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Daily news - 23rd August 2024

UK news

Characteristics of consumers of alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks in Great Britain: A cross-sectional study

[Open access] The impact of alcohol-free and low-alcohol (no/lo) drinks on public health and health inequalities depends on who consumes them and how they are consumed. This study aimed to estimate: (i) the proportions of adults in Great Britain who consume no/lo drinks at different frequencies and in different settings; and (ii) the associations between no/lo drink consumption and individual characteristics | DAR, UK

Drinkaware partners with Tesco and Heineken UK to get customers to check their drinking

Drinkaware has partnered with Tesco and Heineken® 0.0 as part of their nationwide campaign to get more people to check their drinking. Customers across 50 Tesco stores in the UK will have the opportunity to complete an in-person Drinking Check. Customers who complete the Drinking Check will get a free sample of Heineken® 0.0 | Drinkaware, UK

Taking a trip down memory lane could be the key to drinking less alcohol

A new study led by the University of Portsmouth suggests recollecting a previous drinking episode could put women off drinking too much | University of Portsmouth, UK

‘Stigma isn’t what you say it is’

Anna Millington, Polly Radcliffe, and Emma Smith discuss involving people with lived and living experience in research, and how the moral discourse around ‘recovery’ can have an impact on mothers who may be using drugs and/or have had children taken into care | SSA, UK

Shop visits ahead of new vape product display ban

Manx retailers have "not indicated" that they would struggle to comply with new laws banning vaping products to under-18s, a consumer watchdog has said. Under the Vaping Products Bill 2024 the public display or advertising of the products in places where those under the age of 18 are admitted will be banned from 1 September | BBC, UK

Addiction service 'not fit for purpose'

A former mayor of Shrewsbury has said she is on a mission to highlight the lack of addiction support in Shropshire following the death of her daughter | BBC, UK

Praise for 'vital' life-changing addiction recovery project

A project spearheaded by a North Lanarkshire Church has been hailed for the "brilliant work" it does to help people overcome addiction | Church of Scotland, UK

Former cocaine addict who set up recovery group helping others in Glasgow

"I thought to myself that something needs to be done. I need to be able to help," Scott Richards tells Sky News | Sky News, UK

Have a say in improving our statistical publications

Closing date: 27 September 2024. PHS is looking to better understand how users currently engage with and access our statistics and data, as well as gaining feedback about what improvements should be prioritised to help ensure data best meets user needs | PHS, UK

International news

The impact of the introduction of tobacco product plain packaging on consumer responses in Ireland: a real-world policy evaluation stratified by socioeconomic groups

[Open access] Smoking prevalence remains high in Europe and widening socioeconomic group differences are driving health inequalities. While plain packaging policies disrupt tobacco industry tactics that sustain smoking, evidence of their equity impact is sparse. This study evaluated the implementation of plain packaging in Ireland in 2018 on consumer responses, overall and by the socioeconomic group | EJPH, UK

The relationship between cannabis and nicotine use: A systematic review and meta-analysis

[Open access] Cannabis and nicotine (tobacco or e-cigarettes) use commonly co-occurs and understanding their relationship can help to inform public health strategies to prevent their harms. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the association of cannabis use given prior nicotine use and vice versa | Addiction, UK

Doctor charged in Matthew Perry’s ketamine overdose death set to return to medical practice

The doctor appears to be heading back to work at his practice after a sign was spotted on the door of Malibu Canyon Urgent Care in Calabasas, informing patients he cannot prescribe any controlled substances | Independent, UK

Wounds are common among people who use illicit opioids, but proper wound care is hard to find

The animal tranquilizer xylazine is increasingly found in the illicit opioid supply nationwide, leading to severe wounds among people who use drugs. New research led by a University of Pittsburgh physician-scientist and published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence seeks to understand wound care experiences of this population | Medical Xpress, USA

Mushroom edibles are making people sick. Scientists still don't know why

Dr. Michael Moss couldn’t explain why the man in his hospital’s ICU had started convulsing after trying a chocolate bar, but he knew there was more to the story. The patient recounted eating a mushroomed-infused candy, packaged with trippy artwork — and purchased legally at a local store | npr, USA

Everyone I Know on Parole Is Vaping

Nobody ever really talked about cigarette alternatives in prison. Tobacco is abundantly available to anyone in Georgia Department of Corrections custody who can afford it, and even in prison systems where that isn’t the case, there’s just no market for things like vapes. Since being released in 2023, I’ve noticed a stark difference: Almost every single person I know on parole or probation is furiously vaping | Filter Magazine, USA

[Open access] Over the past two decades methamphetamine-related harms have increased in Australia. Previous analysis of methamphetamine-related deaths has covered limited timeframes, and largely focused on drug-toxicity deaths. This paper examines long-term trends in methamphetamine-related deaths over 20 years, including deaths due to a range of specific causes | IJDP, Australia

Nitazenes: An expert panel discussion - video

Do you know enough about nitazenes? Catch up on Penington Institute’s webinar, featuring an expert panel discussing strategies to prevent nitazene-related harms in Australia, drawing on fresh lessons from overseas | Penington Institute, Australia

Inquiry into the health impacts of alcohol and other drugs in Australia

Following a referral from the Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Mark Butler MP, on 22 August 2024 the House Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport commenced an inquiry into the health impacts of alcohol and other drugs in Australia | Parliament of Australia, Australia

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