DrugWise Daily |
25th June 2026 |
Thank you to our Premium sponsors:
|
|
Could you sponsor DrugWise Daily? Please Email Harry Shapiro to discuss |
|
UK news
Drugs sentencing review call after rise in cocaine seizures [Isle of Man]
Judges have called for an urgent review of sentencing guidelines for drug offences after rejecting the appeals of two drug dealers and warning there had been a 28-fold increase in cocaine seizures in the past decade | BBC, UK
Drugs: Misuse
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help reduce health inequalities arising from substance misuse | They work for you, UK
Shape lives. Strengthen communities - Call for Trustees
BUBIC is an organisation set up by former drug users from Tottenham. our goal is to address the challenges faced by the community and to provide support to individuals who may be hard to engage with. This is your opportunity to be part of something transformational. We're recruiting passionate Trustees and a Treasurer to help guide our next phase of growth and impact. Whether you bring professional expertise or lived experience, your contribution will help strengthen governance, sustainability, and community impact | BUBIC, UK
A Day I’ll Never Forget: Attending a Royal Garden Party
On 10 May, Chantel and her Forward Trust colleague, Jonathan 'Jon' Clarke, (a Recovery Champion, Southend STARS) received special invitations to attend Buckingham Palace | Forward Trust, UK
International news
Decriminalise all personal use drug possession, Irish committee says
The Oireachtas Committee on Drugs published its final report on Wednesday after spending months meeting and interviewing witnesses about the future of Irish drug policy | BBC, UK
Alcohol-free and low-alcohol beverage consumption and concurrent and subsequent alcohol outcomes among young adults
[Open access] Alcohol-Free and Low-Alcohol Beverages (AFLABs) have grown in popularity, yet predictors and longitudinal outcomes of their use remain unclear. We aimed to measure the association between AFLAB consumption and (1) concurrent and (2) subsequent alcohol consumption, risk and change measures (e.g. consequences, quit attempts, abstention) and drinking motives among young adults | Addiction, UK
Aiding Executions?: How Aid Donors and the UN Enable the Death Penalty for Drug Offences
Over the last decade, aid donors spent approximately $60 million on 'narcotics control' projects in countries that retain the death penalty for drug-related offences, including Iran, which carried out 79% of the world's confirmed drug-related executions in 2025. This report follows the money | HRI, UK
153. Psychedelics, Couples and Sex with Sarah Tilley - audio
In this episode, we speak with Sarah Tilley, a couple’s therapy pioneer and the CEO and founder of Beautiful Space, a provider of psilocybin programmes for couples. She details how her own divorce led her to this work, emphasizing that issues between couples become emotionally taxing on their children, manifesting in poor mental health and wellbeing | Drug Science, UK
Pharmacist and dentist-led smoking cessation clinic led to 20% quit rate
The smoking cessation programme offered continuous behavioural counselling, pharmacological therapy and dental care incentives for participants who expressed a willingness to quit | Pharmaceutical Journal, UK
Mexico City bans alcohol sales ahead of Mexico-Czech Republic match
Mexico City will ban alcohol sales in some of its busiest neighbourhoods during Wednesday's Mexico-Czech Republic World Cup match, after celebrations last week led to public drinking and litter along the capital's main avenue | Reuters, UK
Shopify to bar vapes as U.S. authorities crack down on illegal industry
Shopify Inc (SHOP.TO), opens new tab will ban all vapes from its platform as soon as this week after pressure from a group of U.S. state attorneys general aiming to curb sales of illegal e-cigarettes online, according to two sources familiar with its plans | Reuters, UK
Whitney Houston estate denies Oprah’s ‘inaccurate and unfair’ claim singer fell off stage due to drug use
Late singer ‘absolutely not high’ when she fell on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2009, says estate after Winfrey claimed she had relapsed | Guardian, UK
HRB reports continued rise in demand for alcohol treatment
HRB’s latest figures show 8,798 cases were treated for problem alcohol use in Ireland in 2025, representing a slight increase compared with 2024. Almost one-third of cases reported using another drug along with alcohol. Cocaine remains the most common additional drug used alongside alcohol. In 2025, men accounted for six in ten cases with a median age of 42 years. Women had a median age of 44 years | HRB, Ireland
Committee recommends decriminalisation of all drugs for personal use
The Joint Committee on Drug Use have recommended the decriminalisation of possession of drugs for personal use. This follows previous recommendations from the Citizens' Assembly on Drug Use, which pushed for a health-led approach when it came to personal use, rather than through the courts | Meath Chronicle, Ireland
EU Justice and Home Affairs agencies explore future responses to synthetic drug threats
As synthetic drugs continue to pose risks to public health and security in Europe, experts from across the EU Justice and Home Affairs Agencies' Network (JHAAN) gathered in Lisbon to examine how Europe can strengthen its preparedness for an increasingly complex drug landscape | EUDA, Portugal
Results from the Annual National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS)
The FDA has published its analysis of data from the 2025 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) on youth tobacco use. In 2025, about 2 million middle and high school students reported current use (defined as use on one or more days during the past 30 days) of any tobacco product. During 2022–2025, current use of tobacco overall, e-cigarettes, and cigarettes declined among U.S. high school and middle school students. Current use of nicotine pouches remained low and stable during 2024–2025 | FDA, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
The end of premiumisation?
Premiumisation has long been a go-to business strategy for the alcohol industry. Yet with signs of it in decline, multinational giants are moving towards cheaper, stronger ‘ready to drink’ products to appeal to younger people. This possible shift in strategy is a trend to watch, with possible implications for drinking rates and industry ‘responsible drinking’ strategies | IAS blog, UK
Tips for making your PhD funding application stand out
What separates a strong PhD funding application from the rest? Following an SSA webinar with previous judges and successful applicants, Holly Wood-Blake explores three practical lessons for people pursuing a PhD | SSA, UK
24-hour parks and alcohol bans: what cities could learn from Paris’s ‘heatwave mode’
Following a devastating heatwave in 2003 that killed 15,000, France has adopted four alert levels to help people cope with extreme temperatures | Guardian opinion, UK
How drug demand in New Zealand and Australia is driving calls for the death penalty in Fiji
Fiji is at the centre of an illicit narcotics crisis described as a national emergency, driven by an escalating demand for hard drugs in Australia and New Zealand. Drugs, particularly cocaine and methamphetamine, are now rife in Fiji. What was once solely a transit point for the international market has grown to create local demand | Conversation, New Zealand