DrugWise Daily |
6th July 2026 |
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UK news
Majority of UK smokers wrongly believe vaping is as harmful as cigarettes, experts find
Analysis shows public understanding about vaping, which is far less harmful than smoking, has plummeted in past decade | Guardian, UK
Alcohol Awareness Week
It's Alcohol Awareness Week! This year's campaign is running from 6-12 July 2026 on the theme of Alcohol and me | Alcohol Change UK, UK
Advice at city sites for Alcohol Awareness Week
Specialist support and advice is being laid on at locations around Wolverhampton as part of Alcohol Awareness Week. The city council said levels of alcohol harm were high, compared with other parts of the country, while mortality rates and hospital admissions for alcohol specific conditions were significantly above the national average | BBC, UK
Drug Education Forum webinar #4: Youth vaping & the Tobacco and Vapes Act
10-11am Thursday 24th September. Hazel Cheeseman and John Waldron from Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) will cover their most recent data on young people and nicotine use, provide a briefing on the Tobacco and Vapes Act, and describe the outcomes of a review on education and prevention activities for YP in local authorities and the toolkit developed in response to this. They will be joined by Jasmine Khouja, lecturer in psychology at the University of Bath | DEF, UK
Heart Diseases: Electronic Cigarettes
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of potential links between vape use and cardiac arrests | They work for you, UK
Every Conversation Counts: Supporting Women When Time Is Limited at HMP Bronzefield
Mary Hayman, Counselling & Complex Need Regional Team Lead at The Forward Trust, shares how Step by Step Therapy at HMP Bronzefield is helping women access meaningful psychological support, proving that even a single conversation can be the start of positive change | Forward Trust, UK
Forward contributes to an important new criminal justice project at the Home Affairs, Human Rights, Equalities and Justice Hub
This week (1 July), Emma Stuart, Executive Director of Criminal Justice at The Forward Trust, provided expert insight as part of an important lecture delivered at the House of Commons for the Home Affairs, Human Rights, Equalities and Justice Hub — a research and advisory unit that brings together policymakers, academics and practitioners to explore key social issues | Forward Trust, UK
Meet the friends behind Recovery Connects in Glasgow
Three friends who have battled addiction are behind a growing festival that continues to bring people together through music, recovery and community | Glasgow Times, UK
Police to breathalyse passengers arriving at Glasgow and Prestwick airports
Police Scotland has launched a new initiative aimed at preventing drink-driving among holidaymakers arriving at Glasgow Airport and Glasgow Prestwick Airport | Yahoo, UK
International news
Drug sellers' use of drug checking services with Pablo Gonzalez Nieto - audio
In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Pablo Gonzalez Nieto, a harm reduction provider, drug checking technician, and research assistant at Substance Drug Checking within the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, Canada. The interview covers Pablo’s research article on drug sellers’ use of a drug checking service amid the overdose crisis in British Columbia, Canada | SSA, UK
THR Unfiltered #2 | How should we think about nicotine addiction? - video
Can we rethink nicotine addiction? Is the word "addiction" helping—or hurting—the conversation? In this episode of THR Unfiltered, recorded during the Global Forum on Nicotine 2026 #GFN26 we speak with behavioral scientist Dr. Arielle Selya about the science behind nicotine dependence, addiction, and tobacco harm reduction. The discussion explores why researchers often prefer the term "dependence" over "addiction," how these concepts differ in scientific and clinical contexts, and why language matters when discussing people who use nicotine | GFN TV, UK
How gangs are using social media to recruit airline staff as drug mules
A Thai Airways flight attendant has been charged with importing more than one kilogram of heroin into Australia | Independent, UK
Experiences of a Pre-Treatment Sober Month in Individuals With Alcohol Use Disorder Pursuing Controlled Drinking Goals
[Open access] Challenging drinkers to do without for a month is a familiar tactic for moderating drinking across a population, but in Sweden it was also trialled as an initial part of a cognitive-behavioural treatment programme for patients seeking to control their drinking. According to their accounts, it was a double-edged sword | DAR, USA
Ireland takes over the EU Presidency with the motto 'Strength with unity'
Ireland has assumed the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union with the motto Ní neart go cur le chéile (‘Strength with unity’). The Presidency will run until 31 December 2026 | EUDA, Portugal
Effectiveness of Alcohol Use Disorder Pharmacotherapies by Sex: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
[Open access] Studies on medication-based treatments for problem drinking which enabled an assessment of the response of women versus men revealed differences "close to zero" and overall "modest" effects | DATR, USA
Definitions of community-level approaches to address substance-related harms and lessons learned: A systematic overview of reviews
[Open access] Clarifies what counts as a 'community' prevention strategy and the most effective elements identified by 87 reviews of relevant studies: "Meaningful community engagement was central across recommendations to improve effectiveness." | AJCP, USA
Drinking to cope with stress may permanently rewire your brain
Using alcohol to cope with stress when young may permanently alter the brain, making it harder to adapt to challenges and increasing the risk of returning to drinking later in life. Researchers also found signs of brain damage associated with early dementia, suggesting the effects can linger long after alcohol use has stopped | Science Daily, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
Courts need to stop punishing women for the actions of their abusers
The bar for being a good parent is too often set far higher for mothers than it is for fathers. And when this happens in the Family Court, women are demonised, criminalised and re-traumatised – all the while being held to account for the actions of their abusive partner. A new report from the organisation Right to Equality has found concerning evidence of victim-blaming in the family courts – often directed towards mothers | Phoenix Futures, UK