DrugWise Daily |
15th April 2026 |
Thank you to our Premium sponsors:
|
|
Could you sponsor DrugWise Daily? Please Email Harry Shapiro to discuss |
|
UK news
LGBTQ+ people say mental health is the biggest concern of chemsex
A new report finds stigma, poor awareness and lack of tailored support are stopping many from seeking help. Mental health challenges, including trauma, loneliness and isolation, are the biggest concern associated with chemsex among LGBTQ+ people in London, according to a new report published by London Friend and LGBT HERO. The findings challenge common assumptions about chemsex, showing it is often rooted not just in risk-taking behaviour, but in unmet emotional and psychological needs | London Friend, UK
Ethylbromazolam: review of the evidence on its use and harms
This report reviews the evidence on the use and harms of the novel benzodiazepine ethylbromazolam and recommends control under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 | ACMD, UK
Alcohol-Free Childhood Campaign
Alcohol Focus Scotland has joined forces with BMA Scotland, Children in Scotland, Scottish Families affected by Alcohol and Drugs (SFAD) and Scottish Health Action on Alcohol (SHAAP) in a mission to end the harmful impacts of alcohol marketing on children and young people in Scotland | Alcohol Focus Scotland, UK
Why prevention is better than cure for alcohol-related problems
Professor Alastair O’Brien, Professor of Hepatology at University College London and a Consultant Hepatologist, shares why he believes Drinkaware’s 2025 Monitor data reinforces the need for a prevention-first approach to alcohol-harm | Drinkaware, UK
SNP to ban vape displays in shops if they win Holyrood election
Neil Gray said an SNP Government would use new powers to impose further restrictions on the products | Daily Record, UK
Welcome to Mind’s mental health professionals survey
If you work in mental health services in England or Wales - in the NHS or elsewhere, in primary or secondary care - we want to hear if you feel able to deliver the quality of care you want to and, if not, what is standing in the way. This will help us to campaign for mental health services that make the most of the great professionals working in them | MIND, UK
Drugs and violence persist at jail, says damning report
Large quantities of drugs flown in by drones and violence against prisoners and staff are among issues highlighted in a damning report into a city jail | BBC, UK
International news
The strengthening association between youth cannabis use and psychological distress over time with André McDonald - audio
In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Dr André McDonald, postdoctoral fellow at McMaster University’s Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, Canada. The interview covers André’s research article looking at adolescent cannabis use and psychological distress from 2013 to 2023 using a population-based study in Ontario, Canada | SSA, UK
GFN News #186 | Why is the Media Ignoring the Record Low in Youth Smoking?
In this episode of GFN News, Zuzanna Kopacz sits down with Will Godfrey, Executive Editor of Filter, to dissect the latest findings from the National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS). While public health agencies have long warned of a youth vaping "epidemic," the actual data reveals a startling and positive trend that many organizations seem reluctant to celebrate | GFN, UK
South Korea jails 90-year-old woman for laundering son's drug money
The woman, unnamed in local media reports, received a total of 386m won ($260,800; £192,800) over nine occasions between April 2020 and February 2022, which she transferred to a designated account at her son's direction, an Incheon court heard | BBC, UK
New primary care campaign seeks to cut benzodiazepine overuse with reviews and patient support
The widespread use of benzodiazepines—better known as sleeping pills or anxiety medication—among the population has become a serious public health issue. These psychotropic drugs, central nervous system depressants prescribed to treat anxiety and insomnia, carry a high risk of dependence, cognitive impairment and falls, among other consequences | Medical Xpress, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
Could knowing about alcohol and cancer help build support for alcohol policies?
Effective alcohol policies, such as increasing alcohol prices or restricting where alcohol is sold, are among the best tools we have for reducing alcohol harm. But they tend to be the least popular with the public compared to less effective policies (such as education). So how do we close the gap between effectiveness and public support? Our recent study across five EU countries suggests that what people know about alcohol and cancer could be part of the answer | IAS blog, UK
Housing Is Drug Policy
Housing insecurity is not simply correlated with drug harm. It generates conditions that increase vulnerability | Tony D'Agostino, UK