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Weekly news - 18th July 2025 |
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In date order, Monday to Friday
Press Release: New Data on Vaping Uncovers a Public Health Disconnect
Failure of current regulations means vapes are overused by teens but underused to quit smoking | ASH, UK
IVF changes to tighten up smoking and vaping rules
Male partners in couples who want NHS-funded fertility treatment could be banned from taking part if they smoke or vape | BBC, UK
Warning as man says ketamine 'stripped him to bone'
"The first side effect was the cramps, where I'd get just bad stomach pains, where I couldn't lie down properly [or] sit down properly," said Ethan, who started taking ketamine when he was 15. But that was just the start, with endless hospital trips to follow as Ethan's kidneys struggled to function and the mental challenges mounted as he dealt with the drug-induced fallout | BBC, UK
Evaluating the impact of vaping facts films on vaping harm perceptions among young adults in the UK: A randomized on-line experiment
[Open access] Misleading news, especially around incidences of acute lung injuries from vaping contaminated cannabis e-cigarettes (predominantly in the USA), has worsened public perceptions of vaping in the UK and elsewhere. Claims on social media that have exaggerated the health risks of vaping have also been found to further exacerbate vaping misperceptions. Effectively communicating comparative risk information for e-cigarettes and combusted cigarettes is therefore needed. Brief, academic-led, vaping facts films appear to be effective in correcting vaping misperceptions and dispelling common misconceptions | Addiction, UK
Pupils' vapes are tested for spice contamination
A police force is testing vapes confiscated from secondary schools for drug contamination. Wiltshire Police issued a warning to pupils amid a rise in vapes contaminated with spice and THC across the country. The force said there have been several cases at schools in the county, with one incident where a child was feared to be having a fit | BBC, UK
Evaluation of the National Mission on Drug Deaths: Lived experience survey
This publication presents findings from a survey of individuals with experience of using drugs, undertaken as part of the PHS evaluation of the National Drug Deaths Mission. The survey aimed to explore: 1) their views on the support currently available to them, including from Alcohol and Drug Recovery Services. 2) their views as to whether the support offer from services has got better or worse over the last two years. The survey provides some evidence which suggests that the support experience may have improved. However, the survey findings also suggest that there are substantial ongoing challenges and scope to improve the support offer | PHS, UK
10 Year Health Plan for England: fit for the future
The 10 Year Health Plan is part of the government’s health mission to build a health service fit for the future. Regarding alcohol, the plan aims to tackle harmful consumption by introducing new standards for alcohol labelling. It will also support further growth in the no- and low-alcohol market. The plan also aims to fully roll out lung cancer screening for those with a history of smoking | DHSC, UK
Use of vapes among young people in Great Britain (PDF)
This factsheet presents findings from the 2025 ASH Smokefree GB Youth Survey on vaping among 11–17-year-olds in Great Britain | ASH, UK
Fewer school-age children vaping in Australia since ban, study says
Vaping rates among 14 to 17 year olds fell from 17.5% at the start of 2023 to 14.6% in April this year, according to the latest update from Cancer Council Australia's nationwide study Generation Vape | BBC, UK
Government response to the ACMD's report on barriers to research: part 2
Protecting the public from the harmful consequences of drug misuse is part of our mission to keep our streets safe, but we are mindful of the need to ensure properly regulated access to controlled drugs where appropriate. The Home Office and Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) have worked together to consider the ACMD advice and respond to these recommendations, and we are united in wishing to facilitate the progress of clinical trials involving controlled drugs, while minimising any risk to public safety from drug misuse | ACMD, UK
How do promises on prevention of illness measure up?
Reaction to the NHS ten-year plan concludes that it “fails to live up to the promises” and lacks ambition when it comes to moving from illness to prevention, one of the government’s three fundamental shifts in how the NHS works.’ | Lowdown, UK
Unmet need in Scotland’s drug crisis revealed
Scots affected by drugs say peer groups provide vital support, but one-on-one mental health care is lacking across the country. Half of recovery service users revealed they have been met with stigma | Healthandcare.Scot, UK
Insight: What are synthetic drugs?
New, synthetic versions of harmful drugs, including synthetic opioids and synthetic cannabinoids, are increasingly found in UK’s illegal drug markets | House of Commons Library, UK
The safer management of controlled drugs: Annual update 2024
CQC is responsible for making sure that health and care service providers, and other regulators, maintain a safe environment for the management and use of controlled drugs in England | CQC, UK
Addictive nicotine pouches can legally be sold to children in shops
Watchdog warns there is currently no law in place to stop shops from selling nicotine pouches to children | Independent, UK
Bristol could have England's first safe space for drug taking
A plan for Bristol to set up England’s first ‘Overdose Prevention Centre’ - a facility which allows illegal drug users to take their drugs in a supervised space - took a big step forward last night with a major meeting held to discuss how it would work | Bristol Live, UK
Rise in drug trafficking in Derbyshire, report says
Drug trafficking in Derbyshire has increased by more than 60% compared to pre-Covid levels, according to new figures. The report, external by the county's police and crime commissioner says the number of trafficking "occurrences" in 2024 was 1,034, compared to 636 in 2019 | BBC, UK
Revealed: Why Greater Manchester Police refuses to give life-saving overdose drug to officers
Police force's response 'disappointing' and reasoning 'raises serious questions', says MP | Big Issue, UK