DrugWise Daily |
20th October 2026 |
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UK news
'I started ketamine at 14 and needed nappies at 22' - the rise of young people going to rehab
The drugs charity Kaleidoscope says it has seen a huge rise in referrals to its detox and rehabilitation facility over the last five years, with two people referred in 2021 compared to 112 so far this year. The majority of clients are aged 18 to 24 | BBC, UK
Selecting for potency: are drug controls shaping the evolution of illicit drug markets?
[Open access] Since the late 2000s, illicit drug markets have been characterised by a seemingly endless succession of highly potent novel psychoactive substances (NPS) (Shafi et al., 2020). This phenomenon is commonly attributed to illicit innovation outpacing drug control systems (Seddon, 2014). Yet the possibility that drug controls may unintentionally promote the emergence of more potent substances – the so-called "potency paradox" – has been recognised for decades (Thornton, 1998). Here, we examine recent UK developments as a contemporary illustration of this longstanding hypothesis | IJDP, UK
Do you work or volunteer in a UK community drug and alcohol treatment, recovery or harm reduction service?
Liverpool John Moores University researchers want to understand how you think the general public, and professionals in other health and social care services, view people who do this work, and how this relates to workplace wellbeing. All roles are welcome, including peer, outreach, admin and management. The confidential online survey takes 15 minutes. Optional prize draw for one of six £30 vouchers | LJMU, UK
A tale of two trap houses: being cuckooed ruined my friend’s life – but did it then help save him? – podcast
Drug gangs have moved off Britain’s streets and into vulnerable people’s homes. Addicts like my friend are easy targets, but the reality can be more complicated than it seems | Guardian, UK
'Alice Cooper is a character, like Jekyll and Hyde'
The rock star ... spoke openly about the dangers of drugs and alcohol and warned that today's young people face a far more dangerous environment than previous generations. "When I was on cocaine, I was an entirely different person. All of my senses went away and I was living for the drug, so it's a form of possession," he said | BBC, UK
International news
Revealed: The Issues with Spain’s Drug Quantity Thresholds
Drug consumption and possession exclusively for personal use have never been criminal offences in Spain. Unlike Portugal, Spain therefore had no comparable decriminalisation reform marking a before and after. This may help explain why its approach has received less international attention, both for its strengths and its problems | Talking Drugs, UK
Born in jail to a mum with a heroin addiction - how US teenager Abby has been affected by drugs
In 2022, 110,000 people in the United States were dying from overdoses, mostly from opioids. The number has been dropping since, down to around 70,000 last year. But that doesn't mean the opioid crisis is over. Former heroin user Karen knows how difficult it is to quit. She was still using heroin when she got pregnant with her daughter, Abby. She is now 17 years free from hard drugs | BBC, UK
US church on frontline of battle against drug known as 'tranq' - video'
America has been fighting the War on Drugs for decades, but the drug cartels, the suppliers and the dealers appear to be always one step ahead of the authorities. President Trump has declared the cartels, "terrorists" and labelled fentanyl, the powerful synthetic opioid, a "weapon of mass destruction". But the drug supply is changing, with other deadly synthetics being added to the mix, including strong animal tranquillisers, known on the streets as "tranq" | BBC, UK
The ‘Finger cutter’ and the ‘Brazilian Escobar’: the men accused of bringing cocaine cartels to Europe
A Belgian criminal organisation’s links with a Brazilian cocaine gang have been the focus of a major trial in Brussels, where smuggling links have been alleged between European players and the drug cartels of Latin America | Guardian, UK
Selena Gomez says vaping has affected her voice
Selena Gomez has said vaping nicotine has changed the way her voice sounds | BBC, UK
Cannabis users face increased heart attack risk around surgery
As marijuana use becomes more common and legal in most U.S. states, patients who use cannabis may face a significantly higher risk of heart attack around the time of surgery, while also showing an unexpected lower risk of dangerous blood clots in the veins, suggests a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2026 annual meeting | News Medical, USA
Substance Misuse Prevalence and Risk Factors in Adolescents and Young Adults With Depression
In this cross-sectional study of 22 906 adolescents and 27 723 young adults in the 2023 and 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, youths with depression had significantly higher odds of reporting prescription psychotherapeutic drug misuse and use disorder compared with those without depression, and frequently reported misusing prescription psychotherapeutic drugs to help with feelings and emotions | JAMA Network Open, USA
Initial Treatment for Acute Low Back Pain and Risk of Opioid Use Disorder and Overdose
In this cohort study of 399 500 opioid-naive adults with Medicaid insurance, the cumulative incidence of OUD or overdose diagnosis was 2% at 13 months after initiating treatment for aLBP. Initiating higher-dose opioids (>50 mg of morphine equivalent) was associated with the highest risk, whereas chiropractic work was associated with the greatest risk reduction | JAMA Network Open, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
The mafia isn’t keeping fentanyl out of Europe – the lack of demand is
Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are still the single biggest driver of overdose deaths in the US. They were involved in around 38,000 of the roughly 70,000 deaths recorded in 2025, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Europe’s figures are of a different order | Conversation, UK et al
Many vapes and e-cigarettes are now banned in Pennsylvania – here’s what Philly consumers and businesses need to know
Many popular nicotine vapes are now banned in Pennsylvania, with only six companies approved to sell their products in the state after a legal ban went into effect on Oct. 19, 2026. Here’s how Pennsylvania’s new law works and what to expect as enforcement begins | Conversation, USA
Cannabis is getting stronger, but doubling THC dose doesn’t get you twice as ‘high’ – new study
Cannabis products are getting more potent and easier to buy around the world. Yet little is known about how bigger doses of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active ingredient in cannabis, change what people feel. Our new research found that larger doses generally make people feel more high, but not in a straight line. Doubling the dose does not double the feeling of intoxication | Conversation, Australia