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Daily news - 26th August 2025 |
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UK news
Open call for evidence - The misuse and harms of gabapentin and pregabalin
This call for evidence closes at 11:59pm on 13 October 2025. The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) is currently reviewing the evidence on the misuse and harms of pregabalin and gabapentin (gabapentinoids) in the United Kingdom. This call for evidence will provide qualitative data to help the ACMD to: 1) inform the development of recommendations to government on how to best limit the harms posed by the potential misuse of gabapentinoids and 2) assess whether the classification of gabapentin and pregabalin to Class C under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 has had the intended effect. The call is for any individual or organisation with knowledge or lived experience regarding the potential for harm caused by the misuse of pregabalin and gabapentin | ACMD, UK
Ketamine Use in the UK: Insights from Phoenix Futures’ Residential Services
As ketamine use continues to rise across the UK we have surveyed our residential staff and residents to shed light on the growing prevalence, motivations, and harms associated with ketamine use, particularly among young people. We hope this will aid the development of much-needed support for people affected by ketamine use | Phoenix Futures, UK
Work with Collective Voice to review our approach to lived and living experience
This page should give you all the information you need to get involved in our review of how we engage with people with lived and living experience – but if you’d prefer to watch a short video introduction by one of our trustees, Vicki Beere, then just click here to see it on YouTube. Vicki tells you what you need to know about this project and how to get involved in under 3 minutes | Collective Voice, UK
Employment and Long-Acting Injectable Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder: Findings from Longitudinal Qualitative Interviews Conducted with Patients Recruited from Drug Treatment Services
[Open access] Monthly injections of buprenorphine help patients at British treatment services find and sustain meaningful occupation (including paid employment, education and volunteering) by freeing them from frequent visits to pick up or take medication and improving their wellbeing | Substance Abuse & Rehabilitation, UK
Call for supermarkets to be banned from displaying alcohol near checkouts and entrances
Supermarkets should be banned from displaying alcohol near checkouts and entrances - a new petition has said | Manchester Evening News, UK
Addiction service sees rise in cocaine referrals
The number of referrals that an addiction charity has received for cocaine has surpassed those for cannabis-users for the first time, its Chief Executive has said | BBC, UK
Support Centre in Rhyl aims to transform lives with backing from police and council
A new initiative in Rhyl is transforming lives thanks to the collaborative efforts of a national charity, North Wales Police officers, and Denbighshire County Council. The former Prince of Wales pub on Vale Road has been repurposed as a walk-in centre designed to offer meaningful support to vulnerable individuals with addiction problems | North Wales Police, UK
Mum speaks out about 'shame' of husband's addiction
Jo – not her real name – sought help from Wiltshire-based charity Families Out Loud when her husband's alcoholism pushed her to the brink of a nervous breakdown | BBC, UK
'Addiction is messy, chaotic and takes your soul'
A former drug addict, whose addiction had a "traumatic" effect on his family, has said he wants to help others going through the same thing | BBC, UK
Pub and travel bans proposed under sentencing rule changes
People convicted of crimes in England and Wales could find themselves barred from going to pubs and sport matches as part of changes to sentencing rules | BBC, UK
ASH Strategy 2025-2030
Our work over the next five years will free more people from harms of tobacco, allowing them to live longer, healthier and happier lives. This Strategic Plan builds on our past successes and sets out our next steps towards a world free from the harm caused by tobacco. ASH’s core strength has always been in our ability to bring coalitions together - together we are greater than the sum of our parts. We hope you will continue with us on this journey | ASH, UK
Gathering for International Overdose Awareness Day 2025
Saturday, 30 August | 6pm - 9pm. On the eve of International Overdose Awareness Day 2025, join us for a day of remembrance and resistance. We will honour our loved ones and community members pushed into premature death — sharing stories, art, and life-saving harm reduction skills, including free naloxone training. All are very welcome to this community vigil | London Harm Reduction Collective, UK
UK Recovery Walk 2025
The UK Recovery Walk 2025 will take place on Saturday, 13th September 2025, Hosted in the vibrant city of Wolverhampton, this year’s walk promises to be a powerful celebration of recovery, resilience, and hope. Together, we will gather to demonstrate the strength and unity of the recovery community, raise awareness, and advocate for improved support and services for those affected by addiction | FAVOR, UK
British Airways attendant found naked and on drugs in onboard toilet
A British Airways flight attendant was found naked in an onboard toilet while under the influence of drugs, a court has heard | BBC, UK
International news
Singapore: Call for death penalty moratorium renewed after first clemency since 1998 and third execution in three weeks
In a welcome move, on 14 August 2025 the President of Singapore, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, granted the first clemency in a death penalty case since 1998. However, this positive outcome came closely after the announcement of the third execution within a period of three weeks – all for drug-related offences. The use of the death penalty for drug-related offences violates international human rights law and standards | Amnesty International, UK
Why do you smoke cannabis? Qualitative interviews of Japanese cannabis users
The number of cannabis-related arrests has been increasing in Japan, accompanied by the implementation of stricter legal penalties. However, there has been little investigation into the motivations behind cannabis use or the reasons for continued use among users in Japan | Drug Science, UK
Rise in use of opioid painkillers likely reflects a 'failing health system'
Opioid painkillers are “not being given out like smarties” by medics but an increase in their use likely reflects a failing health system, a leading addiction counselor said | Irish Examiner, Ireland
Polysubstance involvement in youth opioid overdoses increases with age
Most research suggests that opioid overdoses involving multiple substances in the United States typically occur among people aged 25–54. However, a new study led by Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) and Mass General Brigham for Children indicates that polysubstance-involved opioid overdoses are also prevalent among youth | Medical Xpress, USA
High concentration THC associated with schizophrenia, psychosis and other unfavorable mental health outcomes
A systematic review analyzed the associations of high-concentration delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) cannabis products with mental health outcomes. The review found that high-concentration THC products are associated with unfavorable mental health outcomes, particularly for psychosis or schizophrenia and cannabis use disorder (CUD) | Medical Xpress, USA
EU Plan to Heavily Tax Safer Substitutes for Cigarettes Draws Fire
The European Union is looking to impose heavy and unprecedented bloc-wide taxes on safer nicotine products. Tobacco harm reduction advocates and scientists are among the opponents of a measure they say will hamper efforts to reduce smoking. And their hopes have been boosted by individual countries raising objections—when all 27 EU nations would need to agree on the proposal | Filter Magazine, USA
Recommendations on interventions for tobacco smoking cessation in adults in Canada
[Open access] This guideline provides a menu of evidence-based options to support smoking cessation. The menu approach places a strong emphasis on using shared decision-making to help guide people who smoke to options that are accessible to them and fit their values and preferences | CMAJ, Canada
Victorian Pill Testing Service proud to open the doors of our fixed-site in Fitzroy (PDF)
The Victorian Pill Testing Service is excited to announce the official opening of its fixed-site drug checking service. Operated by a consortium of leading harm reduction and healthcare organisations – Youth Support and Advocacy Service (YSAS), The Loop Australia and Harm Reduction Victoria, in partnership with the Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH), Youth Projects and Metabolomics Australia (University of Melbourne) – the opening of the fixed-site marks a significant milestone in harm reduction for Victoria, by helping people make safer, more informed choices | The Loop Australia et al, Australia
Half a million Aussies want help to quit drugs. Why can't they get it? - audio
Drug overdoses now kill twice as many Australians as road crashes. Yet half a million people are turned away from drug and alcohol services each year. Why? And what happens when someone is ready to change but the help isn’t there? | abc.net.au, Australia
Blogs, comment and opinion
As we create a smokefree generation – what next for ASH?
As we draw closer to the totemic Tobacco and Vapes Bill passing, ASH has been considering the future and what’s needed to move towards a smokefree country. As a result, today we are launching a new 5-year strategy which builds on our past successes and sets out our next steps towards a world free from the harm caused by tobacco | ASH blog, UK
World Water Week 2025 – every drop counts at The Forward Trust
As we mark World Water Week (August 24–28), The Forward Trust is proud to reaffirm our commitment to protecting one of our most precious natural resources – water | Forward Trust blog, UK
Social Transmission of Recovery as a Helix of Connectivity, not a Service Checklist: A Conversation with Dr David Best
In April of 2024, I had the distinct honor of being asked by William White author and thought leader of the new recovery advocacy movement to present his words as the keynote to open up the first annual NIDA Consortium on Addiction Recovery Science (CoARS) conference. The paper was titled Frontiers of Recovery Research. It is one of his most important writings | Recovery Review blog, USA
Medicinal cannabis is most often prescribed for pain, anxiety and sleep. Here’s what the evidence says
Medicinal cannabis use has increased rapidly in recent years in Australia. Since access pathways were expanded in 2016, more than 700,000 prescription approvals have been issued | Conversation, Australia