DrugWise Daily |
29th June 2026 |
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UK news
Warning over ‘unrestricted’ delivery apps after death of man who ordered alcohol
The coroner raised concerns over the easy access to ‘unrestricted availability of alcohol’ on online delivery apps | Independent, UK
Alcohol-free beer brand hits record sales as Britons lay off the booze in heatwave
Lucky Saint saw a 73 per cent rise on last year’s sales | Independent, UK
Official Statistics - 3. Tax gaps: Excise (including alcohol, tobacco and oils)
The overall excise duties gap is largely driven by the tobacco and beer duty gaps, which have been the biggest components throughout most of the time series. In 2024 to 2025, the tobacco duty gap is the largest in absolute terms, estimated at £1.3 billion or 14.2% of theoretical duty liability, while the beer duty gap is the largest in percentage terms, estimated at £0.7 billion or 16.1% | HMRC, UK
“We’ve got your back”: North Somerset veteran and charity lead shares call to arms for Armed Forces Day
Ahead of Armed Forces Day on Saturday, Barry Pratt, 59, armed forces lead and recovery worker for local drug, alcohol and mental health charity, reaced out to the armed forces community to say help is available and they do not need to struggle in silence | WithYou, UK
Cornwall veteran who went from struggling with alcohol to working for a drug and alcohol service shares his story for Armed Forces Day
Military veteran Graham, 53, who struggled with alcohol after leaving the army and experiencing the death of his son, is sharing his recovery story for Armed Forces Day 2026. Now working for the drug and alcohol charity which helped him, Graham wants anyone in the armed forces community to know that help is there if they need it | WithYou, UK
NHS detox care ends in North Wales as Wrexham centre closes
Hafan Wen, a 25-bed inpatient drug and alcohol detoxification unit on the site of Wrexham Maelor Hospital, closed its doors this week after 28 years. North Wales patients will now have to travel to Manchester for specialist detox services on the NHS after the closure of a Wrexham treatment centre | The Leader, UK
Fatboy Slim says he felt paralysed at prospect of DJing sober after rehab
Speaking on Desert Island Discs, the Grammy-nominated musician referred to his alcoholism as a parasite | Guardian, UK
Former Glasgow gang member who battled drug addiction at age 12 writes inspiring new book
A former Glasgow gang member and addict who spent years trapped in a cycle of drugs, alcohol, violence and prison has written a powerful new book in the hope of helping others find recovery and purpose | Glasgow Live, UK
'Cocaine was easier to get than building supplies' [Jersey]
A recovering drug addict has said cocaine "took everything" from him, causing his life to spiral out of control until he finally got help | BBC, UK
Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder - Question
To ask His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to improve awareness and reduce the prevalence of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder | They work for you, UK
EP 61: Policing Drugs - Instinct or evidence? - podcast
Should ‘gut feeling’ be used to make decisions in drugs policing? In this episode, Rob and Penelope are joined by Dr Bisi Akintoye, lecturer at the University of Roehampton, and Professor Alex Stevens, University of Sheffield, to discuss how we police drugs. They cover stop and search, different options for dealing with drugs offences, and the impact of over-policing on community relations | Transform Justice Podcast, UK
Portsmouth prepares for tougher smoking and vaping laws
Portsmouth is preparing for big changes to smoking and vaping laws, with tougher penalties and a permanent tobacco ban for younger generations | The News, UK
Operation Reclaim: CCTV camera installed in hotspot area known for drug activity
A CCTV camera has been installed in a hotspot area of the city centre to target those taking and dealing drugs. Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire Police have been working in partnership to tackle problems around St Peter's Square | Nootinghamshire | Nottinghamshire Police, UK
Boy, 14, arrested in city centre drug dealing probe
A 14-year-old has been arrested as part of an investigation into drugs being sold to rough sleepers in Nottingham city centre, police said | BBC, UK
Calls for £5 vape charge after spate of fires
In recent weeks, two recycling centres in Norfolk have suffered fires caused by lithium-ion batteries found in vapes and other small electricals being discarded in rubbish. James Wright, former Norwich City Council mayor and leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said a mandatory scheme should urgently be introduced by the government to prevent further fires | BBC, UK
International news
Quantifying the potential of alcohol policies for cancer prevention in the EU: a modelling study
[Open access] Alcohol is a major preventable risk factor for cancer, causally linked to seven types of cancer. Yet the potential cancer-preventive impact of population-level alcohol control policies remains unquantified; this study provides the first such estimates for the European Union (EU) | Lancet, UK
A latent class analysis of clinical complexity: Secondary analysis of the collaboration leading to addiction treatment and recovery from other stresses (CLARO) randomized trial
[Open access] At US primary care clinics, patients suffering both opioid use disorder and depression or PTSD were allocated a care manager to coordinate treatment across multiple services. Overall it made no significant difference to their recovery, but this new report suggests it did help reduce depression among more clinically/socially stable patients | Addiction, UK
The association between naloxone distribution, buprenorphine treatment and retention and incident high-risk opioid prescribing with opioid overdose death in Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York and Ohio, United States: An exploratory community-level cohort study of data from the HEALing Communities Study
[Open access] When selected US communities attempted to curb opioid overdose death rates, it was access to and retention on the substitute medication buprenorphine which made the difference. Extending naloxone coverage seemed to run up against the limitation that most deaths happened without someone around who could help | Addiction, UK
New Zealand's accelerating smoking decline: lessons for tobacco harm reduction
[Open access] Following implementation of key measures of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), adult smoking rates in New Zealand declined slowly. However, from 2018/19, smoking prevalence declined rapidly, coinciding with increased uptake of vaping following regulatory clarification and their endorsement as a cessation aid | Lancet, UK
Formal support for adult CSOs of individuals with alcohol-related problems: a scoping review
[Open access] Support for families of problem drinkers and other 'concerned significant others' has been shown to lead to "positive short-term outcomes." Evidence on long-term effectiveness "remains limited and inconclusive". | Journal of Social Work in the Addiction, UK
FDA to discuss easing restrictions on peptides despite safety concerns
Committee will meet in July to discuss peptides now sold in gray market despite limited evidence of safety and efficacy | Guardian, UK
Global drug use reaches record high as increasingly potent synthetic drugs spread
More people are using drugs than ever before, while synthetic substances are reshaping illicit markets and exposing vulnerable communities to greater health risks, according to the UN World Drug Report 2026 [Below], released on Friday | UNODC, Austria
World Drug Report 2026
A global reference on drug markets, trends and policy developments, the World Drug Report offers a wealth of data and analysis and, in 2026, comprises several elements tailored to different audiences. The web-based Drug market patterns and trends contains the latest analysis of global, regional and subregional estimates of and trends in drug demand and supply in a user-friendly, interactive format supported by graphs, infographics and maps. Highlights provides a series of short topical analyses of key developments and issues that characterize the current world drug problem, while Special points of interest offers a framework for the main takeaways that can be drawn from those developments | UNODC, Austria
Assessment of the threat posed by highly potent synthetic opioids in Europe
This threat assessment presents a scenario-based analysis of the potential risks posed by highly potent synthetic opioids (HPSOs) in Europe over the next two years. Drawing on available early warning signals, forensic and clinical data, and expert input, it examines how HPSO-related harms could evolve under different conditions and what this means for preparedness across health and security sectors | EUDA, Portugal
UNODC and EUDA usher in a new era of collaboration
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) marked a new phase in their longstanding collaboration with the signature of a new Working Arrangement | EUDA, Portugal
Ketamine is booming in America. The reasons go beyond drugs
Ketamine, a fashionable drug in therapy, is fast becoming a nightclub drug of choice for Americans seeking a unique form of disconnection from today’s reality. Once a niche drug famed for being a “horse tranquilizer,” the dissociative anesthetic is surging in New York, Chicago, Miami and Los Angeles. In some city dancefloors, it is replacing MDMA, according to new data obtained by Straight Arrow. Its brightly colored offshoot, a pink-dyed mix that contains ketamine and MDMA, is also spreading rapidly | SAN, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
How to support a loved one struggling with drug or alcohol use
Loving somebody who is struggling with substance use can feel distressing, traumatising and, due to the stigma surrounding the problem, it is often a very lonely and isolating experience, too. When you’re in this situation it’s easy to focus all your time and energy on your loved one and their problems, however, re-focusing on your own wellbeing, and learning new skills and techniques to more comfortably manage the situation can result in improved outcomes for the whole family | Phoenix Futures, UK
Why is alcohol dangerous in a heatwave, and should I cut it out completely?
Those partial to a pint may be relieved to know a modest of amount of weak beer may actually be beneficial | Guardian, UK
Burying their heads in the ash
There was joyful news from His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs this week when it announced that the battle against illicit tobacco is being won | The Critic, UK
Could psychedelic therapy have a place in end‑of‑life care? We asked doctors
An increasing number of studies suggest psychedelics such as MDMA, better known as ecstasy, and psilocybin, the active in ingredient in magic mushrooms, can help treat some mental health conditions. Regulators in Australia and New Zealand have also begun allowing limited medical use of these medicines. Now, researchers are exploring whether psychedelic therapy – typically combining measured doses with psychological treatment in a controlled setting – might help patients as they approach end of life | Conversation, New Zealand