DrugWise Daily |
30th September 2026 |
Thank you to our Premium sponsors:
|
|
Could you sponsor DrugWise Daily? Please Email Harry Shapiro to discuss |
|
UK news
Tobacco dependence in pregnancy: Short-life working group report - September 2026
Around eight in ten women give birth at some point in their lives, meaning maternity services reach a large proportion of the population. Ensuring high-quality treatment for tobacco dependence in pregnancy is an opportunity to improve health and reduce inequalities in Scotland. This short report looks at what helps, and the barriers to, providing effective treatment for tobacco dependence during pregnancy. It also sets out practical actions that can be taken now to improve treatment | PHS, UK
National drug and alcohol treatment waiting times
This quarterly release by Public Health Scotland (PHS) reports on waiting times for people accessing specialist drug and alcohol treatment services between 1 April and 30 June 2026. Data are presented by NHS Board of treatment | PHS, UK
From Amazon retreats to clinical research: The rise of psychedelic therapy
From retreats in the Amazon to clinical trials in Newcastle, psychedelic therapy is attracting growing attention as a possible treatment for depression. Could hallucinogenic drugs one day become part of mainstream NHS care? | BBC, UK
NHS stop smoking services quarterly
This release by Public Health Scotland (PHS) presents information from January to March 2026 on NHS Stop Smoking Services in Scotland and health boards’ progress towards their annual Local Delivery Plan (LDP) Standard | PHS, UK
Codeine use rises in Shropshire, as one local man shares his journey to recovery with the Shropshire Recovery Partnership
New data released by Shropshire Recovery Partnership - delivered by WithYou - reveals the number of people struggling with codeine has more than doubled since 2022. Amidst these rising numbers, local resident of Shifnal, Ryan, 31, is telling his story to highlight the hidden dangers of over the counter and prescription opioids, and the life-changing impact of support | WithYou, UK
First female graduate of The Bridges shares her recovery journey
The first woman to graduate from The Bridges residential treatment centre in Hull, is sharing her story to highlight the life-changing impact of recovery support for women affected by addiction | Forward Trust, UK
Wigan woman rebuilds life and loses 12.5 stone with support of local recovery charity and Wigan Council’s Be Well initiative
A local Wigan woman is sharing her story for Recovery Month, after supporting her husband for years through his struggle with alcohol. With sheer determination and support from charity WithYou and partner BAC O’Connor, she was able to rebuild her life, lose 12.5 stone and join a women’s football group run by Wigan Council’s Be Well service | WithYou, UK
'Mistake' not to allow heroin addiction treatment programme to continue, says PCC
The project closed in 2022 after three years in operation in Middlesbrough | Teesside Live, UK
Calls for vaping to be banned inside venues [Guernsey]
Vaping in and around Guernsey venues should be restricted, according to islanders with health conditions and local organisations | BBC, UK
First closure order issued over illegal vape sales
A shop has been ordered to close after it was found to be selling illegal tobacco, cigarettes and vapes. Orange Shop on Hainton Avenue in Grimsby has been issued with a closure order - the first of its kind in North East Lincolnshire | BBC, UK
Police officer sacked for cocaine use
A police officer has been sacked for gross misconduct after a drugs test showed he had cocaine in his system. Special Constable Samuel Toynbee told a Lincolnshire Police disciplinary panel he "never has and never will take cocaine" and said the results must have been from "coming into contact with drug users and dealers on a daily basis" | BBC, UK
International news
Cannabis use is associated with increased risk of violence: A systematic review and meta-analysis
[Open access] This meta-analysis indicates an increased risk of violence, especially that resulting in a criminal conviction, among cannabis users. It also highlights the potential of cannabis use as a target for interventions to decrease violence, and underscores the need for routine assessment of cannabis use among psychiatric patients | Psychological Medicine, UK [See also SMC article in blogs section below]
The next wave of tobacco harm reduction? Emerging transitions from smoking to safer nicotine products in South Korea, Ireland and Estonia
This Briefing Paper considers three countries showing emerging but different shifts away from cigarettes: one incomplete, one stalled, and one accelerating. What happens next in South Korea, Ireland and Estonia will aid understanding of how tobacco harm reduction can be supported - and what happens when it is stalled or obstructed | GSTHR, UK
Civil society calls to confront systemic racism in drug control — Dialogue with the EMLER at HRC63
We welcome EMLER’s new report on systemic racism in drug law enforcement, and the recognition that it is systemic and rooted in the legacies of colonialism, enslavement, racially discriminatory policies and systems, and the globalisation of punitive drug control | IDPC, UK
Angel Dust Memories: True Tales of PCP in North America
The dissociative drug PCP, better known as angel dust, has fascinated me for years. It wasn’t always that way. Initially, I observed this strange substance with casual interest only, a kind of scornful amusement. I’d seen the videos of PCP sending users on naked rampages through the streets. I’d heard the stories of how its users can develop superhuman strength, or like to gouge out their eyes, or similar feats of insanity | Talking Drugs, UK
Newsom signs California law banning sales of single-use, battery-powered vapes
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a law banning the sale of single-use, battery-powered vapes to combat plastic pollution | Independent, UK
Major cocaine haul missing from court and replaced with flour
Fiji Police confirmed forensic testing of the drugs had come back negative for illicit drugs | Independent, UK
Community Dialogue Space: Not another red herring! Full decriminalisation of all drugs is non-negotiable
Sep 30, 2026 02:00 PM in London. Launch of INPUD’s Community Brief on Decriminalisation of drug use in the context of HIV. For many years, criminalisation and the repressive and oppressive laws and policies have been and continue to be at the root of all the harms experienced by our community. The “idea” of a drug-free world/society has been used against us to justify a war on drugs, which means a war on our community | INPUD, UK
New opioid up to 10 times stronger than fentanyl spreading across US
The drug, called cychlorphine, may be up to 10 times stronger than fentanyl, according to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). In an April 30 drug threat notice, the office said cychlorphine had turned up in every region of the country. It was most common in Ohio, Texas and Tennessee | Medical Xpress, USA
Severe withdrawal cases point to growing medetomidine use
A powerful veterinary sedative, medetomidine, is increasingly appearing in street supplies of the already deadly opioid fentanyl, and the number of patients suffering from medetomidine withdrawal has quadrupled in recent years, according to a new analysis by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania | Medical Xpress, USA
The WAGER, Vol. 31(10) – How often do people drink while gambling? A look at sports and non-sports gamblers
This week, The WAGER reviews a study by Alexander J. Connolly and colleagues that examined how often people report drinking while gambling, including whether drinking patterns differ between sports gamblers and other gamblers | CHA, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
Expert reaction to systematic review and meta-analysis of cannabis use and violence
Scientist comments on a systematic review and meta-analysis, published in Psychological Medicine, investigating cannabis use and violence | SMC, UK
Beyond opinion polls: a citizens’ jury’s verdict on alcohol policy
People want to live in thriving communities, where young people can grow up free from pervasive marketing, and policy decisions prioritise our health and wellbeing. Our recent Citizens’ Juries on Health and Harmful Products suggest there is strong public support for actions that can help create this future | IAS blog, UK
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD): Some Difficult Issues
A number of contributors will explore Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) as part of FASD Awareness Month. FASD is usually viewed through the lens of risk to the child, however I decided to look at this from a different perspective: that of the woman. This blog considers how public health advice can protect children without overlooking women’s health, rights, and circumstances. It also explores the tensions around choice, stigma, and the realities that can limit a woman’s agency | SHAAP blog, UK
In Focus: The Monthly AFS CEO Blog - Why we need an Alcohol Action Day in Scotland
As you know, I joined Alcohol Focus Scotland in February, and one of the first questions I was asked was why there wasn’t a Scotland-specific date bringing together everyone affected by the issue | AFS CEO blog, UK
How do Denmark and the UK compare when it comes to alcohol and drinking habits?
For decades, Denmark and the UK have been known as countries where alcohol plays a big role in people’s social lives. In this way, the two countries make an interesting comparison when it comes to alcohol consumption because they both have a strong drinking culture | Conversation, Denmark