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Weekly news - 6th March 2026

In date order, Monday to Friday

Wellness peptide craze: Why people are injecting drugs 'not for human consumption'

Katie's been injecting GHK-Cu, a copper peptide, for several weeks now and she's confident it's making a difference to her skin. So much so, she says, the stretch marks she developed after having her two children have almost disappeared | BBC, UK

European girls aged 13-15 have world’s highest rate of tobacco use for age group

World Health Organization report also finds one in seven adolescents across continent use vapes and e-cigarettes | Guardian, UK

New Drug Trends: Insights from Focus Group Discussions. Civil Society Monitoring of Harm Reduction in Europe 2025

Understanding substance use trends is vital to quickly respond to and reduce associated risks. This study contributes to such knowledge by qualitatively exploring drug use trends across 20 European cities between July 2024 and July 2025. It uses focus group discussions conducted with key informants who are directly or indirectly engaged in the dynamics of local drug markets, including people who use drugs | C-EHRN, The Netherlands

[Open access] Rising living costs and changes to alcohol taxation influence drinking behaviours. This study aimed to examine associations between financial hardship and alcohol reduction attempts in the context of a cost-of-living crisis and alcohol tax reforms in Great Britain | IJDP, UK

[Open access] Late-night alcohol trading hours are generally associated with increased alcohol-related harm. Since 2018, two Scottish cities have allowed extensions in late-night alcohol trading hours with the aim of revitalising the night-time economy. This is the first study to directly observe whether and how bars and nightclubs use these extensions, and collect rich qualitative data about venue environment and staff behaviour | IJDP, UK

Nightclub deaths in the UK: a retrospective observational study of media reports with coroner verification

[Open access] Nightclubs, often perceived as safe spaces for entertainment, can nevertheless harbour hidden dangers. Despite their popularity among young adults, the prevalence and characteristics of fatalities associated with nightclub attendance remain unknown. This research aimed to characterise the nature and frequency of nightclub-related deaths in the UK | BMJ, UK

Council to buy £477k of vapes to help smokers quit

Since e-cigarettes were introduced as part of North Yorkshire Council's Living Well Smokefree service in July 2023, 487 people have used them to help quit, with a third of those staying smoke-free after a year | BBC, UK

DDN March 2026

Our spotlight on women’s treatment in this issue makes it uncomfortably clear that women’s needs are being recognised too late. Whether we’re talking about female veterans experiencing the shock of civilian life, women navigating custody, survivors of domestic abuse, or those trying to engage with community treatment, the same pattern emerges | DDN, UK

Binge drinking rises sharply among gen Z in their early 20s

Research challenges idea of ‘generation sensible’ as alcohol and drug use increase after teenage years. Researchers from the UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies (CLS) analysed data from nearly 10,000 people born across the UK in 2000-02 who are taking part in the Millennium Cohort Study | Guardian, UK

No More Half Measures Time to get serious about alcohol harm (PDF)

Alcohol Focus Scotland actively engages with communities- including recovery groups and children and young people - about alcohol. The voices, experiences, and insights we’ve gathered from those most affected by alcohol-related harms are reflected throughout this manifesto | Alcohol Focus Scotland, UK

Perspectives on recreational substance use and harm reduction among music festival workers in the United Kingdom: A qualitative study

This qualitative study explored perspectives on recreational substance use and harm-reduction practices among festival workers at UK music festivals. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis: researchers coded responses iteratively, identified patterns, and developed themes through consensus meetings. Drawing on qualitative responses from 21 professionals across medical, welfare, security, safeguarding, and emergency roles, the research reveals the complex realities of managing substance-related incidents in dynamic, high-pressure festival environments | Drug Science, UK

Stop smoking service data explorer

This data explorer presents latest published analysis on stop smoking service data, alongside indicators relating to the prevalence of smoking. Analysis updated with the latest available data (March 2026 data) | OHID, UK

Priorities for Scotland's next government

Scotland's next government faces critical decisions on drugs and alcohol. The National Mission ends in March 2026. What comes next will determine whether Scotland builds on the progress made. WithYou supports more than 14,000 people across Scotland who are facing challenges with drugs and alcohol. Last year, our teams held over 63,000 appointments in communities from Stranraer to Thurso. This document sets out six priorities for the next Scottish Government. They're based on evidence, frontline experience, and what the people we support have told us matters | WithYou, UK

Right to Recovery Addiction (Scotland) Bill correspondence: FOI release

Information requested: Could you supply all briefings written for the Scottish Government and minutes/notes from meetings, about the right to recovery bill, between September 25 to October 12 2025? Could you also supply all written documentation regarding the Scottish Government's decision to vote against the bill? | Scottish Government, UK

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