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Daily news - 30th January 2026 |
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UK news
Legislating novel psychoactive substances: lessons from 15 years of UK mortality data (2007-2022)
Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) emerged in the early 2000s as chemically designed alternatives to circumvent laws which internationally control drugs. There is limited evidence that NPS are produced in the UK, whereas China has long been recognised as a primary source of NPS. This study aimed to evaluate the relative impact of UK, Chinese, and UN legislative controls on the availability of NPS in the UK, as evidenced by post-mortem detections of NPS in deaths | Frontiers in Pharmacology, UK
Now you see it, now you don’t: How alcohol industry interference made marketing restrictions disappear from the 10 Year Health Plan in England
In July 2025, the UK Government published its 10 Year Health Plan for England. Despite a media leak and subsequent Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) statement indicating that the Plan would contain alcohol marketing restrictions, these did not appear in the final document. We were keen to understand to what degree the removal of marketing restrictions from the 10 Year Health Plan might have been a result of commercial influence | IAS, UK
Impact and barriers: a national survey of UK adults on alcohol dependence
The United Kingdom’s approach to alcohol harm has long been shaped by assumptions that no longer align with empirical reality. We have designed services for people who self-identify as “problem drinkers”, commissioned awareness campaigns to address an information deficit, and targeted interventions toward specific demographics or geographic areas. This white paper demonstrates, through nationally representative data, that all three assumptions are fundamentally flawed | Clean Slate Clinic, Adfam, University of Sussex, UK
These could be the worst vape flavours for your health, according to science
The dangers of vaping is a new science but studies have shown that certain flavours of vape are worse for you than others | BBC Science Focus, UK
No more drunken sailors? Navy to restrict alcohol in health kick on ships
Sailors will be restricted to 14 units each week and must fill in a form to show what drinks they have consumed | Independent, UK
2026 Police Guidance on Medicinal Cannabis in the UK: Progress, Limits, and What Comes Next
For the first time since cannabis-based products for medicinal use were legalised in 2018, police officers across England and Wales now have a shared set of principles to guide interactions with patients who are lawfully prescribed these treatments | Drug Science, UK
Isle of Man's first medicinal cannabis café clears major planning hurdle
A proposed medicinal cannabis café in Ramsey has cleared a major hurdle after securing planning approval. The Green Lounge is set to open at 66 Parliament Street, in the former Rum Baba’s site | Isle of Man Today, UK
Traders question impact of disposable vape ban [Guernsey]
Shop owners say they do not think a disposable vapes ban will make any difference in the Channel Islands - and create more waste | BBC, UK
The Manifesto Sessions: Enhanced Harm Reduction Centres & Memorandums of Understanding
Tue 17 Feb, 12:00 - 13:00 GMT. Online. Our 9th webinar within our Manifesto Sessions webinar series will focus on Enhanced Harm Reduction Centres (EHRCs). Also known as Overdose Prevention Centres, Safer Injecting Facilities and Drug Consumption Rooms, EHRCs have long been part of effective, evidenced-based harm reduction responses to health-related matters due to substance use, and over 120 facilitates are currently operational worldwide | Barod, UK
Submit your work for an award
The SSA awards two prizes each year for excellence in addiction science. Find out how to apply for the Fred Yates Prize for Early Career Researchers and the Impact Prize | SSA, UK
Well Worth It: supporting our participants through the winter
Recently, The Forward Trust Employability Team in East Kent hosted our “Well Worth It” event, bringing together a wide range of organisations to support participants on our employability programme | Forward Trust, UK
Wigan lottery winner, 80, helped build counterfeit drugs empire, court told
John Eric Spiby is one of four jailed for being part of gang running operation worth up to £288m | Guardian, UK
International news
DCRs and Neighbourhood Safety – Myth vs Fact | Debunking Harm Reduction Myths
Drug consumption rooms (DCRs) are essential harm reduction services1 for people who already use drugs. These are sites where people can consume illicit drugs under supervision. Despite evidence pointing to the effectiveness of DCRs in reducing overdose deaths and public nuisance in neighbourhoods, there are a lot of myths and false information surrounding the topic | Correlation, The Netherlands
New Reitox Alliance operating framework published
Effective drug monitoring in Europe depends on strong cooperation with Member States. In a new publication out today, we outline the key features of the Reitox Alliance, a new partnership framework between the EUDA and the national focal points (NFPs) of the Reitox network. The publication (Reitox Alliance operating framework) sets out the scope of the Alliance, the partners involved, its core tasks and governance arrangements | EUDA, Portugal
Health, Costs, and Injection-Related Infections at a Hypothetical Overdose Prevention Center
In this study of a decision analytical model including US adults who injected drugs, an overdose prevention center in 1 urban center was projected to reduce skin and soft tissue infection incidence, infective endocarditis incidence, and hospitalizations for overdose and infections and save costs to payers over 10 years compared with the status quo of syringe service programs | JAMA Network Open, USA
Understanding and preventing drug-related interpersonal violence in Ireland through a public health approach
There is an unresolved tension between the growing emphasis on public health approaches to illicit drug use and to interpersonal violence in some quarters, and the common refrain that drug-related violence is best resolved through law enforcement and criminalisation in others. It is timely, therefore, to analyse these concepts together and through an interdisciplinary lens, exploring how we conceptualise and prevent illicit drug-related interpersonal violence from a public health perspective | IJDP, USA
Why parents turn to social media about kids' drug use
University of Texas at Arlington Professor Dana Litt contributed to a study led by Alex Russell, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, that found many parents turn to online peer advice when facing concerns about substance use among their children. While parents often value guidance from others with similar experiences, the study found that much of the advice can be confusing, contradictory, and lacking an evidence-based foundation | Medical Xpress, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
Why Do Academics Often Dismiss 12-Step Recovery?
According to recent estimates, over two million people are currently in recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) worldwide. This includes about 1.5 million people in the U.S. and over 500,000 people abroad, with over 120,000 meetings per week | Psychology Today, USA