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Daily news - 16th December 2025 |
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UK news
Researcher leads global push to cut tobacco harms in people with mental ill health
A University of York professor has called for urgent international action to tackle what he describes as an “unseen epidemic” of tobacco-related deaths among people with mental ill health | University of York, UK
The changing face of nicotine use in England: Age-specific annual trends, 2014 to 2024
[Open access] To examine age-specific trends in patterns of nicotine use in England between 2014 and 2024, including types of products used, exclusive and dual use of smoking and vaping, smoking frequency and the smoking history of those who vape | Addiction, UK
New study challenges what we know about alcohol and cancer risk
Researchers found links between some cancers and alcohol consumption, but not others | Independent, UK
Blackburn with Darwen gets £2.2m to combat addiction
Blackburn with Darwen Council has been given a Whitehall grant of £2.2 million to boost its services to help substance addicts get sober | Lancashire Telegraph, UK
Man City star says 'rehab saved my life' as he details drink and drug hell
The Blues star has spoken about spiralling into drink and drugs and financial difficulties, before a fellow Man City legend reached out to help. He has spoken out in the hope it can give strength to others | Manchester Evening News, UK
'My dad's past means I don't feel Christmas magic'
A woman says having dealt with her father's alcohol problems means she "doesn't always feel the magic of Christmas" as she aims to raise awareness of the issue over the festive period | BBC, UK
Landlady backs alcohol ban over hotel concerns
A pub landlady has backed a Norfolk council's proposal to bring in an alcohol ban amid rising concerns about anti-social behaviour | BBC, UK
Humza Yousaf brother-in-law 'spent £800 in a day' on crack cocaine
The brother-in-law of Scotland's former first minister Humza Yousaf has told a court that he spent up to £800 in a single day on crack cocaine. Ramsay El-Nakla, 37, was giving evidence over the death of Ryan Munro, who fell to his death from a flat in Dundee in January last year | BBC, UK
Police hunt drugs gang boss as six members jailed
The mastermind of an organised crime gang which dealt drugs around the country is wanted by police, after six of his gang members are jailed | BBC, UK
International news
Trump brands fentanyl a ‘weapon of mass destruction’ in drug war escalation
Order classifies opioid as potential chemical weapon amid administration’s attempts to combat drug smuggling | Guardian, UK
Eight killed in latest strikes on alleged drug boats, US military says
The US military says it has carried out strikes on three boats it has accused of trafficking drugs in the Pacific Ocean, killing eight people | BBC, UK
Patterns of Drug and Polydrug Detection in Drivers Suspected of Driving Under the Influence of an Intoxicant in Ireland 2019–2020: A Latent Class Analysis
[Open access] Driving under the influence of drugs is a major risk factor for road traffic collisions. While increasing harms are observed in relation to polydrug use, evidence is needed about this issue in the context of road safety. We examined polydrug use patterns in drivers providing samples for toxicological analysis in Ireland between 2019 and 2020 | DAR, USA
Cannabis derivatives could provide new ovarian cancer treatments
In the future, scientists could use drugs made from cannabis to fight ovarian cancer. A team of scientists testing the effects of two chemical compounds sourced from cannabis on ovarian cancer cells have found that both show promising anti-cancer effects | Medical Xpress, USA
Trying to quit smoking? A workplace lottery may help
People who want to quit smoking benefit from lotteries as an incentive. This is evident from the Smoke-Free Lottery, a field experiment conducted by the RIVM, Radboud University and various Dutch universities | Medical Xpress, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
Cannabis dependence is rising in England and Wales – but treatment is lagging
Cannabis dependence is on the rise, according to the latest data on drug use and dependence published by NHS England. Although cannabis use has remained stable over the past decade in England and Wales, dependence on the drug has risen significantly. In 2024, 6.7% of people aged 16 to 64 showed signs of drug dependence – compared with only 3.8% in 2014. This rise in drug dependence has mainly been attributed to an increase in the number of adults reporting cannabis dependence | Conversation, UK