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Weekly news - 11th July 2025 |
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In date order, Monday to Friday
Alcohol Awareness Week
July 7th - 13th 2025. There are so many ways that you can make change for yourself and others this Alcohol Awareness Week as we look at the links between alcohol and work. Whether it’s helping to change the role alcohol plays in a workplace or getting tips for managing your own drinking when the pressures of work pile up, we’ve got something for you | Alcohol Change UK, UK
Ketamine helped me escape my negative thoughts - then it nearly killed me
Abbie was 16 years old when she started using ketamine. It was the first time she had felt in control. The negative thoughts that had swamped her mind since a young age began to dissipate. Twelve years later and fresh out of rehab she's still battling with the addiction that almost took her life | BBC, UK
DDN July/August 2025
Violence and exploitation have dominated the grim world of county lines, and authorities and children’s charities are working out how to respond more effectively (cover story). What’s clear is that the ‘red flags’ that could indicate a trail of abuse are highly likely to cross our paths so there’s no time to lose in understanding the latest strategies. The future of thousands of vulnerable young people is at stake and our sector has a vital role to play | DDN, UK
HM Inspectorate of Prisons Annual Report 2024-25
The Chief Inspector of Prisons has called for the government to take far more seriously the widespread ingress of illegal drugs into prisons. In his Annual Report, Charlie Taylor said the prison service, police and security services must work closely together to tackle the threat from organised criminals, which is destabilising jails and preventing many from delivering rehabilitative work that will help people to stop offending. The supply and use of illicit drugs are the overriding themes of his report, undermining every aspect of prison life. Far too little was being done to keep drugs out of jails, too many prisoners said it was easy to get hold of them, and the rate of positive random tests frequently reached more than 30%. [See also blogs section below] | HMI Prisons, UK
Drugs smuggled by drone undermining rehabilitation in prisons, watchdog warns
Chief inspector says jails in England and Wales are overwhelmed by contraband, overcrowding and lack of staff | Guardian, UK
Police innovation and institutional entrepreneurs: the emergence of police drug diversion schemes in England and Wales
[Open access] This article advances knowledge about the initiation of police innovation in the context of drugs policing. Drawing on the findings of a qualitative research project, it provides an original account of the emergence of police drug diversion schemes in England and Wales by analysing the complex interactions between individual, organisational and environmental determinants | Policing & Society, UK
Risk of drug-related mortality among people receiving opioid-agonist treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland
[Open access] The COVID-19 pandemic led to changes in delivery of opioid-agonist treatment (OAT) and risk of drug-related harm in Scotland. This study aimed to (i) examine changes in drug-related death (DRD) rates and the protective effect of OAT during the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland (2020–2022) compared with the previous decade (2011–2019); and (ii) describe trends in OAT prescribing over the same period | IJDP, UK
Alcohol and Cancer
On 8 July 2025, there will be a Commons debate on alcohol and cancer. The debate will be led by Cat Smith MP. This briefing has been published ahead of the debate to provide infomration on all aspects of the topic | UK Parliament, UK
One in four doctors say half their caseload is alcohol-related, RCP survey reveals
New survey findings from the Royal College of Physicians reveal the significant toll alcohol dependence continues to have on patient health and recovery amid new calls for urgent government action on alcohol-related harms | RCP, UK
Alcohol sales return to Scottish football matches for 66 fans as trial launched in cup ties
A small number of Ayr United supporters will be allowed to buy alcohol as part of a pilot scheme during two Premier Sports Cup matches later this month, the club has revealed | Scotsman, UK
More 999 alcohol calls in August than at Christmas
Almost 10,000 alcohol-related emergency calls to the London Ambulance Service (LAS) were made last summer, with paramedics urging people to drink sensibly. The service said it received more emergency calls in June, July and August individually, than it did in December during the Christmas party season. And May and June this year have seen greater numbers for alcohol-related calls than in the previous two years, LAS said | BBC, UK
Results from largest review of its kind on antidepressant withdrawal symptoms
The largest review of ‘gold standard’ antidepressant withdrawal studies to date has identified the type and incidence of symptoms experienced by people discontinuing antidepressants, finding most people do not experience severe withdrawal | Imperial College, UK
Antidepressant withdrawal: new review downplays symptoms but misses the mark for long-term use
A new review of antidepressant withdrawal effects – written by academics, many of whom have close ties to drug manufacturers – risks underestimating the potential harms to long-term antidepressant users by focusing on short-term, industry-funded studies | Conversation, UK
Teen drug use today, mental health struggles tomorrow? What the evidence says
New research from Denmark unpacks how adolescent substance use (even “just” alcohol) can pave a dangerous path to future mental health crises. Clinicians, take note | Mental Elf blog, UK
Alcohol and Cancer — [Parliamentary debate]
I beg to move, That this House has considered alcohol and cancer. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Stuart. I am grateful to the Backbench Business Committee for granting us the opportunity to debate alcohol and cancer. This issue affects all of us; it affects our constituents, our families and friends, and our local health services. I thank the Alcohol Health Alliance and the World Cancer Research Fund for providing me with detailed figures and materials that helped me to prepare for this debate | They work for you, UK
What matters to people working in drug and alcohol services?
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) commissioned Ipsos to survey people working in drug and alcohol treatment and recovery service delivery and commissioning in England. DHSC commissioned the survey to generate insights about how to make the sector a more attractive and rewarding place to work. The findings will help to guide implementation of the 10-year workforce strategic plan 2024-2034, which aims to create an expanded, skilled and sustainable drug and alcohol workforce. It will also be used by employers to inform their approach to workforce development | IPSOS, UK
After 40 years of evidence linking alcohol to cancer, the public remains largely unaware of the dangers
In the UK, around 17,000 cancers each year are caused by alcohol—that’s nearly 1 in 20 cases. Breast cancer, the most common cancer in the UK, has an especially strong link: as many as 1 in 10 breast cancer cases are attributed to alcohol, according to Cancer Research UK | Parliament News, UK
Boots pharmacies launch pilot stop vaping service
The 12-week 'Stopping starts here' pilot scheme involves participating pharmacists providing one-to-one sessions and smoking cessation products to help people quit vaping | Pharmaceutical Journal, UK
Supporting people on their recovery journey from addiction
The council is actively working with a number of recovery organisations in York to bring a city centre recovery hub to life, as well as making steps towards becoming a champion for York as an Inclusive Recovery City, tackling stigma and discrimination against people with addictions and celebrating their recovery by making it visible | City of York Council, UK
Drug recovery hub in library hailed a success
A controversial decision to open an addiction recovery centre in a library has been hailed a major success. Newcastle City Council announced its decision to open the drug and alcohol addiction recovery hub at Fenham Library in 2018. More than 3,000 people signed a petition opposing the project over fears local children would not be safe and claimed the community was not properly consulted. However, Labour councillor Joyce McCarty, who represents the Wingrove ward, said the concerns raised had been unfounded and the council had not received any complaints about the hub | BBC, UK
Award-winning justice initiative made permanent
The South Lanarkshire Recovery Orientated Justice Service (ROJS) will continue to support individuals at risk of causing harm due to substance abuse after initially being created as a two-year pilot scheme | South Lanarkshire View, UK
Eight principles for involving people with living and lived experience in addiction research
Members of the Addictions Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (APPIE) network share their advice about how researchers can collaborate with people with living and lived experience of addiction | SSA, UK