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Weekly news - 28th August 2026 |
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In date order, Monday to Friday
Slimming jab study aims to help alcohol dependency
A £2.7m clinical trial will investigate if a weight-loss jab can help patients living with alcohol dependency and obesity, which the NHS said were two of the biggest causes of liver disease | BBC, UK
Pubs and hotels could see business rates reformed after review
A review is being launched into the way business rates are calculated for pubs and hotels in England and Wales, and could lead to a reform of the system | BBC, UK
Powerful new synthetic opioids detected by Welsh drug testing service
Public Health Wales said more than one in three samples submitted to its Welsh Emerging Drug Identification Service (WEDINOS) did not contain the substance the buyer expected. Its latest annual report, covering April 2025 to March 2026, found 36.6% of community samples where the intended purchase was known did not contain the expected drug. A further 7.7% contained the intended substance alongside additional psychoactive substances. For the first time, WEDINOS identified high-potency synthetic opioids known as orphine analogues, including in samples submitted as heroin where they were found alongside veterinary sedatives | Nation Cymru, UK
Prison violence, drugs and self-harm rates 'still too high'
Drug abuse rates of self-harm at a North West prison are still far too high, a watchdog has found | BBC, UK
Major Review Finds Nicotine Vapes Best Chance to Quit Smoking - video
The Cochrane team looked at 80 major trials involving nearly 30,000 people and found that nicotine vapes were more effective than traditional aids such as patches and gum | BBC, UK
Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation
Electronic cigarettes (EC) are handheld electronic vaping devices that produce an aerosol by heating a liquid. People who smoke, healthcare providers, and regulators want to know if EC can help people quit smoking, and if they are safe to use for this purpose. This update was conducted as part of a living systematic review | Cochrane Library, UK
Dealer jailed for exploiting 14-year-old boy into selling drugs for him
A drug dealer has been jailed for six years and nine months after he admitted exploiting a schoolboy to sell drugs for him in one of the first convictions of its kind in Scotland | BBC, UK
Building a Movement for Stigma-Free Systems
New free resources to help you move from Awareness to Action. Across the UK, momentum is growing. More people are recognising the harms of stigma and discrimination. More organisations are questioning assumptions that have gone unchallenged for many decades. More professionals are asking how they can create services that are genuinely person-centred, inclusive and effective. We are pleased to be launching our first briefings focus on healthcare and the criminal justice system | Anti-Stigma Network, UK
Tackling the 'war on drugs': Could testing at gigs work?
Bars, chip vans and portaloos are all common sights at classic outdoor gigs in Northern Ireland. But in the rest of the UK and the Republic of Ireland, some also have dedicated facilities that allow for the rapid testing and identification of harmful drugs and substances | BBC, UK
Drinkaware Monitor 2026: Drinking trends
In this report we explore moderation and the moments that matter. This includes drinking occasion, unit consumption, drinking frequency and riskier drinking behaviours | Drinkaware, UK
25 Years of International Overdose Awareness Day: WithYou calls for action on preventable drug-related deaths
Held every year on 31 August, International Overdose Awareness Day is a time to remember and honor the lives lost in our communities and a collective call to end drug-related deaths. As the campaign reaches its 25th anniversary, the need for systemic change, education, and wider access to naloxone has never been more urgent | With You, UK