DrugWise Daily |
28th May 2026 |
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UK news
Guidance on the management of clusters of drug-related harms
This guidance sets out how you can prepare, monitor, identify and respond to clusters of drug-related harm. The guidance recommends a public health incident management approach to short-term increases in drug-related harm. This approach may be led locally by alcohol and drug partnerships (ADPs) or by NHS public health directorates. Incident management principles are well established and this guidance should be read along with the guidance on the management of public health incidents (MPHI) | Public Health Scotland, UK
Acceptability and usability of a respiratory biosensor for drug overdose detection and first responder notification: a qualitative evaluation of perspectives from people who use drugs and wider stakeholders
[Open access] Alone at home is a high-risk time for fatal overdose. A chest-worn biosensor could detect the respiratory signs of overdose and alert emergency services, but will it be used? This pilot in Dundee, Europe's overdose hotspot, suggests that in principle the technology is acceptable to users and services, but needs fine-tuning | Harm Reduction Journal, UK
IDPC recruits campaigns & communications volunteer
IDPC is looking for volunteers passionate about drug policy reform and interested in honing their skills in communications and campaigning, while contributing to the work of the global network advancing drug policies grounded in human rights and social justice. This is a flexible, unpaid volunteering opportunity, not an employment contract or route to paid work | IDPC, UK
Drugs and violence persist at prison, report says
A prison in use since Victorian times has "many significant weaknesses" and is "deteriorating and overcrowded", inspectors have said | BBC, UK
Drug-dealing gang with lavish lifestyles jailed
Ringleader Paddy Nolan, 29, of Nelson, Lancashire, was in charge of bringing kilos of cocaine into the county for distribution by his gang, who also ensured money owed by buyers was collected | BBC, UK
Police seize £1m worth cocaine after stopping HGV
Police have seized nearly 50kg of cocaine – with an estimated street value of more than £1m – after stopping a vehicle in Kent | BBC, UK
International news
France Is Banning Zyn and Threatening To Jail People for 5 Years
The French government has criminalized the use of nicotine pouches. Users can be punished with up to 5 years in prison and a fine of almost half a million dollars | Reason, UK
We Need to Talk About Extra Strong Weed
“The drawbacks [to legalisation] have been significant,” notable cannabis critic and President of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) Kevin Sabet, told TalkingDrugs. “Look at Colorado, where teen ER visits post-legalisation [tripled]. Worse, most of the kids going to the ER for weed ended up needing psychiatric treatment..." | Talking Drugs, UK
Matthew Perry's assistant jailed for 41 months over actor's ketamine death
The live-in personal assistant to Friends star Matthew Perry has been sentenced to 41 months in prison, capping a multi-year legal saga surrounding the actor's death | BBC, UK
Cigarette butts for free food? How one group is asking people to rethink litter
The WasteBar food truck hopes the eye-catching deal will change people’s attitude to waste in the Netherlands | Guardian, UK
Czech Government Dismisses National Drug Coordinator
The Czech government is reportedly dismissing National Drug Coordinator Pavel Bém and dismantling the country’s internationally respected evidence-based drug policy model in a move experts warn could shift policy toward a more punitive and ideological direction | Drug Reporter, Hungary
Your team is counting on you: Digital gamification and team motivation in alcohol aftercare
[Open access] Results of studies in Germany exemplified how convenience and appeal can transform use of computerised therapies. The therapy involved 'pushing away' images of alcoholic drinks and 'pulling' non-alcohol drinks nearer. Engagement vastly improved when smart phones replaced computers and the program was 'gamified'. | Alcohol, USA
Inside the Evolution of Synthetic Drugs - video
Natalie Kitroeff from “The Daily” speaks with Azam Ahmed, a New York Times international investigative correspondent, about his latest piece on the synthetic drug crisis | NYTimes, USA
Community coalition’s diversity and targeted overdose prevention strategies designed to reach special populations
[Open access] Evidence from the USA that where regulation and other limitations allow, racial and ethnic diversity in bodies commissioning anti-overdose services translates into services (specifically naloxone distribution) more tailored to racial and ethnic minorities | Harm Reduction Journal, USA
Big Tobacco comes out on top after US FDA shake-up
The U.S. FDA's new, looser regulation of new vapes and nicotine pouches will potentially unleash hundreds more such products on the market in the coming weeks and months, according to three current and former Trump administration officials | Reuters, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
How the Alcohol Industry Seeks to Own the Role of Adviser and Guardian
In my previous blog I looked at how as public health marketers we are outgunned and out-thought by the alcohol industry. I want to add to this by exploring one of the most striking shifts in alcohol marketing over the past decade. The alcohol industry’s evolution from being a seller of products to positioning itself as a guardian of public wellbeing. This is the land grab for the space left by underfunded treatment and support promotion budgets | AntiStigma Network, UK
Avoid Own Goals in your Alcohol Sponsorship
The Men’s FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to begin on 11 June, for the first time the tournament will be co-hosted by three countries; Canada, USA and Mexico and a record 48 teams will be taking part. The enthusiasm around the World Cup is sure to inspire some creative marketing ideas for alcohol brands and the Portman Group’s Advisory Service is at the sidelines ready to help balance innovation with a responsible approach to marketing | Portman Group, UK