Reports: February |
Official Statistics - Smoking profile: February 2025 update
An overview of the extent of tobacco use, tobacco-related harm, vaping use and the measures being taken to reduce smoking-related harms at a local level in England | OHID, UK
Official Statistics - Alcohol profile: February 2025 update
Update of indicators in the alcohol profile interactive tool. In the financial year 2023 to 2024, there were 339,916 alcohol-specific hospital admissions, 280,747 alcohol-related hospital admissions under the narrow definition, and 1,018,986 alcohol-related hospital admissions under the broad definition in England | OHID, UK
Alcohol-specific deaths in the UK: registered in 2023
In 2023, 10,473 deaths from alcohol-specific causes were registered in the UK, the highest number on record, but the rate of alcohol-specific deaths (15.9 per 100,000 people) decreased slightly compared with 2022, (16.6 deaths per 100,000 people). The rate of alcohol-specific deaths for males remained around double the rate for females (21.9 and 10.3 deaths per 100,000 people, respectively); this is consistent with previous years. England and Wales had an increase in the rate of alcohol-specific deaths compared with 2022. Scotland and Northern Ireland continued to have the highest rate of alcohol-specific deaths | ONS, UK
A decade long exploration of non-fatal opioid overdose 2011 to 2021 (PDF)
Non-fatal opioid overdoses remain a critical public health concern in Ireland. This report integrates data from national and Dublin-specific sources to identify key trends, high-risk populations, and service gaps. It offers evidence-based recommendations to enhance prevention, treatment, and recovery outcomes across diverse populations, from older patients facing polypharmacy related risks to younger individuals with hidden or shifting substance use patterns | Trinity College, Ireland
The harm done: community and drugs in Dublin (PDF)
The Harm Done — community and drugs in Dublin, is a reflection on how Irish society has dealt with drug problems since the early 1980s, from an author with a unique and lengthy experience as service worker, manager and educator | SethBrimmers, Ireland
Project ADDER evaluation: Report for practitioners
The report presents findings from the Project ADDER process evaluation, including examples of best practice from, and challenges faced by, local area projects | Home Office, UK
Project ADDER: Impact evaluation
This report presents the findings from the impact evaluation of Project ADDER, and shares case study examples of impact from local area projects | Home Office, UK
Drug Testing on Arrest (DToA): programme data
A summary of the activity of the Drug Testing on Arrest (DToA) programme since its launch in March 2022. February update: Updated the summary and the data pages | Home Office, UK
Alcohol health warning labels: a public health perspective for Europe (PDF)
WHO endorses alcohol labelling as a policy option to reduce alcohol-related harm. This can involve providing information on packaging about alcohol content, ingredients, nutritional information and health warnings. This report situates health warning labels within the broader context of alcohol policy, highlighting their roles in raising risk awareness, increasing support for other alcohol policies, and decreasing product appeal | WHO, Denmark
Report examines non-fatal overdoses over ten years in Dublin’s North Inner City
A new report entitled: 'Non-Fatal Overdose: A Decade-Long Analysis of Inner City Hospitals and Nationwide Trends Across Ireland (2011-2021)’ integrates data from national and Dublin-specific sources to identify key trends, high-risk populations, and service gaps. It offers evidence-based recommendations to enhance prevention, treatment, and recovery outcomes across diverse populations, from older patients facing polypharmacy-related risks to younger individuals with hidden or shifting substance use patterns | Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
Evaluation of the National Drug Deaths Mission: Alcohol and Drug Partnership coordinator survey 2024
This publication presents findings from an anonymous online survey of Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP) coordinators, undertaken as part of the PHS evaluation of the National Drug Deaths Mission. The survey covered four main topics:1) ADP interaction with the national level, 2) local partnership dynamics, 3) ADP coordinator wellbeing and 4) the perceived impact of the National Mission to date. The key objective was to understand the suitability of current governance and accountability arrangements for supporting implementation of the National Mission | Public Health Scotland, UK
Psychedelic-assisted therapy for mental health: Policy considerations
Research into the therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs took place in the 1950s and 1960s. Almost all research stopped in the 1970s, mostly due to tightening drugs legislation. Since the 2000s there has been a resurgence of interest in investigating how psychedelic drugs can treat mental health conditions using modern scientific methods. This briefing focuses on the risks and benefits of supervised therapy using psychedelic drugs in controlled clinical settings | UK Parliament, UK
New analysis shows spending to reduce smoking is a good deal for the Chancellor
A new analysis shows that an additional £97 million investment in smoking cessation interventions, in addition to ~£280 million currently spent by government, can further accelerate reductions in smoking. This is estimated to be worth £894 million in 2030 in reduced burden on public finances – delivering a ninefold return on investment | ASH, UK
Independent Sentencing Review: History and trends in sentencing
The Independent Sentencing Review has published Part 1 of its final report. This report: 1) Provides a comprehensive explanation of why and how prison population has sharply increased in recent decades and is expected to continue to grow, including research spotlights and case studies, and outlines the prison population challenge in figures. 2) Advocates for an approach to sentencing that is rooted in the principles of sentencing and public service reform, where resources could be more effectively deployed to reduce crime and the number of victims | MoJ, UK
Local multi-agency collaboration and PCC oversight are key to cutting crime says new APCC report
The crucial role of effective cross-sector work in reducing crime and making communities safer, overseen and coordinated by locally elected Police and Crime Commissioners, are highlighted in a new report by the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC). Towards better local partnerships systems in England and Wales finds that in an ever-more complex landscape, the streamlining of groups and Boards along with improvements in the use of data and information are critical to reducing crime and making communities safer | APCC, UK
New report calls for people to get talking about health issues
‘What are you talking about?’ argues that everyday conversations have the potential to influence healthy behaviours like exercise, drinking less, and quitting smoking, as well as signposting to further support on issues like mental health and the menopause | RSPH, UK
Report of the Independent Review of the Liquor Licensing system in Northern Ireland including the Surrender Principle
In 2021, the NI Assembly passed the Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland). This legislation introduced a series of reforms to the licensing system, including changes to licensing hours, the easing of restrictions on opening at Easter, the creation of a new licence category for local producers, and the permitting of alcohol sales in cinemas. Our team was commissioned to carry out the review in August 2022, and this report contains the findings of our research | University of Stirling, UK
Latest European Web Survey on Drugs reveals drug use habits of over 66 000 Europeans
New survey results released by the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) reveal the current drug use habits of over 66 000 Europeans. Adults from 31 countries responded to the European Web Survey and Drugs, which ran in 30 languages between May and July 2024. More than 100 partners took part in the initiative, including the Reitox network of national focal points, universities and civil society organisations. The responses showed cannabis to be the most consumed substance overall, while polysubstance use is increasingly widespread | EUDA, Portugal
CDC Reports Nearly 24% Decline in U.S. Drug Overdose Deaths
New provisional data from CDC's National Vital Statistics System predict a nearly 24% decline in drug overdose deaths in the United States for the 12 months ending in September 2024, compared to the previous year. This is the most recent national data available and shows a continued steep decline in overdose deaths. Provisional data shows about 87,000 drug overdose deaths from October 2023 to September 2024, down from around 114,000 the previous year | CDC, USA
Alcohol, tobacco & other drugs in Australia
Alcohol, tobacco and other drug use is a major cause of preventable disease, illness and death in Australia. This report consolidates recent information on the availability and consumption of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs in Australia, and related impacts, harms and treatment | AIHW, Australia
Alcohol-specific and Alcohol-related deaths: What does it all mean?
Drinking alcohol is a leading cause of premature and preventable deaths. Two main measures are used to estimate the number of deaths caused by alcohol consumption: alcohol-specific deaths and alcohol-related deaths | IAS, UK