DrugWise Daily |
1st May 2026 |
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Have a great Bank Holiday weekend. See you on Tuesday.
UK news
Seventh addendum to the ACMD report on the use and harms of 2-benzylbenzimidazole (‘nitazene’) and piperidine benzimidazolone (‘brorphine-like’) opioids (PDF)
In July 2022, the ACMD published its advice on 2-benzyl benzimidazole (nitazene) and piperidine benzimidazolone (‘brorphine-like’) opioids. The report recommended that a number of named materials should become controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA) 1971. Since the report’s publication, the ACMD have published a series of addenda recommending the control of additional nitazene variants and adjusting the scope of the proposed nitazene generic control | ACMD, UK
Organised crime gangs using staggering number of UK vape and candy shops as fronts, warns report
In some parts of the UK, the groups may be operating through as many as half of all vape retailers | Independent, UK
Calls for law change over drink delivery app loophole
App-based deliveries of booze to Scottish homes have been slammed by leading medics. Online shopping for alcohol presents serious risks to underage drinkers and those with addiction issues, say health experts | Sunday Post, UK
The RUFUS Trial
Tuesday, May 5 • 11 AM - 12 PM GMT+1. Join us for our next webinar, "The RUFUS Trial: Could the Benzodiazepine Antidote Flumazenil be used Safely and Effectively Pre-hospital?" with Prof Michael Eddleston | DRNS, UK
Cannabis homes: the future of construction?
Thousands of homes are being built using plant-based materials that experts say would help reduce carbon emissions in the construction industry. Hemp was once a staple crop until it was made illegal in the 1920s because of its psychoactive cousin - cannabis | BBC, UK
Investigation launched after cocaine worth around £80m seized
National Crime Agency officers have launched an investigation following the seizure of around one tonne of cocaine at London Gateway port | NCA, UK
International news
Weight loss jabs may help curb alcohol consumption, study finds
A new Danish study indicates that semaglutide, marketed as Wegovy and Ozempic, may help individuals grappling with alcohol use disorder | Independent, UK
Global Heated Tobacco Product User Estimates, 2014-2024: Descriptive Surveillance Study Using Manufacturer Disclosures
The aim of the study is to construct a reproducible annual global time series of HTP user estimates for 2014‐2024 using publicly available manufacturer disclosures, quantify uncertainty, and compare these estimates with user counts derived from nationally representative survey prevalence data where available | JMIR Publications, UK
Erling Haaland feels the heat in Norway for ‘tragic’ World Cup beer commercial
Erling Haaland’s collaboration with a leading American beer brand has caused a backlash in his native Norway, where alcohol advertising is banned | Guardian, UK
Getting to SAFER, Faster: Reflections on GAPC 2026 - podcast
This month on the Alcohol Alert Podcast we were joined by Laura Cury from ACT Health Promotion in Brazil and Emma Thompson from IAS and the University of Edinburgh to reflect on the Global Alcohol Policy Conference (GAPC), held for the first time in Latin America | IAS, UK
MDMA approved to treat post-traumatic stress in active-duty US soldiers
Hope that sessions of MDMA-assisted therapy could help soldiers fight longer by helping them process trauma | Guardian, UK
Mexico’s cartel crackdown hits top ranks – but will it fuel Jalisco violence?
Arrest of potential next leader found hiding in drainage pipe highlights renewed tactics – and fears of cartel infighting | Guardian, UK
Cannabis was a core crop in Ancient China alongside rice and wheat, new evidence reveals
Archaeologists used a new technique to discover that cannabis was integral to daily life in northern China during the late Neolithic period, challenging previous understanding of the plant's ancient role | Leafie, UK
EU science chiefs stress role of research in good policy-making
The European Union Agencies Network on Scientific Advice (EU-ANSA) has reaffirmed the central role of EU agencies in supporting research and translating scientific knowledge into evidence-based policymaking, through a Joint statement signed by the Chief Scientists or highest-ranking scientific officers of member agencies | EUDA, Portugal
Interventions for opioid use disorder during pregnancy: a scoping review
It's a review limited in time (2013 to 2023) and geography (US only), but it came up with intriguing findings: "community-based approaches ... consistently demonstrated more robust results than individual-level interventions", and the key active ingredient seemed to be "integrating clinical care with social services" | Frontiers in Psychiatry, USA
When Public Health Ignores the Evidence on Heated Tobacco
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has renewed modified risk tobacco product (MRTP) authorizations for several IQOS heated tobacco devices for the second time. This is a straightforward public health measure, but it also exposes a rift between regulatory science and many extreme elements of the tobacco control industry | Real Clear Science, USA
A rapid review of the effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists on opioid and stimulant use-related outcomes
[Open access] Do weight-loss medications also reduce 'appetite' for stimulant or opioid drugs and resultant harm? At the time of this review there were just four studies on human beings; none were definitive, though some were promising | DADR, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
The fight against big tobacco is far from over
As we celebrate the move towards a smoke-free future, we can’t ignore the grip big tobacco will continue to hold over the more than 5.3 million adult Britons who currently smoke, writes Asthma + Lung UK Boss | LBC, UK
My advice to Hannah Spencer? Before calling out MPs’ boozing, try to understand the reasons behind it
The new MP is right that parliament’s drinking culture is fundamentally weird. But to change it, we need to reset the whole institution | Guardian opinion, UK