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Weekly news - 26th June 2026

In date order, Monday to Friday

Stop smoking support helps nearly 2,000 babies avoid premature birth or low birthweight as maternal smoking reaches record low

New analysis by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) estimates that since 2020, accelerated declines in maternal smoking have helped prevent nearly 2,000 babies from being born preterm or with low birthweight, as well as 70 cases of stillbirth, neonatal death and sudden infant death | ASH, UK

Fruit-flavoured vapes lead UK stop-smoking services as quit rates beat other support

The research, published in Cureus, used Freedom of Information requests to examine how Stop Smoking Services are providing vaping products to smokers trying to quit. The findings show that vapes are no longer a fringe option in smoking cessation. In the study’s detailed results, 27 out of 28 local authorities said their services provided vaping products to support smokers. None reported supplying disposable vapes | Clearing the air, UK

[Open access] In four English regions, continuing to treat the proportions of injectors infected with hepatitis C reached in 2023/24 versus reverting to lower pre-2016 levels will not just save lives, but (depending on the cost of the treatment) also save money for English health services | IJDP, UK

Increase in teenage psychosis cases linked to vapes laced with 'zombie drug' spice

Dr Hilary Reed works in the north of England and usually treats one or two cases of psychosis a year but in 2025 that jumped to 10 cases. “It does appear that there’s an association between vapes containing spice and psychotic illness”, she said | ITV, UK

[Open access] Opioid agonist treatment (OAT) reduces mortality among individuals with opioid dependence. Benzodiazepine co-prescribing with OAT has previously been associated with increased rates of drug-related death (DRD). In Scotland, rising DRD rates have coincided with increasing detection of illicit benzodiazepines at post-mortem. We quantified DRD rates associated with prescribed and baseline self-reported illicit benzodiazepine exposure among OAT recipients | IJDP, UK

Changes in residential rehab since 2023

In early 2023, Public Health Scotland (PHS) commissioned IFF Research to study perceptions of residential rehabilitation among referrers and assess post-rehabilitation support provision. In 2025, IFF Research were commissioned to conduct a follow-up study of both referrer perceptions and post-rehabilitation support provision, to examine changes since 2023. The study aims to evaluate progress under the National Mission by assessing referrers' perceptions, referral practices, post-rehabilitation service provision, collaboration among organisations, and barriers to success | PHS, UK

Doing Alcohol Research Differently: Considerations During Research With Romany Gypsy and Traveller Communities – A Narrative Review With Methodological and Ethical Considerations

[Open access] Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities experience significant health inequalities, yet alcohol consumption within these communities remains under-researched. This paper offers a methodological and ethical contribution by reflecting on two qualitative studies of alcohol use in Romany Gypsy and Traveller communities in the United Kingdom | Qualitative Health Research, UK

Police boss in call for ketamine to be made Class A

Ketamine should be reclassified as a Class A drug to protect young people, Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner has said | BBC, UK

Drugs sentencing review call after rise in cocaine seizures [Isle of Man]

Judges have called for an urgent review of sentencing guidelines for drug offences after rejecting the appeals of two drug dealers and warning there had been a 28-fold increase in cocaine seizures in the past decade | BBC, UK

Support. Don’t Punish - Global Day of Action 2026

26th June. The Support. Don’t Punish 2026 Global Day of Action — commemorated on 26th of June — is an opportunity to come together in transnational solidarity to show our strength, push back against harmful narratives, and connect with others to advance sustainable alternatives to the harmful ‘war on drugs’ | Support. Don't Punish, UK

CND Chair's Special Event to commemorate the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking and to launch the 2026 UNODC World Drug Report

On 26 June 2026, at 1 p.m. Vienna time the Chair of the 69th session of the CND will hold an event to mark the World Drug Day and to launch the 2026 World Drug Report. The Special Event, entitled “World drug problem: persisting issues, new challenges, innovative responses”, will mark the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking and will bring together Member States, the United Nations system, civil society and other stakeholders. The event will provide an opportunity to reflect on the continued and evolving impact of the world drug problem in all its dimensions and to exchange views on priority concerns and innovative, evidence-based responses | UNODC, Austria

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