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Daily news - 25th July 2025

UK news

New modelling of alcohol pricing policies, alcohol consumption and harm in Wales

Outputs from a technical study focused on modelling work to inform a review of the 50p per unit threshold for the Minimum Price for Alcohol (MPA) policy currently in place in Wales since 2020 | Welsh Government, UK

Study: effectiveness of AI-powered wrist-worn device to detect early overdose signs

Chris Rintoul, Head of Harm Reduction at Cranstoun writes about an ongoing feasibility study they have funded, looking at the effectiveness of a Wearable Overdose Detection Device and Alert System to detect early signs of overdose | Cranstoun, UK

Judge-supervised drug treatment sentences expanded

More criminals will get drug and alcohol treatment under the close supervision of a judge as a new type of sentence is expanded. Offenders will meet a judge weekly or monthly after being sentenced, to monitor their progress in what are known as Intensive Supervision Courts, modelled on a similar system of "problem-solving courts" in Texas | BBC, UK

Stop Smoking Services — a public health success

“Local government has led the way tackling the harms caused by smoking, and these latest statistics are a testament to the 25-year success of the stop smoking services leading a steady decline in smoking rates." | Local Government, UK

Ketamine could treat depression by interacting with the brain's 'opioid system'

New research has found that Ketamine's antidepressant effects involve the brain’s opioid system | KCL, UK

Does cannabidiol reduce the adverse effects of cannabis in schizophrenia? A randomised, double-blind, cross-over trial

[Open access] In patients with schizophrenia, cannabis use exacerbates symptoms and can lead to a relapse of psychosis. Some experimental studies in healthy volunteers suggest that pre-treatment with cannabidiol (CBD) may reduce these effects, but others do not. Here, we investigated whether pre-treatment with CBD ameliorates the acute adverse effects of cannabis in patients with schizophrenia | Nature, UK

Exploring othering and perceived harmful drinking contexts among risky drinkers: An arts-based focus group study

[Open access] Objectives of this study were to explore whether people ‘other’ when making judgements about ‘harmful’ drinking and the drinking contexts (e.g., pub with friends) and features of drinking contexts (e.g., location, company) perceived as being indicative of harmful drinking | Brit J Health Psychol, UK

The Loop launch fundraising campaign to set up new mobile drug testing lab

The harm reduction charity is hoping to raise £25,000 as part of its Test & Know campaign | MixMag, UK

North Devon surfer cracks epic endurance swim in memory of a young man taken too soon

Josh Surridge has swum from Hartland to Croyde to raise money for The Forward Trust in memory of Jonathon Bailey | North Devon Today, UK

'Drink became my friend' - Ulrika Jonsson reveals journey to sobriety in new podcast episode

The TV show host and model sat down to discuss how she knew it was time to make a change, the help she received, and what life looks like now | Woman & Home, UK

Seven WSL clubs join trial allowing alcohol in stands

Seven Women's Super League clubs have joined a trial that will allow supporters to drink alcohol in the stands during the 2025-26 season | BBC, 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 | FAVOR, UK

Prisoners using vapes to start fires, report says

Deliberate fires at HMP Berwyn in Wrexham increased by 74.1% from 2023-24 to 2024-25, according to the report, which was presented to North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority on Monday | BBC, UK

International news

Alcoholic Drinks

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2025 to Question 64049 on Alcoholic Drinks, what the evidential basis is that the exclusion of the direct manufacture of alcohol beverages is in line with international conventions for green bond frameworks | They work for you, UK

'Angel Delight' drug smugglers avoid death penalty

Three British nationals have avoided the death penalty for smuggling cocaine disguised as packets of Angel Delight into Indonesia | BBC, UK

British teenager Bella Culley to be held in Georgia until September drugs trial

Tbilisi judge rejects lawyer’s offer of plea agreement for release of pregnant Teesside teenager, now 19, at hearing | Guardian, UK

Alcohol-related liver disease in the US has more than doubled in the last 20 years - and its down to four groups

The increase is tied to four groups that make up a greater share of heavy drinkers than they did two decades ago: Women, adults ages 45 and older, people living in poverty, and those with metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome refers to a number of conditions, including high blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol, that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes | Independent, UK

First detection of cannabis in breath from edibles

Cannabis has gained increased use in the United States, outpacing alcohol as Americans' daily recreational drug of choice. Nearly 20% of cannabis users have admitted to driving after using the drug. However, unlike for alcohol, reliable roadside tests for cannabis don't exist | Medical Xpress, USA

LLMs found using stigmatizing language about individuals with alcohol and substance use disorders

As artificial intelligence is rapidly developing and becoming a growing presence in health care communication, a new study addresses a concern that large language models (LLMs) can reinforce harmful stereotypes by using stigmatizing language. The study from researchers at Mass General Brigham found that more than 35% of responses in answers related to alcohol- and substance use-related conditions contained stigmatizing language | Medical Xpress, USA

[Open access] Legalising cannabis doesn’t necessarily mean purchasers switch to legal outlets. But over the first five years in Canada, the “legal cannabis market has displaced approximately three-quarters of domestic expenditures on the illegal cannabis market”, achieving a major objective of the legislation | IJDP, USA

Blogs, comment and opinion

Who pays more? Analysing the impact of the UK’s 2023 alcohol duty reform

In March 2021, the UK Government announced a reform of its alcohol duty system, including proposals to tax all products on the basis of strength (by ABV). Further, under the new system, stronger products would be taxed at higher rates – reflecting evidence that higher ABV drinks are both disproportionately drunk by heavier drinkers and associated with greater levels of intoxication. Upon their announcement, these reforms aimed to simplify and rationalise the UK tax system and were explicitly linked to a desire to improve public health | IAS blog, UK

It’s Time to Clear the Air on Juul

Juul spent the last five years in purgatory thanks to its popularity with teens. With the FDA’s authorization last week, it can finally be seen for what it’s always been: a harm-reduction device | The Free Press, USA

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