DrugWise Daily |
12th October 2026 |
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UK news
New addiction support for rough sleepers
A new NHS app has launched for people in Surrey who are rough sleeping or at risk of homelessness. The Rough Sleeping Service provides dedicated drug and alcohol addiction support by meeting people in the community, rather than expecting attendance at appointments. It has been created by i-access, Surrey's specialist drug and alcohol support service run by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with alcohol and drug charity, Via | BBC, UK
I’ll drink to that - offering alcohol-free beer on tap boosts pub choices while keeping revenues intact, new study shows
Simple changes to pub environments can encourage drinkers to choose alcohol-free options without harming profits, according to new research | University of York, UK
North Essex rehab centre warns of fentanyl in cocaine
A north Essex rehab centre has warned that more drug addicts are reporting cocaine contaminated with deadly opioid fentanyl | Thurrock Gazette, UK
To end homelessness for good, we must address the bigger picture
The Government pledge to end homelessness by Christmas will transform the way we work at Change Grow Live — not just in our outreach teams, but across all our services | Change Grow Live, UK
Senedd Cymru - Welsh Parliament - Family drug and alcohol courts - video
Coverage of the debate in the Senedd, the Welsh Parliament, on family drug and alcohol courts, on Wednesday 7 October | BBC, UK
Support available to smokers this Stoptober as Portsmouth City Council marks countdown to a smokefree generation
Since being set up over a decade ago, Portsmouth City Council’s Wellbeing Service has supported over 10,000 attempts to quit smoking to date. With 12.7 per cent of the city’s inhabitants smoking, which is higher than the average in England, the council is hoping to bring that down | Portsmouth News, UK
Detectors tackle vaping in school toilets - video
A Bolton school says that vape detectors have reduced the habit since being installed | BBC, UK
'Alcohol and drugs ruined my band - I'm glad to have another chance'
Phil Campbell still shudders when he recalls how his band the Temperance Movement came to a messy end. After years of hard graft and endless gigs at home and abroad, the blues-rock group were finally tasting regular success - but Campbell had become increasingly hooked on drink and drugs | BBC, UK
'We're busy with vape and mobile phone customers'
Vape, barber and mobile phone shops could be blocked from opening in Southend-on-Sea, if councillors get their way | BBC, UK
‘She was swaying, zoning out’: UK pets poisoned in record numbers by illicit drugs
Toxicology helplines report 42% increase in calls involving animals poisoned by drugs and nicotine | Guardian, UK
International news
Ohio animal hospital owner accused of using dead dog’s name to obtain thousands of prescription pills
Dr. Kris L. Taylor and Camille Angulat-Nieto received over 20 prescriptions for ‘Punkin’ a dog that was already dead | Independent, UK
New trafficking routes, more diversified production: experts gather to discuss the future of Europe's drug markets
From record cocaine seizures and increasingly sophisticated trafficking networks to the diversification of synthetic drug production, Europe's drug market continues to evolve at pace. Against this backdrop, leading experts from across Europe and beyond gathered in Lisbon this week for the annual meeting of the EUDA Reference Group on Drug Markets and Crime | EUDA, Portugal
Increased buprenorphine prescribing following implementation of a low-barrier virtual prescriber network
[Open access] Buprenorphine treatment of opioid dependence saves lives but how do you get it to more who could benefit? In a US city they tried walk-in or phone self-referral via a central hub which rapidly links patient to clinician. An assessment over the phone results in medication access within about 90 minutes. The result was a 15% to 17% greater increase in buprenorphine prescriptions relative to comparable locations | JSAT, USA
Long-term cannabis use may disrupt sleep without noticeable symptoms
Millions of Americans use cannabis products as sleep aids, but a new Northwestern Medicine study suggests marijuana may not improve sleep the way many people believe it does. The study found both lifetime and recent cannabis use were associated with poorer objectively measured sleep quality, even though participants generally did not perceive their sleep to be worse | News Medical, USA
Perceptions of Psychedelic Decriminalization: Findings from a Community Survey of People Who Use Psychedelics
People who use psychedelic drugs in US areas where their use has effectively been decriminalised were asked about the impacts: "Across multiple domains, including legal risk, social acceptance, substance safety, perceived quality, psychedelic-assisted therapy, and life conditions, participants reported improvements" | Social Sciences, USA
LSD microdosing shows potential sustained attention gains in women, but none in men
A pilot study suggests that low doses of LSD may have different effects on sustained attention in women and men. The findings, presented at the ECNP annual congress in Munich, are preliminary, but they add to growing evidence that people may not all respond to psychedelic microdosing in the same way | Medical Xpress, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
What online harms regulation can learn from tobacco control
When I agreed to Chair the Mental Health and Smoking Partnership in 2022, I understood the often ignored but devastating relationship between smoking and poor mental health. People living with mental health conditions are more likely to smoke, to become addicted, to become poorer, and to suffer the mental and physical health consequences that follow | ASH blog, UK
Drink-free Halloween activities
Halloween doesn’t have to revolve around alcohol. Discover fun drink-free activities to enjoy with friends, family or your own | Drinkaware, UK
The Liability Behind Ketamine's Promise
The path to safe care requires establishing standards built on protecting patients | MedPage Today opinion, USA