DrugWise Daily |
30th July 2026 |
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UK news
University of Aberdeen researchers call for urgent overhaul of pain care amid opioid crisis
A new position paper from researchers at the University of Aberdeen warns that opioid use disorder in the UK is a "large and probably underestimated" problem, and that without urgent action, opioid addiction and opioid-related deaths will continue to rise | University of Aberdeen, UK
Patients set the research agenda for liver cirrhosis in landmark UK study
A major new study published today in Gut has given patients unprecedented influence over the future of liver cirrhosis research, setting out a new agenda that experts say could transform care by shifting the focus of research towards prevention, earlier diagnosis and living well with the disease | Liver UK, UK
Digital Intoxication: Online Alcohol Marketing Explained - video
This documentary investigates how digital alcohol marketing actually works: the algorithms that find people already drinking heavily and target them "disproportionately", the influencers (including The Rock, Beyonce, and Kendall Jenner) promoting their own alcohol brands to hundreds of millions of followers without ad disclosure, and the rise of alcohol marketing inside e-sports, video games, and even the metaverse | IAS, UK
Alcohol ban introduced at five local hospitals
Staff will ask patients, visitors and employees to hand over alcohol so it can be disposed of, while security may be called if they refuse. The ban follows concerns that patients were buying alcohol from nearby shops and bringing it back into hospital where it could interact with medication, cause problems with wound healing and hinder patients' recovery | BBC, UK
Drinkflation: why British booze is getting weaker
While the sizes and prices are staying the same, brands are reducing the alcohol content in their beer | Guardian, UK
Essex Recovery Festival 2026 brings recovery community together
The Essex Recovery Festival once again brought people together from across the region for a weekend of connection, celebration and hope, highlighting the positive impact of recovery and the strength of community | Forward Trust, UK
Signed Jude Bellingham shirt helps boost Ayrshire charity WithYou
South and East Ayrshire drug and alcohol charity WithYou has received a £500 donation from Scotland Seniors, the over-50s international football team, following last month's Four Nations tournament in Largs. The money was raised by auctioning a shirt signed by England footballer Jude Bellingham, whose dad, Mark, played for England in the over-50s competition and finished as the top goalscorer | WithYou, UK
The Portman Group welcomes Moët Hennessy as its newest member
The Portman Group is delighted to welcome Moët Hennessy, one of the best-known brands in the sector as its newest member. As the Portman Group celebrates the 30th anniversary of its Code of Practice, Moët Hennessy becomes the 20th full member of the Portman Group, making it the largest membership the self-regulatory body has ever had | Portman Group, UK
Couriers hid £1.9m cocaine as Christmas presents
Two drug couriers who were caught with £1.9m worth of cocaine disguised as Christmas presents have been jailed | BBC, UK
International news
Prenatal opioid exposure, and health, social and educational outcomes for school-aged children: A systematic review
[Open access] Prenatal opioid exposure through illicit opioids or medication for opioid use disorder is associated with visual outcomes, hyperactivity and inattention and cognitive functioning at 5–18 years. Almost all research focusses on 5–12 years, with little evidence available for adolescents | Addiction, UK
Concurrent Use of Extra-Medical Medication for Opioid Use Disorder Among Adults Prescribed Methadone or Buprenorphine: A Cohort Study of Urban Adults Who Have Injected Drugs
[Open access] Reveals the extent to which patients in the US city of Baltimore being prescribed methadone or buprenorphine nevertheless used more of the same drugs obtained from non-medical sources. Also probes what might have led to this supplementation | Addiction, UK
SERAF launches final evaluation report for heroin assisted treatment in Norway
Heroin prescribing to opioid-dependent patients in Norway is confined to a small, vulnerable group with multiple problems. These patients experienced substantial benefits, but at the cost of a resource-intensive and demanding programme which could not do much to alleviate non-medical issues such as employment and housing | University of Oslo, Norway
Pilot trial of THRIVE: A peer-delivered sexual and intimate partner violence prevention program for women in substance use treatment
[Open access] Qualified peer support specialists ran group sessions for women in substance use treatment, many pregnant or had recently given birth. The aim was to equip them to reduce their risk of sexual violence. A randomised trial would be needed to show it worked, but results from this US pilot were promising | Journal of Traumatic Stress, USA
Study demonstrates the positive impact of expanding mobile addiction clinics
A study co-led by investigators at Mass General Brigham shows that mobile addiction services can be implemented across multiple organizations and communities to bring addiction treatment, harm reduction services and basic health care directly to people who use drugs, especially those disconnected from traditional care | Medical Xpress, USA
How is vaping different cannabis compounds associated with depression and anxiety among adolescents?
Cannabis vaping has become increasingly common among adolescents and is linked to poorer mental health outcomes. This study examined the associations between different patterns of cannabis vaping – involving THC, CBD, or both – and symptoms of depression and anxiety among US adolescents | Recovery Research Institute, USA
Can noninvasive deep brain stimulation reduce methamphetamine craving?
Craving is a major reason people return to methamphetamine use after trying to stop. This study tested whether a newer noninvasive brain stimulation approach aimed at a deep memory-related brain region could reduce craving in people with methamphetamine use disorder | Recovery Research Institute, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
Love is the drug - A love letter to the beautiful, courageous drug policy reform movement
After nearly eighteen years, including fifteen years as the Executive Director, I will be leaving IDPC at the end of July 2026. This has been an extraordinary journey, travelled alongside so many remarkable people. The drug policy reform movement has become my family and shaped me in ways I could never have imagined | IDPC blog, UK