DrugWise Daily |
27th April 2026 |
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UK news
Drug use in England spikes during heatwaves and big sports events, research finds
Project that tested traces of illicit drugs in wastewater also found higher use during Eurovision song contest | Guardian, UK [Study here]
Drug alert: Spice sold in Bristol causing a surge in hospital admissions
Bristol’s Local Drug Information System (LDIS) has shared that spice purchased in Bristol over the last 2 weeks has resulted in one suspected death and multiple hospital admissions | Forward Trust, UK
We thought Gen Z weren't drinking. But these cocktails in a ball may suggest otherwise
In one viral TikTok, a grandmother is seen sprawled out on a carpet, drunk, next to a Christmas tree. The video cuts between her necking an alcoholic drink and gazing up at the camera from the floor, happy but bemused | BBC, UK
'I used delivery apps to hide the shame of alcoholism' - video
"It took away the shame of going to the shop and feeling that there were eyes on me..." | BBC, UK
University secures grant for research into reducing harmful effects of ketamine use
The award from UK Research and Innovation, in collaboration with the Office for Life Sciences’ Addiction Healthcare Goals, will fund the project with the University of South Wales, which aims to improve treatment and recovery services for people seeking support with their ketamine use | Nation.Cymru, UK
Alcoholic Drinks and Drugs: Misuse
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of drug and alcohol addiction treatment services in a) Lewisham North Constituency, b) London and c) England | They work for you, UK
Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Special Educational Needs
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the potential impact of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder on SEND provision | They work for you, UK
‘I wanted alcohol to take me to a place where I was not’: comedian John Robins on the moment he realised he had a drinking problem
For most of his life, John Robins assumed he got more out of alcohol than it took from him. Now he knows it was the other way round | Guardian, UK
PsyEdu Open Evening. May 26
Wednesday, May 13 • 7 PM - 8:30 PM GMT+1. We are hosting an online Open Evening for people interested in our Professional Certificate in Psychedelic Practice. This is an opportunity to come along and hear about the programme, meet some of the tutors delivering it, and ask any questions you have | PsyEdu, UK
Glasgow influencer jailed for smuggling £150,000 of cannabis
An aspiring Scottish social media influencer has been jailed for 16 months after being caught smuggling £150,000 of cannabis at Edinburgh Airport | BBC, UK
Police arrest two over alleged drug sales through shops in West Midlands
The man and woman were arrested on Thursday in the town of Dudley, according to West Midlands Police, who added that they expect to make more arrests | BBC, UK
Men jailed for running commercial cannabis farms
Six men have been sentenced to long spells in prison for their involvement in running five commercial cannabis farms across West Yorkshire | BBC, UK
International news
The influencers pushing the ‘positive health benefits’ of nicotine pouches — ZYN and VELO — are part of RFK Jr’s MAHA
The influencers claim that products such as patches, gums and pouches utilize the ‘natural’ product and that it has been unfairly condemned by the medical establishment | Independent, UK
Surprising link found between alcohol use in kids and how much time they spend on social media
‘These findings suggest that social media environments may play a role in exposure to alcohol-related content and behaviors,’ one researcher said | Independent, UK
Patient-reported outcomes for monitoring substance use treatment: A systematic review of single-item measures
[Open access] Can regularly asking patients a single question produce a reliable signal of how well they are doing, promising a practical way to guide care planning? The 35 studies found by reviewers offer the answers | Addiction, UK
Trump psychedelics order largely symbolic, analysts say
Executive order to speed access to psychedelic treatments likely to have limited legal impact despite high-profile push | Guardian, UK
Two killed in strike on alleged drug boat in Pacific Ocean, US military says
The US military has conducted another strike on an alleged drug smuggling boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing two people, US Southern Command has said | BBC, UK
Recreational Nitrous Oxide Use: A Growing Trend with Unintended Consequences (PDF)
[Open access] Hospitalisations related to NO misuse have risen sharply, affecting predominantly young adults and placing increased demand on inpatient services. Findings align with European data, highlighting the need for youth-targeted prevention, awareness campaigns, and multidisciplinary follow-up pathways | Irish Medical Journal, Ireland
Call for tighter regulations around synthetic cannabis
A group of psychiatrists has called on the Government to tighten regulations on the sale and supply of psychoactive substances, saying measures to tackle synthetic cannabis are not working | RTe, Ireland
Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) data sheets
Since 2008, the European Drugs Agency (EUDA) has worked with EU candidate and potential candidates through projects funded by the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA). In 2023, EUDA launched the IPA8 project, involving six partners—Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia. The project's goal is to prepare these partners for active participation in EUDA and the Reitox network upon accession | EUDA, Portugal
70 MEPs Call for Urgent Restoration of EU4Health Operating Grants for Health Civil Society
On 17 April 2026, a cross-party group of 70 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) sent a letter to the European Commission urging the immediate reinstatement of operating grants for health civil society organisations (CSOs) under the EU4Health Programme. The letter highlights the severe impact that the removal of structural funding has had on health NGOs, from reduced capacity to closures, and underlines that project-based funding cannot replace core support that allows organisations to provide their expertise | EU4Health, Belgium
EVALI, anti-vaping advertising, quit attempts, and susceptibility: insights into the 2019 inflection point for U.S. adolescent vaping from California data
Adolescent vaping prevalence in the U.S. surged dramatically from 2017 to 2019, then declined significantly, making 2019 an inflection point. Anti-vaping advertising and media reporting on e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury (EVALI) may have contributed to the decline. This study examined whether anti-vaping advertising exposure and EVALI awareness were associated with adolescents’ quit attempts, intentions to quit, and susceptibility to future vaping | BMC Public Health, USA
Combination treatment could be safer, more effective for drug overdoses involving severe agitation
A team of Marshall University researchers has published a new study suggesting a potential breakthrough in how doctors manage severe agitation caused by methamphetamine and/or cocaine use, particularly in cases in which opioids have also been used | Medical Xpress, USA
Symptom-Based Dosing Gets Infants With Opioid Withdrawal Out of the Hospital Faster
— It's time to "move beyond the all or nothing" scheduled tapering approach, researchers say | Medpage Today, USA
Cannabis and driving? Studies reveal big risks
Researchers at the Colorado School of Public Health (CSPH) are studying how cannabis use affects driving performance. Using a "video game-like" simulator, they measure how people drive before and after consuming cannabis | Medical Xpress, USA
Adolescents presenting to psychiatric emergency departments more likely to test positive for cannabis after legalization of recreational cannabis
Expansion of legal recreational sales of cannabis has resulted in increased access, yet the effects on rates of cannabis use and cannabis-related disorders are unclear and may have a stronger impact on people with psychiatric conditions. This study examined the effects of legalizing recreational cannabis sales and its association with youth cannabis use in a psychiatric emergency department sample | Recovery Research Institute, USA
Long-term relapse: What goes wrong after years of successful remission?
Most research on alcohol use disorder relapse focuses on early recovery. Yet relapse can also occur after years of remission, and the factors driving these later relapses have not been investigated and may be different. This study examined the precursors and risk factors among adults with alcohol use disorder who relapsed after at least 1 year and up to 23 years of continuous remission | Recovery Research Institute, USA
A living systematic review, meta-analysis and open-data resource of randomized controlled trials of psilocybin treatment for symptoms of depression
This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that psilocybin-assisted therapy results in substantial decreases in depressive symptoms across studies to date. However, many studies have small sample sizes or risk of bias. This living systematic review, meta-analysis, database and online dashboard (sypres.io) will continue to be updated as evidence emerges, providing a valuable resource for researchers in a rapidly evolving field | Nature, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
Football matchday moderation campaigns seem well-intentioned, but do they work – and what do they cost?
At football matches across the UK and beyond, fans increasingly encounter messages about moderation: pacing drinks, switching to low- or no-alcohol options, planning travel home, and “drinking responsibly”. | AntiStigma Network, UK
Phoenix Futures response to the Ipsos Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant (RSDATG) Evaluation (2026)
Phoenix Futures welcomes the publication of the Ipsos Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant (RSDATG) final evaluation. The report provides robust national evidence that targeted investment, clearer pathways and strengthened partnership working can significantly improve access to treatment and recovery support for people facing multiple disadvantage, including people experiencing homelessness | Phoenix Futures, UK
The Tobacco and Vapes Act – a landmark win for health
The latest tobacco control measure to reach the statute books is a major boost to health. In my years working in cancer and respiratory care as part of the leadership team at Cancer Research UK and as Chief Executive of Asthma + Lung UK, I often saw firsthand the impact of smoking for people and their families, and know just how significant this measure will be. Reform UK proposals to undo it are out of step with public opinion | Kings Fund blog, UK
The Chemical Red Queen’s Race: Why banning NEP won’t stop the NPS market
I remember the exact brand name printed on the zip bag. I remember the appearance, the texture, the taste. I remember the effects too, which I unfortunately don’t feel as much anymore due to tolerance. But what I remember most clearly is the uncertainty. I am used to risk, just as anyone who uses drugs is, but this felt different. It felt like I was participating in a live experiment authored by the state without informed consent | Talking Drugs, UK
Marijuana reclassification is a surrender to Big Weed
On Thursday, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed an order moving state-licensed medical marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). That places it in the same category as ketamine and Tylenol with codeine. Under the CSA, Schedule I is reserved for drugs with no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse, such as heroin and ecstasy, while Schedule III drugs are recognized as having legitimate medical applications and a low to moderate risk of dependence | UnHerd, UK