DrugWise Daily |
12th August 2026 |
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UK news
England set to be one of the first countries to eliminate hepatitis C
England is on track to become one of the first countries in the world to eliminate hepatitis C, a dangerous virus that attacks the liver, figures show | BBC, UK
100,000 people receive treatment to cure deadly hep C virus on NHS in just ten years
Over 100,000 people in England have accessed potentially life-saving treatment for hepatitis C in the last decade as part of a groundbreaking NHS programme, new figures show | NHS England, UK
Summer is the overlooked peak for drink-drive collisions, new analysis shows
August recorded the highest average number of drink-drive casualties and collisions of any months between 2014 and 2024 – with summer consistently proving more dangerous than winter, RAC analysis of new government data reveals | RAC, UK
Guidance - Selling vaping and nicotine products
Changes to age of sale rules and related regulations for vaping and nicotine products from 29 October 2026 | DHSC, UK
Guidance - Selling tobacco, herbal smoking products and cigarette papers
Changes to age of sale rules and related regulations for tobacco and herbal smoking products and cigarette papers from 29 October 2026 and 1 January 2027 | DHSC, UK
Guidance - Tobacco and vaping product vending machine ban
New restrictions on vending machines selling tobacco, herbal smoking products and cigarette papers, and vaping and nicotine products from 29 October 2026 | DHSC, UK
Guidance - Tobacco, vaping and nicotine products: fixed penalty notices
Information about changes to fixed penalty notices for offences related to tobacco, vaping and nicotine products from 29 October 2026 and 1 January 2027 | DHSC, UK
Why there's a row about standing up while drinking in central London
It has been claimed so-called vertical drinking is under threat in the heart of London's West End | BBC, UK
James Buckley reveals he’s stopped drinking due to rare health diagnosis
The 38-year-old was told by doctors that high levels of Lipoprotein(a) in his blood put him at a high risk of a cardiovascular incident | Independent, UK
Inside the British Isles where cannabis edibles are booming and children can buy them legally - video
There is no minimum age limit on cannabis products in the Channel Islands, meaning that as long as they meet certain rules, they can be sold to anyone | ITV, UK
Cocaine worth £232m seized in National Crime Agency investigation
A huge seizure of almost three tonnes of cocaine has been made as part of a National Crime Agency investigation. The haul – which has an estimated street value of £232m – was made on Thursday at London Gateway Port in Essex | NCA, UK
International news
Gangs using Airbnb-type rentals as drug stash houses, top Belgian official says
Flexible short-term bookings used to store and pack drugs and stash weapons and cash, says Ine Van Wymersch | Guardian, UK
More women than men seeking help for crack cocaine addiction at national centre, report finds
Alcohol remains the most common substance for which people seek treatment from the Coolmine Therapeutic Community | Irish Times, Ireland
Alcohol intervention is successful in humanitarian setting
Reports on the first known randomised trial of an alcohol-reduction intervention in a humanitarian setting. At a refugee settlement in northern Zambia, screening, brief advice and, if indicated, referral to treatment, led to a significant, sustained reduction in drinking | EurekAlert, USA
The DRAM, Vol. 22(8) – What rural veterans experience when receiving care for alcohol-related problems
This week, The DRAM reviews a study by Tony Pomales and colleagues that explored the experiences of rural veterans who received care for alcohol withdrawal symptoms (AWS) and AUD | CHA, USA
The Drug War Myths People Still Believe
Around 2013, fentanyl started percolating in the United States street opioid supply, which was heroin-based at that time. Over the next few years it steadily pushed heroin out of the East Coast, and once the COVID-19 pandemic hit it rapidly did the same on the West Coast. As crackdowns have pushed the drug supply to evolve more quickly and chaotically, fentanyl has gradually begun showing up with non-opioid drugs | Filteer Magazine, USA
Blogs,. comment and opinion
ASH response to PM crackdown on vape shops
Responding to the government announcement “PM vows to save “hollowed out high streets” with crackdown on vape and betting shops”, Hazel Cheeseman, Chief Executive of Action and Smoking and Health said: “This feels like a knee-jerk announcement and it’s hard to see how it will make a meaningful difference on vape shops... | ASH, UK