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Daily news - 19th August 2025 |
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UK news
'I quit alcohol and feel mentally unstoppable'
Almost a year ago, Juggy Sidhu gave up alcohol. He had always had a turbulent relationship with it and became addicted at university after losing his grandfather | BBC, UK
Ban of single-use vapes a failure as makers replaced outlawed devices with lookalike reusables - that get binned anyway
The ban on disposable vapes has been a flop because makers replace outlawed devices with reusable lookalikes that most users still bin, figures show | Mail Online, UK
‘They’re not chic!’ How did BuzzBallz become the undisputed drink of the summer?
Reef, Hooch and Bacardi Breezers are back in favour with gen Z – and BuzzBallz are the biggest hit of all. Why are they the essential alcopop at this year’s picnics, parties and festivals? | Guardian, UK
The Forward Trust Benefits from Royal Charity Polo Cup Fundraiser
On 11 July 2025, the lush grounds of Guards Polo Club played host to one of the most prestigious fixtures in the charity sporting calendar — the Royal Charity Polo Cup | Forward Trust, UK
Prison plans to combat drone drug deliveries
Inspectors found about a third of random drug tests carried out over a 12-month period were positive, reportedly among the highest in category C prisons | BBC, UK
Men jailed after smuggling cannabis worth £9m into NI in wooden flooring
Chinese nationals Yudong Ouyang, 32, and Gary Hon, 26, from Manchester, cultivated large crops of cannabis and used Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) to transport it by ferry | BBC, UK
International news
'Ketamine Queen' to plead guilty in Matthew Perry overdose case
Jasveen Sangha, 42, will plead guilty to five charges in Los Angeles, including one count of distributing ketamine resulting in death or bodily injury, according to the Justice Department | BBC, UK
Qualitative analysis of barriers and facilitators to healthcare engagement for people with injecting-related invasive infections using a social ecological framework
[open access] Injecting-related bacterial infections are increasing in many countries. Systemic infections often require prolonged treatment. Evidence suggests that people who inject drugs who have invasive infections are less likely to complete antimicrobial treatment and have poorer outcomes than patients without a history of injecting drug use. We used a social ecological model to identify critical barriers and facilitators that impact healthcare service access for people who inject drugs with an invasive infection | Addiction, UK
Effectiveness of methadone versus buprenorphine in the treatment of opioid use disorder: secondary analyses of prospective cohort study data
Across 54 clinics in Ontario in Canada, neither methadone nor buprenorphine could be shown to be superior at suppressing non-prescribed opioid use, though methadone did retain patients longer in treatment, a familiar finding | BMJ Open, UK
Cocaine treatment rates catching up on alcohol in Kildare's health region
Cocaine (36%) is fast catching up on alcohol (40%) as the primary drug of choice in Kildare’s health region, which includes Dublin, Wicklow and Meath | Kildare Nationalist, Ireland
Alcohol and Cancer Risk
In 2025, the US Surgeon General’s Advisory on alcohol and cancer risk recommended updating the warning label on alcohol-containing beverages to include cancer, counseling patients about alcohol as a cancer risk factor, and promoting alcohol intervention strategies in clinical settings. Here, we summarize the evidence related to this recommendation | JAMA Network, USA
'Clear' e-cigarettes linked to greater acute rises in blood pressure and heart rate
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University and Boston University Chobanian, Avedisian School of Medicine-led researchers report that e-cigarettes labeled "clear" produced greater acute increases in blood pressure and heart rate than non "clear" flavored products or nonuse, and that "clear" e-liquids contained synthetic cooling agents alongside menthol and other flavorants | Medical Xpress, USA
Kratom faces increasing scrutiny from states and the feds
For years, state lawmakers have taken the lead on regulating kratom—the controversial herbal supplement used for pain relief, anxiety and opioid withdrawal symptoms. Some states have banned it entirely. Others have passed laws requiring age limits, labeling and lab testing | Medical Xpress, USA
Harnessing VR to prevent substance use relapse
Substance use recovery is a lifelong process, but environmental triggers, such as alcohol at social gatherings or pain medication advertisements, can put individuals in recovery at risk of relapse | Medical Xpress, USA
Choose Your Child or Choose Recovery: The Impossible Decision Facing Addicted Mothers
Shoshana Walter explores how the giant substance treatment industry fails people desperate for help | Mother Jones, USA
Initiation and Dose of Methadone Monotherapy vs Combination Therapy, 2015 to 2023
In this repeated cross-sectional study of 70 564 initiations of methadone monotherapy and 3069 initiations of combination therapy among 35 309 unique individuals, there was a shift toward methadone initiation at 30 mg in 2018, with subsequent attainment of higher doses within 2 weeks. The release of new methadone prescribing guidance further accelerated treatment initiation at higher doses and in combination with slow-release oral morphine; however, provision of subsequent dose titration significantly declined over time | JAMA Network Open, USA
Injectable-Only Overlapping Buprenorphine Starting Protocol in a Low-Threshold Setting
In this cohort study of 95 patients with moderate to severe opioid use disorder using unregulated fentanyl, these patients chose a protocol that involved 3 escalating long-acting injectable buprenorphine doses over 3 days without requiring cessation of fentanyl and without sublingual buprenorphine. Most of these individuals (75%) completed the protocol and 64% received a second monthly long-acting injectable buprenorphine dose| JAMA Network open, USA
High risk, low access: Illicit drug use and treatment needs among California’s homeless population
The most recent representative study on Illicit substance use among those experiencing homelessness in the United States was conducted over 25 years ago. Since then, substance use trends have changed and the number of people experiencing homelessness has increased dramatically. To help address this knowledge gap this study examined patterns of substance use and treatment needs among adults experiencing homelessness in California | Recovery Research Institute, USA
Black individuals’ attitudes toward opioid use disorder medications
Compared to White individuals, Black individuals are more likely to die from an opioid overdose and less likely to receive medication treatments for opioid use disorder. This study examined reasons that might underlie these disparities, by assessing medication treatment attitudes and experiences among Black people with a history of opioid use disorder | Recovery Research Institute, USA
Fatal drug overdoses reach 10-year high in Victoria, with people aged between 35 and 54 most at risk
Drug overdoses in the state hit a 10-year high last year, according to new data from the Coroners Court of Victoria. The state recorded 584 fatal overdoses in 2024, with men and people aged 35 to 54 at most risk.The Victorian government has committed to a $95 million plan, and is this month due to open a fixed site pill testing service in Fitzroy | abc.net.au, Australia
IOAD 2025 theme: One big family, driven by hope
August 31st. This International Overdose Awareness Day, we come together as one big family to take action on overdose. Get the tools and templates to make an impact this August 31 – campaign ideas, social media graphics, poster designs and more | Penington Institute, Australia
Blogs, comment and opinion
When cigarette adverts were banned: a look back 60 years on
Did you know it’s been 60 years since cigarette ads were banned in the UK? Join us as we take a look back on how it happened and where we’re at now | Sky History, UK
“Playing Whack-a-Mole”: A History of China’s Drug Bans
This article series is a deep-dive into the Chinese nitazenes ban that has just taken effect at the beginning of July. The first part will explore the history of Chinese generic bans on synthetic drugs. The second part will explore how the nitazene ban is expected to play out, and what alternatives exist to control this drug class | Talking Drugs, UK