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Daily news - 20th August 2025 |
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UK news
Study links teen vaping to increased risk of smoking and health issues
Researchers have shown that there is strong evidence that e-cigarette use may act as a gateway to cigarette smoking and other health issues in young people | University of York, UK [See also Blogs section below]
Digital influence: Young people’s exposure to the marketing of cigarettes, vapes, unhealthy food/drink, and alcohol (PDF)
In the UK, the number of new cancer cases diagnosed each year is projected to rise by around a fifth by 2040. But making healthy behaviour changes can reduce the risk of over 20 types of cancer. The aim of this study was to explore young people’s awareness of, and engagement with, marketing and content on social media related to age-restricted products (cigarettes, vapes, HFSS products and alcohol), and what they think about related policy options | Cancer Research UK, UK
New report on minimum unit pricing for alcohol in Wales
The Sheffield Addictions Research Group (SARG) has published a major new report that models the impact of alcohol pricing policies on alcohol consumption and harm in Wales | SARG, UK
Preventing Substance Use-Related Harms Among Young People in Scotland Evidence, Knowledge Gaps, and Systems Solutions (PDF)
This report explores how Scotland can strengthen its approach to preventing substance use and related harms among young people. While prevention is increasingly recognised as a public health priority, Scotland currently lacks a coordinated, evidence-based prevention system. Public Health Scotland is developing a wholesystems approach, and this report aims to contribute by synthesising evidence on effective interventions and conditions for sustainable prevention | DRNS, UK
Ketamine use in chronic pain unsupported by evidence
The off-label use of ketamine to treat chronic pain is not supported by scientific evidence, a new Cochrane review has found | Brunel University of London, UK
Tony Adams’ Chair of Trustee’s Roadshow – second update – from Liverpool to Essex
Following visits to Wales, Margate, HMP Downview, and HMP Highdown, Tony Adams continues with his national tour of Forward support services, visiting Liverpool, Essex, and back to Margate! | Forward Trust, UK
Cranstoun launches first charity run at Worcester Racecourse
A new charity event will see Worcester runners lace up their trainers for a run with purpose, raising funds for a social justice charity | DDN, UK
Tommy Fury: 'Alcohol was the only thing that made me happy' - video
Professional boxer Tommy Fury has said he turned to alcohol after an injury left him unable to train or compete, ultimately leading to his partner Molly-Mae leaving him | BBC, UK
'Never worth it' says man who lost leg to smoking
Cliff Hopkins, from Wells in Somerset, said he smoked two pouches of tobacco per week before deciding to quit smoking five months ago after blocked arteries led to him losing his leg | BBC, UK
Vape retailers 'concerned' about tax impact [Guernsey]
One of Guernsey's biggest vape retailers has said the business is "very concerned" about plans to tax vape liquids in the 2026 budget | BBC, UK
Flight attendant four times over limit, court told
A Virgin Atlantic flight attendant reported for duty four times over the alcohol limit after crashing her car on the way to Heathrow, a court has heard | BBC, UK
International news
Peruvian woman accused of trying to smuggle cocaine into Bali using sex toy
Officers say they found 1.4kg of drug inside toy in woman’s underwear and also accused her of hiding ecstasy pills | Guardian, UK
Majority of chronic pain patients found to discontinue medical cannabis within one year
More than half of patients prescribed medical cannabis for chronic musculoskeletal pain stop using it within a year, according to new research from Philadelphia that raises fresh questions about the drug's longevity and its role in long-term pain management—especially among older adults | Medical Xpress, USA
FDA Calls for Better Opioid Safety Labeling
The FDA is requiring manufacturers of opioid pain medications to update safety labels to better emphasize risks linked to their long-term use, the agency announced in a new Drug Safety Communication | MedPage Today, USA
Overdose dashboard brings real-time data to community
As overdoses from fentanyl and opioids continue to rise, many communities have created interactive overdose dashboards that show demographic, geographic and time trends in suspected overdoses and community resources to help with substance abuse | Medical Xpress, USA
Alcohol retail lobbying: Comparing policy positions between sectors
Dr Michala Kowalski is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at NDARC, UNSW Sydney, with a focus on alcohol policy, cannabis policy, evolving drug markets, and harm reduction. Here, she writes about a recently published research paper about alcohol retail lobbying in Australia | NDARC, Australia
Blogs, comment and opinion
Expert reaction to umbrella review looking at youth vaping and its links to smoking, marijuana use, alcohol use, and other health outcomes
An umbrella review published in Tobacco Control looks at teen vaping and the risk of smoking and other health outcomes. Here experts give their reactions | SMC, UK
Drug Science response to Ketamine Harms Assessment
Drug Science responded to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs’ (ACMD’s) call on Ketamine use, harms and interventions. We hope that our evidence can help to develop rational debate, policy making and scheduling about Ketamine | Drug Science, UK
An international approach to beating organised crime
A new (18 August 2025) report from the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change and Crest Advisory sets out a new vision for tackling the evolving threat of serious and organised crime, including a proposal for a Five Eyes-style international alliance and a tech-driven offensive to dismantle criminal networks. Global trends show that between 2013 and 2022, detected human-trafficking victims increased by 292 per cent, the number of cyber-fraud cases rose by 142 per cent and drug seizures grew by 172 per cent | Russell Webster, UK