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Daily news - 12th May 2025

UK news

Local preparedness for synthetic opioids in England

A report outlining evidence and insights for Combating Drugs Partnerships, intending to help strengthen their preparedness for the synthetic opioid threat | Home Office, UK

Addiction Healthcare Goals - Innovate UK - Accelerated Knowledge Transfer 4

The Addiction Healthcare Goals – Innovate UK – Accelerated Knowledge Transfer (AKT) scheme opens on 12 May 2025, with an anticipated close on 2 July 2025 at 11am prompt. This call will fund projects exploring questions linked to treatment of, recovery from, and reduction or prevention of harm by drug and/or alcohol addiction(s); jointly delivered by Innovate UK and Innovate UK Business Connect and is funded by the Addiction Healthcare Goals from the Office for Life Sciences, with up to £2 million available in this round. The Addiction Healthcare Goals programme, led by the Office for Life Sciences is aiming to make the UK a place where researchers and industry in drug and alcohol addiction healthcare can thrive and partner effectively with NHS and Third Sector treatment providers   | The Knowledge Transfer Network Limited, UK

Demand for action on UK’s ‘top three killers’ ahead of 10-Year Health Plan

As the Government prepares to publish its 10-Year Plan to improve health, a coalition of health experts is calling for tough action on the UK’s three biggest preventable killers — tobacco, alcohol, and unhealthy food and drink — to relieve growing pressure on NHS services | AHA, UK

Participants needed for new LJMU research study on discrimination and wellbeing

Liverpool John Moores University School of Psychology is leading on a study which explores experiences of discrimination faced by different groups of people, including those affected by substance use | DDN, UK

Lincolnshire police reach milestone in life-saving naloxone training

Lincolnshire Recovery Partnership celebrated a significant achievement on Tuesday, marking the training of 250 Lincolnshire Police officers to administer naloxone, a life-saving medication that can reverse the effects of opioid overdose | DDN, UK

Nitrous Oxide: Misuse

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to introduce traceable labels on nitrous oxide canisters to allow the authorities to know the point of sale | They work for you, UK

Cannabis campaigner was 'an inspiration and hero'

Colleagues of a campaigner who fought for her son's epilepsy to be treated with cannabis have described her as an "articulate, inspirational and impassioned advocate" following her death | BBC, UK

Danny Dyer continued rehab after letter from daughter

Danny Dyer has said receiving a letter from his daughter Dani while at a rehab facility in 2016 was what convinced him to continue his treatment | BBC, UK

UK migrant centre sees sixfold rise in a year of staff sacked over failed drug tests

Home Office says it has a ‘zero-tolerance approach’ to illegal drug use and has introduced ‘more robust’ procedures | Guardian, UK

Thousands of illegal vapes seized

Hampshire County Council's Trading Standards Service said they were discovered during recent operations in Andover, Totton, Aldershot and Farnborough, supported by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary | BBC, UK

International news

Former Ryanair pilot charged over €10m cannabis seizure

A former Ryanair pilot has appeared in court in the Republic of Ireland, charged in connection with the seizure of more than €10m (£8.5m) worth of herbal cannabis | BBC, UK

Weight loss jabs could curb alcohol cravings and reduce drinking, study suggests

Researchers have however stressed larger trials are needed to validate the results | Independent, UK

New bill would ease rules on researching cannabis and other schedule I drugs

Legislation might allow research into youth consumption and health outcomes, and on arrest and incarceration rates | Guardian, UK

Mapped: The states hit hardest by America’s drug epidemic

Two states from the American Southwest are among the three worst regions in the country for drug abuse, a new study suggests [See also JAMA Network article below] | Independent, UK

Effectiveness and safety of psychosocial interventions for the treatment of cannabis use disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis

[Open access] Synthesis of research findings unable to give a definitive thumbs-up to talking therapies for problem use of cannabis. Combined therapies based on cognitive-behavioural principles “may increase abstinence … relative to an inactive/non-specific comparator. The conclusions remain tentative due to low- to very low-certainty evidence and the small number of studies.” | Addiction, UK

Craving self-reports as outcome measures in drug addiction trials: A systematic review of ClinicalTrials.gov

[Open access] The subjective experience of drug craving is characterized by an overwhelming urge to consume substances. Due to strong validity and ease of use, self-report measures are widely employed to assess substance-related motivational dynamics. Multi-item questionnaires are increasingly favored for capturing the multidimensional nature of craving, providing valuable insights for clinical care and relapse prediction. This review aimed to summarize craving self-report measurement tools registered in clinical trials and examine their methodological parameters | Addiction, UK

The association of parental or caregiver alcohol use with child maltreatment: A systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies

[Open access] Caregiver alcohol use is a risk factor for child maltreatment, but a previous meta-analysis was limited to physical abuse only. We aimed to quantify the association of parental or caregiver alcohol use with child maltreatment and assess if this differs by incidence or recurrence of maltreatment and level of caregiver alcohol use | Addiction, UK

AHA chair urges Taoiseach to defend Ireland’s “historic” alcohol labelling policy

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance UK, has written to the Taoiseach to urge the Irish government to stand strong in the face of industry opposition and deliver on the world leading alcohol labelling regulations due to come into effect in May 2026 | AHA UK, UK

Reflections on ‘Psychedelics – a national discussion’, Aotearoa, New Zealand

I recently had the privilege of attending a gathering focused on psychedelics hosted by the University of Auckland. Events like these contribute to sensible and informed debate about important issues - like the development of psychedelic therapy. It was an event that provided a forum for thoughtful, inspiring and informed discussion around a range of issues related to using psychedelics to help those suffering from mental health issues, trauma, PTSD, addiction and end of life anxiety | Drug Science, UK

‘I didn’t know what to do, where to go’: Families affected by addiction seek more support and a say in drugs policy

Inaugural conference of Families in Addiction Recovery Ireland takes place at Croke Park on Monday | Irish Times, Ireland

Estimates of Illicit Opioid Use in the US

In this national survey of 1515 adults conducted in June 2024, 166 respondents (11.0%) reported illicit opioid use and 114 (7.5%) reported IMF use within the past 12 months. These rates are much higher than previously reported estimates | JAMA Network, USA

Treatment of alcohol use disorder in alcohol-associated liver disease: A meta-analysis

[Open access] In relation to some outcomes and situations, studies are few, but those which have been done show the benefits (including fewer deaths) of offering treatment for drinking problems to patients whose liver disease is related to their drinking | Hepatology Communications, USA

Role of ketamine in the treatment of substance use disorders: A systematic review

[Open access] Ketamine is best known as a risky drug of abuse but studies show that it also has positive effects in the treatment of the dependent use of drugs, including alcohol, opioids, cannabis and cocaine | JSAT, USA

Missouri naloxone distribution 2017–2023: Evaluation and implications of applying a naloxone saturation model

[Open access] What happened in Missouri supported an estimate that curbing rising opioid overdose deaths would require well-targeted distribution of enough naloxone kits for these to be present at 80% or more of witnessed overdose incidents; a flood, not a trickle, is the aim | JSAT, USA

Wisconsin Republicans Cut Marijuana Legalization From Governor’s Budget

Republicans in Wisconsin’s legislature cut key provisions from a state budget proposal by Governor Tony Evers (D) on May 8, including plans to legalize and regulate marijuana | Filter Magazine, USA

Methamphetamine: The Most Misunderstood Drug? - podcast

Methamphetamine has a scary reputation as one of the most addictive and dangerous drugs out there. But at the same time, it's an FDA-approved drug — and can even be used to treat ADHD in children. So just how dangerous and addictive is meth? And what’s going on in your brain when you use it? We hear from Science Vs listeners who’ve used it — and the scientists who study it | Science Vs, USA

New Joint CAMH-International Study Finds Major Economic and Health Benefits from Alcohol Tax Increase

A new economic analysis shows that Lithuania’s unprecedented 2017 increase in alcohol excise taxation generated a massive return on investment (RoI) and improved public health outcomes, challenging critics who predicted economic harm and offering important insights for Canada’s ongoing alcohol policy discussions | CAMH, Canada

The effects of a provincial opioid prescribing standard on prescribing for pain in adults: an interrupted time-series analysis

In 2016, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia released a legally enforceable opioid prescribing practice standard for the treatment of chronic noncancer pain (CNCP); it was revised in 2018 in response to concerns that it was misinterpreted. We aimed to test the effects of the practice standard on access to opioids for people treated for CNCP, living with cancer, or receiving palliative care | CMAJ, Canada

Blogs, comment and opinion

Studying moralities in drug policy: An editorial introduction

The study of moralities is emerging as an important and – we argue – essential part of the international development of drug policy analysis | DEPP editorial, UK

Profit Over People: The Public Doesn't Trust Big Business with their Health and Want Tough Action on the Three Big Killers

From tobacco to junk food to alcohol, new polling shows the public is deeply sceptical of big businesses and more supportive than ever of bold action on health from the Government. ASH, the Alcohol Health Alliance and the Obesity Health Alliance worked with Public First to survey over 2,000 people and it's clear that voters of all political persuasions don't trust big business to care for their health. 81% of the public think companies prioritise profit over health, and only 26% say they would trust them to be honest about the harms of their products | ASH blog, UK