DrugWise Daily |
18th August 2026 |
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UK news
Young adults are taking prescription drugs instead of alcohol - and it's dividing experts
Around the world, evidence shows that young people are turning to medications and experimental substances as alternatives to alcohol. Some of them come in pill form - like pregabalin and propranolol, the ones Matt takes. And some are injected - like peptides, a type of protein that's becoming increasingly popular online | BBC, UK
Drugs, violence and racism: A week in Glasgow city centre
Videos of brutal beatings, blatant drug deals, and racial violence in the centre of Scotland's biggest city have become a common sight on social media | BBC, UK
Does cocaine have an age problem?
Cocaine is still mainly a young person’s problem, writes David Sinclair. But the rate at which it is becoming an older person’s problem is accelerating sharply – and the treatment system, as we found when we looked at alcohol a decade ago, is not ready for it | ILC UK, UK
30 Years of the Code, 30 Decisions – Crack Ice
In 2002, the Portman Group received three complaints from members of the public about Crack Ice. A 5.5% ready-to-drink in a glass bottle, the packaging described the product as ‘A blend of Irish potcheen, citrus and herbs with a buzz’ and stated ‘The Irish love having fun – some believe they were born to party | Portman Group, UK
Navigating the promise and risks of industry-funded partnership
Monday 7 September, 12:45 PM - 2 PM GMT+1. The third seminar of the 2026 Alcohol Occasionals will focus on research conducted during Abbie's PhD which examined local CAP partners' participation in CAP and their views on the significance of its alcohol industry funding | SHAAP, UK
Children ban and tax blamed for vape shop closure [Guernsey]
An entrepreneur has said the "major blow" caused by government rules banning under 18s from vape shops and new taxes on nicotine liquid due to start this autumn made him decide to shut his St Peter Port store with the loss of one job | BBC, UK
International news
Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Dementia and Cognitive Decline: From Evidence to Prevention Strategies
[Open access] Alcohol use disorders serve as a significant and modifiable risk factor for the development of dementia, underscoring the urgent need for proactive clinical and public health interventions. Emerging research suggests that the relationship between alcohol consumption and cognitive health is nuanced, with studies indicating that the lowest risk for cognitive dysfunction and dementia is associated with low-level intake | EMJ, UK
“There Will Be Rollback’: Colombia’s New Right-Wing Government is Coming for Coca
In December 2025, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declined Bolivia and Colombia’s request to reclassify the coca leaf – a culturally significant plant for Indigenous and campesino (rural farmers) communities in the Andes and the raw material for cocaine – as a controlled substance under international drug treaties | Talking Drugs, UK
Spain Seizes 13 Tonnes of Nitrous Oxide in Tenerife
Spain’s Civil Guard dismantled an alleged criminal organization accused of illegally importing and distributing nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, in Tenerife, seizing nearly 13 tons of the substance in what authorities called Europe’s second-largest haul | OCCRP, USA
Alcohol’s harm to others among adults in Australia: Findings from the 2022–2023 national drug and health household survey
[Open access] Alcohol’s harm to others remains prevalent in Australia, with distinct risk profiles across harm types. These figures likely underestimate true prevalence, as the survey excludes populations at heightened risk such as those who are homeless or incarcerated. Verbal and physical abuse were associated with risky drinking and may be amenable to population-level alcohol policies | IJDP, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
From landmark legislation to local delivery: regional events to make the smokefree generation a success
In this blog, ASH Stakeholder Engagement and Networks Coordinator, Michael Carr talks about why local and regional action is so important for the implementation of the ‘Smokefree Generation’ policy, and how ASH is supporting partners and stakeholders for a coordinated effort | ASH blog, UK
Community Alcohol Partnerships: growing prominence and concerns about industry funding
Over the past few years, Community Alcohol Partnerships (or CAP) have become an increasingly prominent feature of alcohol harm reduction discussions in the UK. More than 350 local CAP schemes have now been established across the UK, with numbers growing rapidly in Scotland | SHAAP blog, UK
The Ego Trip by Kimon de Greef review – a bizarre tale of psychedelic toads and hair-raising treatments
A journalist investigates the unsettling world of a charismatic shaman and the people who trusted him | Guardian, UK
US teens are smoking and vaping less than their peers abroad
Smoking and vaping continued to decline among middle school and high school students in 2025, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s 2025 National Youth Tobacco Survey, released in July 2026. This annual, school-based survey has been tracking smoking and other nicotine product use in American youth ages 11 to 18 since 1999 | Conversation, USA