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Daily news - 1st July 2025

UK news

Downing Street’s radical plan for the NHS: shifting it from treatment to prevention

Despite the evidence health prevention works, successive governments have done little in this area until now | Guardian, UK

Lung cancer screening to be rolled out to smokers

Smokers and former smokers aged 55 to 74 in Wales will be offered lung cancer screening, the Welsh government has announced | BBC, UK

[Open access] Understanding the motives for reducing alcohol consumption, how they differ among various population groups, and how they have evolved over time is crucial for designing effective public health interventions. This study estimated time trends in motives for attempts to reduce alcohol consumption among risky adult drinkers in England between 2017 and 2024 and explored differences by sociodemographics and alcohol consumption levels | DAD, UK

“Stopping starts here”: Kenvue launches in-store quit support for vaping and smoking in Manchester Boots stores

Kenvue, the maker of Nicorette, has launched a new in-store initiative in partnership with Boots to support people in Manchester looking to quit smoking or vaping. The "Stopping Starts Here" programme is being piloted in ten Boots locations across the city. It offers a 12-week quit plan, personalised one-to-one advice, and guidance from trained pharmacy staff. With research showing high intent to quit among Manchester vapers, the scheme aims to boost success rates | Manchester Evening News, UK

Sunderland drug and alcohol recovery charity NERAF gets boost to help people battling addiction

A drug and alcohol recovery charity operating on Wearside is set to receive a major funding boost, following a decision by city leaders | Sunderland Echo, UK

Recovery Street Film Festival 2025 - entries now open

We are inviting anyone who is directly or indirectly affected by drug or alcohol use (individuals, family members, friends, professionals) to make a film of one to three minutes in length and submit it for inclusion in the festival. The Recovery Street Film Festivals objective is to create a communication channel between people with experience of substance use and recovery and the wider general public. The judges will be looking for the most original and imaginative approaches to telling stories of recovery, and films should show a link to our theme of the year, ‘creative healing’. | RSFF, UK

Emma Urquhart Cup – East Kent’s recovery community are true winners

With a rare footballing appearance by England and Arsenal legend (and our chair of trustees) Tony Adams, an entertaining charity football match between ROAR Kent and The Forward Trust at Margate FC was a fitting tribute to the late Emma Urquhart, who sadly passed away a year ago | DDN, UK

The Vivienne died from cardio-respiratory arrest due to ketamine use, inquest finds

The drag artist known as The Vivienne died from misadventure after suffering cardio-respiratory arrest after taking ketamine, a coroner has ruled | Guardian, UK

Jail 'challenged' by drugs, say inspectors

A prison was "particularly challenged" by potent illicit drugs which found their way into inmates' hands, inspectors have found | BBC, UK

Councillor suspended by SNP after cannabis farm charge

Aileen Orr, 70, was arrested following the discovery of a cannabis farm at a property near Paxton, Berwickshire, in February last year | BBC, UK

Dealer hid cocaine worth £120m in artificial grass

Peter Lamb, of Mayfair Gardens, Gateshead, oversaw the operation for almost a year stashing drugs from the Netherlands in warehouses in Stockton-on-Tees and Newcastle | BBC, UK

International news

New Zealand Approves First Psilocybin Prescription – A Sign of Things to Come?

Last week, the Ministry of Health quietly marked a historic milestone: it granted a license to Christchurch-based psychiatrist Professor Cameron Lacey to prescribe psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression. This is the first time the psychedelic compound will be legally prescribed in New Zealand outside of a clinical trial | Drug Science, UK

Fresh approach to enhance community safety as Minister Jim O’Callaghan gives the green light for new Local Community Safety Partnerships nationwide

The Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan has signed regulations, which come into effect today (Monday June 30th), that provide for the establishment of Local Community Safety Partnerships in each local authority area across the country | Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Ireland

Cork crime: Addiction, poverty, and trauma are driving women into prison for minor thefts

More women are being jailed for theft, addiction, and trauma-linked crimes, while overcrowded jails hinder real rehabilitation, writes Ann Murphy | Irish Examiner, Ireland

Avoidable mortality, risk factors and policies for tackling noncommunicable diseases – leveraging data for impact: monitoring commitments in the WHO European Region ahead of the Fourth United Nations High-Level Meeting (PDF)

Noncommunicable diseases (‎NCDs)‎, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases, remain the leading cause of death and disability in the WHO European Region. Approximately 1.8 million deaths annually are avoidable, with 60% preventable through reduced exposure to risk factors and public health interventions, and 40% treatable with timely and high-quality health care | WHO, Denmark

Threat assessment report: Assessing the threat posed by the increased availability, use and harms of highly potent synthetic opioids in the Baltic region

This threat assessment examines the evolving presence and impact of highly potent synthetic opioids, particularly the group of 2-benzylbenzimidazole opioids (the so-called ‘nitazenes’) and carfentanil, in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Over the past decade, these substances have largely replaced fentanyl and heroin, leading to a high burden of drug-induced deaths and acute toxicity cases. The Baltic region is disproportionately affected by this phenomenon, with the majority of nitazenes and all carfentanil seizures in the EU taking place in these three countries | EUDA, Portugal

Study reveals alarming surge in adolescent vaping of THC, CBD and synthetic cannabinoids

Novel research has revealed that adolescent vaping of current delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) has increased between 2021 and 2023. Also, adolescents are increasingly unsure about the substances they vaped in their e-cigarettes | Medical Xpress, USA

Majority of Medicaid managed care plans cover opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone, but access barriers remain

A new study found that almost all plans in 40 states and Washington, DC covered at least one form of the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone, although certain restrictions and quantity limits may still prevent people from accessing this life-saving drug | Medical Xpress, USA

Receipt of Buprenorphine and Naltrexone for Opioid Use Disorder by Race and Ethnicity and Insurance Type

In this cohort study of more than 176 000 opioid-related events from 2017 to 2022, adjusted estimated probabilities showed that Black (17.1%) and Hispanic patients (16.2%) were significantly less likely than White patients (20.5%) to receive buprenorphine. Patients had higher odds of receiving buprenorphine with Medicaid and Medicare Advantage compared with commercial insurance | JAMA Network Open, USA

Safer opioid supply (SOS) is a harm reduction approach to prescribing pharmaceutical opioids to people at high risk of overdose from the toxic unregulated drug supply. Previous research demonstrates positive health outcomes and reductions in overdose mortality among SOS clients; however few reports describe previous opioid agonist treatment history prior to initiating SOS, or the medication combinations and doses prescribed within SOS programs | DAD, USA

Harm Reduction Vending Machines Work, Says 30 Years of Research

From New York City to rural Oklahoma and across the world, harm reduction vending machines are gaining popularity. They offer a convenient way to access supplies like syringes, pipes, naloxone, condoms and even safe-supply opioids. For those who feel uncomfortable sharing personal information or interacting with program staff, “vending” machines—despite the moniker, they’re typically free—provide an anonymous and contactless alternative | Filter Magazine, USA

Drug Trends output: Previous-day drug expenditure among a sample of people who inject drugs, 2024

This bulletin aims to examine previous-day drug expenditure amongst a sample of people who regularly inject drugs, using data from the 2024 IDRS | NDARC, Australia

Blogs, comment and opinion

Your Allyship is Essential: Pride Month 2025 at The Forward Trust

This Pride month, Forward Trust focused on allyship. Allyship is an active and consistent effort to use your privilege and power to support and advocate for people with less privilege | Forward Trust blog, UK

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