DrugWise Daily |
11th May 2026 |
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UK news
RCP calls for opt out quit support across all NHS services
A new report from the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) sets out the unequal and devastating health and economic impact of smoking in the UK, shaped by poverty, poor housing, employment insecurity and industry practices. The report calls on government to introduce opt out tobacco dependency treatment across all NHS services | RCP, UK
Free anti-vaping resources launched for schools
A set of free educational resources designed to teach primary school children about the risks of vaping has been launched following a trial at several schools | BBC, UK
Further warning issued over contaminated drugs
A further warning has been issued over suspected contaminated drugs, including cocaine, believed to be circulating in North East Lincolnshire. North East Lincolnshire Council said the warning was being issued ahead of the weekend after a "recent increase in overdoses" reported locally | BBC, UK
Second person dead as Merseyside grapples with contaminated drugs
A second person has died as Merseyside battles with contaminated drugs. It was revealed by the ECHO last month how a 62-year-old man had died after consuming nitazenes, a group of extremely potent, synthetic drugs that copy the effect of heroin | Liverpool Echo, UK
Key Stage 2 vaping education resources now available to download free of charge
The free comprehensive vaping resources for Key stage 2 for schools include a suite of stand-alone games, pictures, activities, lesson plans, PowerPoints and implementation guidance available for you to download and use! | Talk About Trust, UK
Access denied: why is treatment still so hard to reach for people experiencing homelessness?
For people experiencing homelessness, accessing substance use treatment is rarely straightforward. Fragmented systems, strict criteria and the limitations of borough-based boundaries often leave people excluded before they have had a chance to engage. At Phoenix Futures, our Regional Homeless Engagement with Substance Use Treatment (RhEST) service works to remove these barriers | Phoenix Futures, UK
‘I was in a terrible state’: actor David Morrissey tells how social anxiety led him to alcoholism
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, Liverpool-born actor says depression and anxiety followed death of his father when he was 15 | Guardian, UK
A practical guide to communicating research beyond academia
Wednesday, May 20 • 2 PM - 3 PM GMT+1. Dr Melissa Oldham will facilitate a discussion on how to communicate research findings to non-academic audiences. Professor Rochelle Holmes will share her experience of creating a podcast and offer advice on communicating science in an accessible and engaging way. Professor Ian Hamilton will discuss how to write compelling public-facing blogs and articles. Dr Sam Wright will reflect on bridging research and practice, and share practical advice on communicating findings more effectively | SSA, UK
A smoke-free island is within grasp - health boss [Guernsey]
Public health officials in Guernsey say the island achieving a smoke-free status is "within our grasp" after smoking rates fell to just over 9% | BBC, UK
Addicted to running: How one of the nation's favourite pastimes can turn compulsive
From marathons and parkruns to someone simply going for a jog, running is a universal sport. The health benefits are clear but, for some, the obsessive nature of chasing personal bests, medals or even raising money for charity can create an unhealthy relationship with running | BBC, UK
Crystal meth and ketamine found in police raid
Officers also found a 20-litre (35-pint) barrel of a chemical believed to have been used to make the drugs, when they searched a property in Elmira Way, Salford, early on Friday morning | BBC, UK
Man who fed drugs to girl, 4, dies in prison
A man who fed drugs to his former partner's four-year-old daughter before her death has died in prison, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) has confirmed | BBC, UK
International news
Why it’s wrong to say vaping is as bad for you as smoking - audio
According to the World Health organisation, smoking kills some 7 million people every year. It is one of the world’s leading causes of preventable death. Because smoking causes lung cancer and other awful health conditions, many smokers switch to vaping - using nicotine-based e-cigarettes. But the World Health organisation is also concerned about vaping... | BBC, UK
Emerging new psychoactive ketamine analogues: patterns of use and health risks identified by the French Addictovigilance Network
[Open access] Ketamine analogues are emerging dissociative substances structurally related to ketamine and increasingly detected on drug markets worldwide. This study aimed to characterize patterns of use, user profiles, and associated health outcomes in France | IJDP, UK
Tracking the supply of nitazenes on online drug markets with Amy Peacock and Monica Barratt - audio
In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Dr Amy Peacock, an Associate Professor and Deputy Director of the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, and Dr Monica Barratt, an Associate Professor at Australia's National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University. The interview covers Amy and Monica’s research article examining the availability of nitazenes via cryptomarkets and surface web shops | SSA, UK
Political ideology and party affiliation as determinants of attitudes toward legalization of Marijuana in the United States: Implications for policy conversations
Drawing on data gathered in the General Social Survey (GSS), this study examined the influence of political ideology, conceived as a measure of personal identity, and party affiliation, an indicator of group identity, on attitudes toward the legalization of marijuana in the United States | Drug Science, UK
How the Trump White House works against itself in its efforts to prevent overdoses
Contradictory policies that gut harm reduction programs while supporting naloxone access are confusing experts | Guardian, UK
Kodak Black arrested for allegedly trafficking MDMA in Florida
President Donald Trump commuted rapper’s previous prison sentence during his first term | Independent, UK
Fog of war? Trump quietly ramped up attacks on suspected drug boats after Iran action began. Nearly 200 have been killed
The military’s lethal footage of blown-up ships is still a grim routine, Alex Woodward reports. But public attention has shifted from the Pacific to the Strait | Independent, UK
Drug-related intimidation on the rise, with most incidents linked to cocaine use
Small number of those involved under 18, highlighting problem of youth exploitation and early criminality | Irish Times, Ireland
Sharing approaches and tools to identify and address emerging threats
Experts from across the EU are meeting to exchange approaches and tools to better prepare for emerging health and security threats | EUDA, Portugal
Personal Recovery in Addictions: Development of a new Assessment Instrument
In Spain 1,604 people "in recovery" from problem substance use contributed to the development of an assessment of the degree and nature of the process. The resulting questionnaire reflected seven dimensions: connectedness; hope; identity; meaning in life; empowerment; difficulties; and practical support | Psicothema, Spain
Atlantic ‘Cocaine Highway’ broken in coordinated maritime operation
An international law enforcement operation led by the Spanish Guardia Civil and coordinated through Europol has disrupted a major cocaine trafficking route across the Atlantic Ocean | Europol, The Netherlands
Smokers now view e-cigarettes as riskier after lung injury crisis
As a surge of vaping-related lung injuries captured headlines, smokers began reassessing the risks of e-cigarettes, showing how quickly public perception can shift, even when the underlying science remains more nuanced | News Medical, USA
Tobacco Harm Reduction Should Be Part of HIV Care
Globally, around 41 million people are living with HIV. And just about everywhere, smoking rates for this population are far higher—anywhere up to four times higher—than national averages | Filter Magazine, USA
Factors associated with readmission to residential treatment among clients transitioned from detoxification services in Alberta, Canada
[Open access] Over 40% of patients who left residential detoxification later had to return during the study period, but this was half as likely if follow-on residential treatment was available at the same site: "These findings underscore the importance of continuity | American Journal on Addictions, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
Opioid overdoses: should we bring peer support workers into ED?
Almost half of the drug-related deaths in the UK involve an opioid. Heroin is usually the cause. However, with recent disruptions to the global heroin supply chain, we can expect to see more synthetic opioid (e.g. nitazene) overdoses in the coming years. In emergency medicine, we are generally very good at treating opioid poisoning. The toxidrome is predictable, and we have a tried-and-tested antidote (naloxone). What we are less good at, in my experience, is preventing these patients from overdosing again | St Emlyn's blog, UK
Is it a good idea to drink alcohol on flights? The Independent travel desk gives their verdict
For some holidaymakers, an overpriced in-flight fizz or miniature bottle of sauvignon blanc is the only way to kickstart a break | Independent, UK
Inside Number 10: the politics behind the smoking ban
I felt some pride but also some regret when I saw the Tobacco and Vapes Act reach the statute book | King's Fund blog, UK