DrugWise Daily |
17th July 2026 |
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UK news
UK's first harm reduction city will support drug users
Bristol has been declared the first official city of harm reduction after councillors voted to focus on "supporting drug users rather than punishing" them | BBC, UK
More smokers are buying tobacco from illicit sources
The proportion of UK smokers purchasing any cigarettes or tobacco from illicit sources has almost doubled since 2023, according to a new study led by UCL researchers | UCL, UK
Banning the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children
Following a 12-week public consultation, the government has confirmed that it will ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children aged under 16 in England. The ban will apply to drinks, other than tea or coffee, containing more than 150 milligrams of caffeine per litre. It will cover all retailers, including shops, restaurants, cafes and online sellers. Sales from all vending machines will also be banned | DHSC, UK [Press release here]
Clouds House Reunion 2026 – celebrating over 43 years of recovery and community
On Saturday 13 June, we welcomed alumni, families, friends, staff, volunteers and supporters back to Clouds House for another incredibly special day of connection, celebration and hope. Set against the beautiful Wiltshire countryside and blessed with glorious sunshine, the reunion once again demonstrated the strength of the Clouds community and the lasting impact of recovery | Forward Trust, UK
Drug Checking
Drug checking provides a unique opportunity for people to access rapid, accurate and timely information about substances of concern in circulation in the local drug market, combined with non-judgemental support from health professionals. See checkinmg dates for Bristol and three locations in London | The Loop, UK
Young people offered cheap holidays to smuggle drugs by criminal gangs, Border Force warns
600 passengers have already been arrested at UK airports in 2026 | Independent, UK
International news
Shopify bans all vape sales worldwide after US crackdown
Shopify has ordered merchants worldwide to remove all vape products from their online stores, extending a US crackdown on illegal vapes into a blanket global ban | Clearing the air, UK
Smoking rates fall to historic low across Australia despite the rise of illicit tobacco
Long-running AIHW survey shows daily rates of smoking dropped to 5.6% last year – down from 8.3% two years ago | Guardian, UK
‘Violence is our daily bread here’: Rethinking Harm Reduction from the Streets of Colombia
What do we mean by drug-related harm? For those of us working in harm reduction, that is an essential question we rarely pause to consider | Talking Drugs, UK
Drug checking data from the Trans-European Drug Information (TEDI) network
Updated. The Trans European Drugs Information (TEDI) network collects data on the results from the analytical testing from participating European drug checking services based on a common standardised data collection form. These data are processed by TEDI and submitted as a complete set of aggregated city-level data every 6 months to the EUDA | EUDA, Portugal
Collection: U.S. Lethal Strikes on Suspected Drug Traffickers, Operation Southern Spear, Operation Absolute Resolve
Beginning on Sept. 2, 2025, the United States military has carried out a series of unprecedented strikes against vessels suspected of narcotics trafficking in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. The Trump administration has claimed it is in a “non-international armed conflict” with unspecified gangs and drug cartels, governed by the law of armed conflict. In this collection, experts analyze the legality of these operations under domestic and international law | Just Security, USA
Study highlights communication gaps between cancer survivors and providers on cannabis
For many cancer survivors, cannabis has become part of how they manage symptoms such as pain, nausea and anxiety. Medical cannabis is now legal in 47 states, Washington, D.C., and three U.S. territories, and its use continues to grow among both the general population and cancer survivors. Yet despite its increasing use, little is known about how survivors and their healthcare providers view medical cannabis or how comfortable they are discussing it | News Medical, USA
In CA, 97 Percent of Seized Marijuana Is From Counties That Ban Growing
About 97 percent of marijuana seized by California officials in unincorporated areas of the state came from counties that continue to ban licensed growers, new data from the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) reveals | Filter Magazine, USA
National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2025: Tobacco, e-cigarettes and other nicotine insights
In 2025, 5.6% of people aged 14 and over smoked daily down from 19.5% in 2001 and 8.3% in 2022–2023. This was equivalent to around 1.3 million people smoking daily in Australia in 2025, compared with 3.0 million in 2001 and 1.8 million in 2022–2023. The decline was also evident among adults aged 18 and over, with daily smoking dropping from 20.1% in 2001 and 8.8% in 2022–2023 to 5.8% in 2025 | AIHW, Australia
Blogs, comment and opinion
The 2026 World Cup has been a tournament where alcohol brands hoped to win influence through sponsorship
The 2026 men’s football World Cup has provided great goals, shock results and plenty of entertainment. It has also been extremely lucrative, earning Fifa billions of dollars in broadcasting rights, ticket sales and commercial sponsorship. Those commercial partnerships include alcohol producers, whose brands have appeared across television broadcasts, digital platforms, social media and stadiums | Conversation, UK