jon Hall and Vic, Lynsey's father, while walking their dogs would unknowingly mark the beginning of Lynsey's journey with Phoenix. Through his friendship with Vic, Jon met Lynsey, a bright and inquisitive young woman who was passionate about helping others and curious about the world of recovery | Phoenix Futures, UK
One Nation wants to cut the tobacco tax. Would that curb the illicit cigarette market?
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has called for a 75% cut to the tobacco tax and a freeze on any price indexation of the tax for three years. Hanson said this would make cigarettes cheaper and so undercut Australia’s growing illicit tobacco market | Conversation, Australia