Home | Archive | Weekly | Reports

Daily news - 15th August 2025

UK news

At risk? Tobacco dependence treatment in the NHS. Findings from a survey of Integrated Care Boards in England

This report presents the findings from the third annual survey of Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) conducted by Action on Smoking and Health and Cancer Research UK. The primary focus of the survey was the implementation of the tobacco dependence treatment services specified in the NHS Long Term Plan | ASH, UK

Only 1 in 6 Scots feel comfortable talking about alcohol-here's how we can change that

A new study found that only 1 in 6 people in Scotland feel comfortable talking about their alcohol consumption-showing that it's one of the least-talked about topics when it comes to conversation | Scotsman, UK

[Open access] While maintained on methadone or buprenorphine, users of opioids in Scotland were three times less likely to suffer a drug-related death than when not in treatment: “The results … emphasise the importance of [opioid-agonist treatment] and retention in treatment alongside other interventions” | IJDP, UK

'Raving without alcohol is the best feeling'

Bristol's music scene is known for its thumping basslines and - for some - its booze-fuelled big nights out. But as more young people embrace sobriety, one group aims to prove you do not need drugs or alcohol to let loose on the dancefloor | BBC, UK

Call for Papers - Oral Nicotine Pouches

Submission deadline: 31 March 2026. Because of the rise in use of nicotine pouches in both adults and youth, their potential for tobacco harm reduction, and proposed legislative changes, Addiction is seeking submissions to a special issue that will advance our understanding of these areas | SSA, UK

Student researching medical cannabis to study at Oxford

A teenager who has secured a spot at the University of Oxford says the way cannabis has helped her mother's condition "opened my eyes to its medical potential" | BBC, UK

Gang boss who fled to Spain sentenced to 43 years

A British drugs kingpin who organised a shooting from his hideout in Spain and traded a "vast arsenal of weapons" has been jailed | BBC, UK

International news

Sheinbaum’s expulsion of criminals is more about placating Trump than keeping Mexico safe

Perhaps not coincidentally, the timing of tariff discussions was closely followed by the transfer of wanted criminals | Guardian, UK

[Open access] Counselled by a peer-support worker, users of a postal harm reduction service in Denmark conducted their own blood sampling to mail back for testing for hepatitis C. Seven in ten who joined the study were in treatment for their opioid dependence | IJDP, USA

U.S. Drinking Rate at New Low as Alcohol Concerns Surge

The percentage of U.S. adults who say they consume alcohol has fallen to 54%, the lowest by one percentage point in Gallup’s nearly 90-year trend. This coincides with a growing belief among Americans that moderate alcohol consumption is bad for one’s health, now the majority view for the first time. Gallup has tracked Americans’ drinking behavior since 1939 and their views of the health implications of moderate drinking since 2001. The latest results are from Gallup’s annual Consumption Habits survey, conducted July 7-21 | Gallup, USA

Smoking cessation app with real-time support nearly doubles quit rates in clinical trial

While smoking rates in the United States have substantially declined over the past six decades, smoking remains high among people with low incomes, leading to health disparities. A smartphone app that delivers real-time, tailored messages may hold the key to helping them quit, according to University of Oklahoma clinical trial results published in JAMA Network Open | Medical Xpress, USA

Bill to Reschedule Marijuana Filed in Congress, as Trump Also Considers It

As President Donald Trump considers a proposal to federally reclassify marijuana via an administrative process, a GOP congressman has introduced a bill that would achieve the reform legislatively, codifying the policy change under federal statute | Filter Magazine, USA

[Open access] Compared to usual referral procedures, offering gift cards to needle exchange users in Australia if they agreed to be tested for hepatitis C greatly increased the rate of testing, but a much lower proportion went on to be treated for infection | IJDP, USA

Blogs, comment and opinion

Daniel Dalton: For all the harm smoking causes, the Government’s smoking ban is equally harmful

When Rishi Sunak announced a progressive smoking ban to create a smoke-free generation, very few people thought this would ever become law. Only New Zealand had committed to a similar policy, and a few months later, they reversed course, as it became increasingly clear that the law was unworkable | Conservative Home, UK

Extend Studio