DrugWise Daily |
4th August 2026 |
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UK news
Glasgow residential drug service to close over rent and repairs dispute
A residential drug service in Glasgow is to close its doors after a long-running financial dispute with its council-owned landlord. The service run by the charity Turning Point Scotland will shut down, while a nearby drug crisis centre will move to the site instead. This had also been run by Turning Point, but will now be taken over by Glasgow City Council and the city's Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) | BBC, UK
Beyond prison walls
The challenges faced by prison leavers are often discussed in policy papers, strategy documents and commissioning meetings. However, meaningful solutions require us to listen carefully to the people with direct experience of these challenges | DDN, UK
Tobacco and vapes: packaging, appearance and display
We are seeking views on proposals relating to the packaging, device appearance and retail display of tobacco, vaping and nicotine products. This survey will close at 11.59pm on 2 October 2026 | DHSC, UK
Former addict gets doctorate for homeless haircuts
A former addict turned hairdresser is celebrating after receiving an honorary doctorate for his work supporting the homeless community with free haircuts | BBC, UK
Phil Collins details serious alcoholism: ‘People were coming to say goodbye’
Pop and rock legend tells Sunday Times of drinking problem and ill health after final Genesis tour in 2021 | Guardian, UK
‘Am I 68? 69?’ Irvine Welsh on growing old, getting clean, bashing out his new novel – and flirting with guns
Three decades after he channelled his heroin addiction into the cult classic Trainspotting, the Scottish author has discovered the joys of yoga, breathwork and standing desks. But is he quite as ‘Zen’ as he claims? | Guardian, UK
Four arrested after cannabis plants worth at least £1.3m discovered
More than 1,600 plants were discovered after police carried out a search of premises in Dovecote Street, Hawick, at about 13:40 on Thursday | BBC, UK
International news
HIV prevention drug could reduce cases globally but USAID cuts prevent access, say experts
“When funding cuts came, one of the big things that’s been impacted is peer outreach workers, which are crucial to reaching people who use drugs, to building trust with people who use drugs and engaging them with services,” said Ailish Brennan, a policy analyst at Harm Reduction International. A report from the International Network of People Who Use Drugs found that organisations were most likely to respond to the loss of funding by cutting outreach services | Guardian, UK
The effect of daily aerobic cycling exercise on cannabis withdrawal: An inpatient randomised controlled trial
[Open access] Exercise cancurb craving for drugs, and in this Australian trial it was also thought that it might release THC into the blood, relieving withdrawal: "Unfortunately ... our results provide no support for this hypothesis." | Lancet, UK
Smoking Cessation in Cancer Care Should Become Standard Treatment
Smoking cessation should be treated as a standard component of cancer care, according to new guidance highlighting its potential to improve survival and reduce treatment-related harm in people diagnosed with cancer | EMJ, UK
Factors associated with willingness of people who smoke unregulated drugs to use supervised inhalation sites
[Open access] Recent North American trends point towards increased smoking of unregulated drugs and decreased injecting. While supervised consumption sites (SCS) offer a monitored environment for people who use drugs (PWUD), these sites have been less likely to accommodate inhalation in Canada. The objective of this study was to determine the factors associated with willingness to use supervised inhalation sites | IJDP, UK
Youth cannabis use peaked in 1999, but has declined since
Legalization of cannabis and sales of highly potent THC products have been expanding in recent years, potentially leading to decreases in perceived harms and resulting adverse consequences among youth. This highlights the need to monitor rates of use among adolescents. This study examined trends in adolescent cannabis use between 1991 and 2023 by sex and race/ethnicity | Recovery Research Institute, USA
Study showing quality-of-life gains in patients receiving extended-release naltrexone limited by high drop-out
Extended-release naltrexone is a helpful, FDA-approved medication for opioid use disorder, but research is needed to examine impacts on quality-of-life beyond opioid use. This study examined changes in quality-of-life among patients with opioid use disorder during 1 year of extended-release naltrexone treatment and 1 year later | Recovery Research Institute, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
Can Andy Burnham save Britain's pubs?
The Great British pub plays a key role in many people's concept of our national identity. Pubs, however, are facing an existential threat , with the number in the UK having fallen by a fifth between 2009 and 2022, and stories of pub closures a regular feature in local and national news. This trend preceded the COVID-19 pandemic, but the forced closure of pubs during lockdowns and subsequent restrictions on and public concerns about social interactions placed further strain on the hospitality industry | SARG blog, UK
30 Years of the Code, 30 decisions – Shag Lager
The cases of Shag Lager in 2001 and 2003 respectively show how the ever-evolving nature of the Code can change precedent. Regulatory consistency is important for the industry so that producers can rely on a consistent framework when marketing products. However, this also needs to be balanced with changing perceptions in society, new available evidence and also needs to account for the strengthening of industry rules when appropriate | Portman Group, UK
Pain and the struggle for relief: How fear influences patient access to medical opioids
If you are in severe pain and struggling to get opioid medication in Indonesia, you are not alone. Despite the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) recognising several therapeutic opioid as essential medicines, Indonesia has one of the lowest levels of medical opioid use in the region, far below global and regional standards | Conversation, Australia
‘What drugs do you want’? Senate inquiry allegations reveal the murky dangers of betting inducements
A former NRL player yesterday alleged shocking inducements from betting companies to keep gambling, including receiving cocaine as well as free alcohol and food at race meetings | Conversation, Australia