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Daily news - 15th July 2025 |
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UK news
Evaluating the impact of vaping facts films on vaping harm perceptions among young adults in the UK: A randomized on-line experiment
[Open access] Misleading news, especially around incidences of acute lung injuries from vaping contaminated cannabis e-cigarettes (predominantly in the USA), has worsened public perceptions of vaping in the UK and elsewhere. Claims on social media that have exaggerated the health risks of vaping have also been found to further exacerbate vaping misperceptions. Effectively communicating comparative risk information for e-cigarettes and combusted cigarettes is therefore needed. Brief, academic-led, vaping facts films appear to be effective in correcting vaping misperceptions and dispelling common misconceptions | Addiction, UK
Pupils' vapes are tested for spice contamination
A police force is testing vapes confiscated from secondary schools for drug contamination. Wiltshire Police issued a warning to pupils amid a rise in vapes contaminated with spice and THC across the country. The force said there have been several cases at schools in the county, with one incident where a child was feared to be having a fit | BBC, UK
Passengers landing at Aberdeen airport to be breathalysed in new police trial
Police Scotland reported 8,568 drink and drug driving offences in 2024/25 | Independent, UK
‘I needed to be locked up’: how Kavana went from 90s pop stardom to smoking crack in a skip – and bounced back
He was a teen singer with his dream career. But then his life fell apart. Anthony Kavanagh talks about sex work, addiction and the years he spent being forced to hide his sexuality | Guardian, UK
'Do not give up hope': Three recovering addicts share their powerful stories
A past patient of Downpatrick’s Downe Hospital’s Ward 15, Kieran Glass has credited the Addictions Team at Bernagh House for the unwavering and ongoing support he receives in his own ongoing recovery from alcohol addiction | Belfast Live, UK
International news
‘I am somebody now’—exploring meanings and experiences of gaining employment among people in substance use disorder treatment
[Open access] Many individuals with severe Substance Use Disorders (SUD) want to work. This study explores the experiences of what gaining employment represents for patients receiving Individual Placement and Support (IPS) early in their SUD treatment | DEPP, UK
Changing patterns of nicotine product use and nicotine dependence among United States high-school students: The National Youth Tobacco Survey, 2014–2023
[Open access] Concerns have been raised that e-cigarettes have created a new generation of people addicted to nicotine. This study aimed to measure changes in the proportion of US high-school students reporting symptoms of nicotine dependence over the past decade, in the context of changing patterns of nicotine product use | Addiction, UK
Merchants Quay Ireland drug-related attitudes and beliefs in Ireland survey (PDF)
Merchants Quay Ireland wished to understand the general public’s perspectives towards people who use drugs or are drug dependent through a range of attitudinal statements sourced from Bryan et al. (2000) study | Merchants Quay, Ireland
Methadone-involved overdose deaths in urban and rural communities before and after the public health emergency flexibilities for methadone take-home doses
[Open access] To mitigate COVID-19 exposure risks in methadone clinics, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) issued a temporary modification of regulations in March 2020 to permit extended take-home methadone doses: up to 28 days of take-home methadone for stable patients and 14 days for those less stable. This study examined the association between the policy change and fatal methadone overdoses across the urban-rural continuum | DADR, USA
Hidden pockets of GHB harm revealed as ambulance attendances surge across Australia
New research has revealed a substantial increase in GHB-related ambulance attendances across Australia, with Victoria recording the highest rate and Greater Geelong emerging as a regional hotspot | Medical Xpress, USA
Vaping more effective at helping socially disadvantaged people quit smoking than NRT
Vapes containing nicotine are a more effective quit-smoking aid than nicotine lozenges and gum among adults experiencing social disadvantage, who typically have a harder time quitting than others, according to results from a landmark clinical trial | NDARC, Australia
Blogs, comment and opinion
Confusing for doctors, inequitable for patients: why Australia’s medicinal cannabis system needs urgent reform
In 2024 alone, Australia’s medicines regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), authorised at least 979,000 prescription applications for medicinal cannabis through its specialised access pathways | Conversation, Australia