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Weekly news - 24th April 2026 |
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In date order, Monday to Friday
Care homes and alcohol: finding the right balance
A new study, funded by Alcohol Change UK and the Welsh Government, looks at how care homes for older people seek to manage alcohol use, and offers practical tools for improvement | Alcohol Change UK, UK
Smoking ban for people born after 2008 in the UK agreed
Children aged 17 or younger will face a lifelong ban on buying cigarettes, as the Tobacco and Vapes Bill clears Parliament. Both the Commons and Lords have settled on a final draft of the "landmark" legislation, that aims to stop anyone born after 1 January 2009 from taking up smoking to create a smoke-free generation. When it gets royal assent, ministers will also have new powers to regulate tobacco, vaping and nicotine products, including their flavours and packaging | BBC, UK
Success of women’s health strategy will depend on its ability to help the most marginalised, says Change Grow Live
The success of the government’s new women’s health strategy will depend on its ability to ‘deliver impact for the most marginalised and vulnerable women in society’, said Change Grow Live deputy chief executive Nic Adamson – women who are frequently missed by mainstream health services | DDN, UK
Grangetown gets new drug and alcohol service as WithYou in Redcar and Cleveland expands
A new centre supporting adults, young people and families struggling with drugs and alcohol has opened in Grangetown. WithYou in Redcar & Cleveland has expanded into the area from its current service on Redcar High Street, looking to meet more clients where they are and increase access to free, confidential, and non-judgemental help across the area | WithYou, UK
High Street mini-marts selling cocaine, cannabis and prescription drugs, BBC secret filming reveals
Cocaine, cannabis, laughing gas and prescription pills are being offered for sale in mini-marts on UK High Streets, a BBC investigation can reveal. They were readily offered to our undercover researchers who secretly filmed in shops across four neighbouring West Midlands towns. One street we visited was described as "lawless" by an anonymous law enforcement source. Just a few miles away, in a town where we found illegal drugs being sold in shops, legitimate businesses told us they had been intimidated by gangs - and witnessed knife and gun violence | BBC, UK
London has a frostbite plague. What’s behind it?
he cases first appeared in late 2024, each following the same mystifying pattern. A patient would present in A&E with a large wound: a circular shaped cold burn cutting deep into the fatty tissue on their inner thigh. But what was even stranger was that none of the victims would explain what caused it. In fact, many had waited days before coming to A&E, even as the sore festered and infection set in | The Londoner, UK
Plan to roll out network of drug consumption rooms
A network of safer drugs consumptions rooms should be rolled out to tackle drug deaths according to the Scottish LibDems. The party wants more centres like the Thistle in Glasgow, to contribute to “world class drug services”. Alex Cole Hamilton, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, called for the extension as part of his plan for homelessness and drugs | Glasgow Times, UK
Is the smoking ban right? - audio
A new law will mean children aged 17 or younger will face a lifelong ban on buying cigarettes. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill aims to stop anyone born after 1 January 2009 from ever taking up smoking by making it illegal for shops to sell them tobacco. The Government says it will create a smoke-free generation but critics say it will hard to enforce and takes away the right to choose. Nicky Campbell asked 5 Live listeners if the smoking ban is right? | BBC Sounds, UK
Implementation of the Treatment and Recovery Portfolio of the 'From Harm to Hope' drug strategy in England
We conducted a mixed-methods process evaluation of the first three years of implementation of the Treatment and Recovery Portfolio of the UK government's 10-year drug strategy, From Harm to Hope. We found that the Portfolio brought welcomed funding into the treatment and recovery sector after an extended period of disinvestment. The Portfolio has largely been implemented as planned, despite challenges related to funding uncertainty and some delays | RAND, UK
Implementation and early impacts of the Housing Support Grant in England
Dame Carol Black's 2019–2021 independent review of drugs highlighted the importance of safe, suitable and stable housing in the treatment and recovery journey. In 2022, through the Housing Support Grant (HSG), the former UK government provided up to £53m across three years to help local authorities (LAs) address the housing needs of people who use alcohol and/or other drugs. This evaluation aimed to understand how the HSG has been implemented by reviewing 28 plans and examining three case study sites in England | RAND, UK
Drug and alcohol support for people experiencing rough sleeping or at risk: what £262m achieved across 83 areas
Ipsos, working with Groundswell and Dr Stephen Green of Sheffield Hallam University, has completed an evaluation of the Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant (RSDATG) and has now published its findings. Substance use is both a cause and consequence of rough sleeping. To respond, the government invested up to £262m (2021–2025) in the Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant (RSDATG) for the 83 local authorities in England with the highest need | IPSOS et al, UK
The barriers and facilitators to supporting, commissioning and working with Lived Experience Recovery Organisations in systems of care in England
Lived Experience Recovery Organisations (LEROs) are peer-led groups run by individuals with lived experience of alcohol and/or other drug use, treatment or recovery. They offer direct support to people who use alcohol and/or other drugs or who are in recovery. This study aims to identify the barriers and facilitators to supporting, commissioning and working with LEROs in effective systems of care for people who use alcohol and/or other drugs | RAND, UK
Evaluation of depot buprenorphine provision in treatment and recovery services in England
Improving access to and retention in opioid treatment remains a central objective of drug policy in England. As part of the Supplemental Substance Misuse Treatment and Recovery Grant (SSMTRG), local areas have been able to expand the use of depot buprenorphine (DB), a long-acting injectable formulation of opioid substitution treatment. DB offers a potential alternative to daily supervised oral medication and may support engagement for some individuals. This study examines how DB has been implemented and used within treatment and recovery services in England, and explores associated outcomes and experiences | RAND, UK
Integrated care for people who use alcohol and/or other drugs
People who use alcohol and/or other drugs frequently experience co-occurring mental and physical health problems, yet these needs are often addressed separately, resulting in fragmented care. The UK government's 10-year drug strategy sought to improve integration between treatment and recovery services and wider health services, supported by the Supplementary Substance Misuse Treatment and Recovery Grant (SSMTRG). This study examined the early impact of the SSMTRG on service integration, identifying barriers, facilitators, and examples of good practice | RAND, UK
Factors that influence employees' perceptions and experiences of working within the treatment and recovery sector in England
Akey component of the former UK government's 10-year drug strategy is to create a world-class treatment and recovery system through the Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Recovery Workforce Transformation Programme. This study aims to help understand how the workforce transformation programme can support the development of the treatment and recovery workforce as part of the strategy | RAND, UK
Prison leavers in substance misuse treatment: 4-week outcomes
Analysis of mortality and re-incarceration rates within 4 weeks of release for prison leavers receiving substance misuse treatment in England. Key findings include that: Drug-related deaths account for 62% of all deaths occurring in the first four weeks after leaving prison and Prison leavers with an identified opiate need face the greatest risk of mortality in the period immediately following release | OHID and MoJ, UK
State of the Family Support Sector 2026
The purpose of this survey is to look at the current state of play of drug and alcohol family support. This includes in terms of delivery, sustainability, funding and partnerships. We intend to find out what has changed since our previous State of the Sector report in 2023. This survey will run until Monday 1st June 2026 after which point the findings will be written up into a report and disseminated nationally. This survey is open to any employee of an organisation which provides support for families affected by substance use | Adfam, UK
Nine in ten Britons back tougher drink-drive laws as Government consultation to reduce legal limit closes next month
A survey of 2,000 adults by breathalyser firm AlcoSense found that 87 per cent believe stricter laws are needed to stop people getting behind the wheel under the influence | This is Money, UK
New SARG study finds young people are three times more likely to start with alcohol than no/lo alternatives
New research from the Sheffield Addictions Research Group (SARG) and University College London (UCL) has found that young people aged 16-25 in Great Britain are three times more likely to start drinking alcohol than alcohol-free and low-alcohol (no/lo) alternatives | SARG, UK
Trump administration reclassifies cannabis as less dangerous
The US Department of Justice has officially reclassified cannabis as less dangerous, marking a major shift in the country's drug policy | BBC, UK
Coming soon: European Drug Report 2026 to be released on 9 June in Brussels
New substances, new markets, new risks — understanding Europe’s changing drug landscape starts with solid facts. On 9 June, the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) will launch the European Drug Report 2026: Trends and Developments in Brussels, delivering the latest evidence on the state of the drugs problem in Europe. Drawing on data from 29 countries (EU-27, Norway and Türkiye), the comprehensive analysis covers drug use and supply as well as drug-related harms and responses | EUDA, Portugal