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Daily news - 5th March 2026 |
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UK news
DDN March 2026
Our spotlight on women’s treatment in this issue makes it uncomfortably clear that women’s needs are being recognised too late. Whether we’re talking about female veterans experiencing the shock of civilian life, women navigating custody, survivors of domestic abuse, or those trying to engage with community treatment, the same pattern emerges | DDN, UK
Binge drinking rises sharply among gen Z in their early 20s
Research challenges idea of ‘generation sensible’ as alcohol and drug use increase after teenage years. Researchers from the UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies (CLS) analysed data from nearly 10,000 people born across the UK in 2000-02 who are taking part in the Millennium Cohort Study | Guardian, UK
No More Half Measures Time to get serious about alcohol harm (PDF)
Alcohol Focus Scotland actively engages with communities- including recovery groups and children and young people - about alcohol. The voices, experiences, and insights we’ve gathered from those most affected by alcohol-related harms are reflected throughout this manifesto | Alcohol Focus Scotland, UK
Perspectives on recreational substance use and harm reduction among music festival workers in the United Kingdom: A qualitative study
This qualitative study explored perspectives on recreational substance use and harm-reduction practices among festival workers at UK music festivals. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis: researchers coded responses iteratively, identified patterns, and developed themes through consensus meetings. Drawing on qualitative responses from 21 professionals across medical, welfare, security, safeguarding, and emergency roles, the research reveals the complex realities of managing substance-related incidents in dynamic, high-pressure festival environments | Drug Science, UK
Almost Half of Dementia Cases Could Be Prevented Through Lifestyle Changes
Research suggests that up to 45 percent of dementia cases could be prevented by addressing 14 modifiable risk factors across the life course. These include physical inactivity, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, untreated hearing and vision loss, social isolation, and conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity | Public Health Wales, UK
Family Drug and Alcohol Courts
What discussions has the Counsel General had with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care regarding the recommendation of the family drug and alcohol courts working group that such courts should not be progressed in isolation? | They work for you, UK
Low Alcohol Drinks: Children
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2025 to Question 92263 on Low Alcohol Drinks: Children, what research his Department has conducted and assessed on the potential impact of the consumption of non-alcoholic products and the level of exposure to alcoholic drinks | They work for you, UK
Buprenorphine: Hampshire
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to promote the use of long-acting injectable buprenorphine (LAIB) in i) sentencing decisions in cases involving opioid abuse ii) prison-release pathways in Hampshire | They work for you, UK
Reducing Harm and supporting people using Benzodiazepines in the UK
Tuesday 24 March, 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm. Researchers from the University and Bristol and Stirling University will discuss their latest findings on why people use benzodiazepines alongside opioids, and how we can best support people to reduce harm and make positive changes in their lives | Collective Voice, UK
Crashed drone led police to drugs network
Nine people have been jailed after a failed attempt to smuggle drugs into a prison by drone helped police catch several members of a trafficking network | BBC, UK
International news
Metabolic medicines and addiction: what GLP-1 receptor agonists might add to substance use care
Clinical trials and equitable care pathways are needed to build on early evidence of benefit | BMJ, UK
Cannabis use, cognitive function and dementia risk in older adults: observational and genetic analyses
[Open access] Cannabis use was not linked to longitudinal cognitive decline or dementia risk. Within the limits of these cohorts, we found no evidence that cannabis use contributes substantially to cognitive ageing or dementia risk in older adults. Further research with detailed exposure assessment and longer follow-up is warranted to confirm these findings | BMJ Mental Health, UK
145. Psychedelics, Power and the Price of Healing with Erica Rex - podcast
In this episode of the Drug Science Podcast, Prof Nutt speaks with Erica Rex, author of the book Seeing What is There, which explores the complex history of psychedelic therapy. She shares her own experiences with psychedelic-assisted therapy, while providing context on the guardrails that are necessary for these treatments to maximize benefits and minimize harms | Drug Science, UK
A decade of regulated Cannabis Social Clubs in Uruguay: five key developments and challenges ahead
[Open access] Cannabis Social Clubs (CSCs) have been regulated in Uruguay for over a decade, and the first registered CSC opened in Montevideo in 2015. This commentary discusses how the CSC model fared vis-à-vis increasing legal supply of recreational cannabis products in pharmacies | IJDP, UK
NSW wellness guru charged over man’s death during ayahuasca and frog toxin ceremony
Soulore Solaris charged with manslaughter of Jarrad Antonovich, who died of a perforated oesophagus after taking psychedelic | Guardian, UK
How cocaine rewires the brain to drive relapse
When a cocaine addict relapses, it isn't a matter of personal failure—it's the biological result of their brain's rewiring, new research finds. Michigan State University scientists have found that cocaine changes how the hippocampus functions, contributing to the ongoing compulsion to seek out the drug | Medical Xpress, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
A moment that changed me: my girlfriend criticised my kisses – and it led to the best decision of my life
She said kissing me was like licking an ashtray, and I knew I had to quit smoking. But with a 40-a-day habit, it was no easy task ... | Guardian, UK
GLP1 drugs like Ozempic may lower the risk of addiction: new study
A class of medications best known for treating diabetes and obesity may also reduce the risk of addiction – and help people who already have one, a new study shows | Conversation, Australia