DrugWise Daily |
3rd July 2026 |
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UK news
Charity WithYou to run drug and alcohol recovery services across the whole of Glasgow
WithYou has been awarded a new contract to deliver drug and alcohol recovery services across all three areas of Glasgow, supporting thousands of people every year in their recovery. Glasgow City Council has awarded the contract to the charity, which has held the North East and North West hub contracts since 2016, and has delivered community services in Glasgow since 2004. From 23 September, WithYou will also take on the South Glasgow service, becoming the provider for the whole city for the first time | WithYou, UK
Nottinghamshire LERO Expansion Supported by The Forward Trust
The Forward Trust is delighted to announce its appointment to support an established Lived Experience Recovery Organisation (LERO) in Nottinghamshire, strengthening peer-led recovery support across the region | Forward Trust, UK
Hospital smokers say there is nowhere to go
Smokers who light up outside "smoke-free" hospitals say there is nowhere else to go. On visits by the BBC, dozens of people were seen smoking outside Hull Royal Infirmary and Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital, Grimsby, despite a ban. Julie, 66, said her husband was being treated for a serious illness at Hull Royal and having a cigarette helped her "deal with the stress" | BBC, UK
'Home delivery alcohol destroyed my daughter': Wirral mum's petition wants curbs on drink drop-offs
Figures show one in five of us are ordering alcohol online to be delivered to our doors | ITV, UK
Alcoholic Drinks: Delivery Services
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of alcohol delivery services on (a) consumption and (b) public health | They work for you, UK
Pubs allowed to stay open until 5am for England Mexico match
Pubs in England and Wales will now be allowed to stay open until 05:00 on Monday, allowing football fans to watch the Three Lions' World Cup clash with Mexico to the final whistle | BBC, UK
International news
Opioid agonist treatment and risk of mortality in French primary care: a nationwide, retrospective cohort study
[Open access] In France opioid substitution treatment relies on buprenorphine and primary care, offering an opportunity to test whether this model saves lives. Once patients had started treatment with buprenorphine or methadone, being on rather than off these medications was "strongly associated" with fewer deaths, most strongly for buprenorphine, perhaps partly because of the types of patients diverted to methadone | Lancet, UK
It kills two-thirds of lifetime users – so why is smoking cool again?
Australian nicotine consumption is on the rise, the illegal tobacco trade is booming and cigarettes have returned to pop culture – and experts are worried | Guardian, UK
‘It was a massacre’: Haiti gangs carry out mass killings across the country
The Guardian has found evidence of a massacre that left at least 70 civilians dead as the country’s security forces struggle to control even the main roads to the capital | Guardian, UK
Regular exercise boosts success rates for quitting smoking
A pack-a-day smoker can spend around $14,000 a year on cigarettes, yet despite the financial and health costs, quitting remains one of the most difficult changes many people will ever attempt | News Medical, USA
How many traffic fatalities can be attributed to cannabis each year in the US?
[Open access] Kamer and Warshafsky (IJDP, 2026, 148, Article 105110) have estimated that the recent use of cannabis by US drivers contributes about 5000 deaths per year to the road toll. Part 1 of this Commentary describes the mathematics of the estimation equations. Two clear errors in Kamer and Warshafsky’s estimations are identified in Part 2 | IJDP, USA
Emergency Department Peer Recovery Support Services for Individuals with Substance Use Disorders: A Systematic Review of Comparative Studies
High attendance of substance users at emergency departments has led researchers to try using interventionists with a history of problem substance use to 'intercept' these patients and support them towards harm reduction and treatment options, usually with a view to reducing overdose deaths. There is evidence of potential, but these programmes have "yet to demonstrate superiority to usual care" | Dove Press, USA
How the global network of America’s largest business lobby opens doors for tobacco companies
American Chambers of Commerce opposed a vaping ban in Bulgaria, praised a cigarette factory in Serbia and hosted tobacco executives and government officials in Ukraine | The Examination, USA
Cracking open a can of cannabis—America's new pastime (for now)
At Fourth of July barbecues this weekend, Americans are more likely than ever to crack open a can of cannabis rather than a beer | Medical Xpress, USA
CBD reduces seizures in drug-resistant pediatric epilepsy, study finds
A new study has found cannabidiol (medicinal cannabis) to be a promising treatment for several drug-resistant forms of pediatric epilepsy, offering renewed hope to families | Medical Xpress, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
Words, Stories and Magic
For several years now, language guides have been a useful tool in reducing stigma around substance use and recovery. The ASN Language Guide, alongside others in the UK, US, and internationally, seek to shift public and professional conversations away from labels, blame, and moral judgement. These guides are useful because words, the meaning they carry and the story they tell, really matter | AntiStigma Network, UK
The nanny state is sanitising Britain to death
The generational smoking ban is the latest attempt to squeeze the joy and choice out of life | Spiked, UK
The beautiful ad: alcohol promotion at the 2026 men's World Cup
In the midst of the 2026 men's football World Cup, the paradox of using the world's most popular sport to normalise and promote alcohol consumption has resurfaced. Although it is understandable that an organisation like the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) would seek to maximise its profits through sponsorships from brewing giants, such as AB InBev (Leuven, Belgium), the willingness of host countries to support alcohol consumption is surprising | Lancet correspondence, UK
Alcohol is one of the most dangerous drugs, yet its presence is ubiquitous in social settings and celebrations
Few substances are as deeply woven into everyday life as alcohol. It is a fixture at holiday celebrations, work-related social gatherings, sporting events, airports, and brunch or dinner tables. A raised glass for a toast, the ubiquitous wedding open bar or drinks shared during a Fourth of July celebration all demonstrate how deeply alcohol has become embedded in social customs and cultural traditions | Conversation, USA