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In date order, Monday to Friday
Integrating tobacco harm reduction into drug treatment and harm reduction services
This publication offers some ideas for drug treatment and harm reduction services keen to help people reduce smoking and tobacco-related harm | GSTHR, UK [See also item below]
Smoking among people facing problems with drug use
Over the last two decades, the prevalence of smoking among general adult populations has been declining, particularly in wealthier nations. But across both high-income countries (HIC) and low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), smoking has a significant and often disproportionate impact on marginalised communities. In this Briefing Paper, we consider how smoking affects one such group, people who are facing problems with their drug use | GSTHR, UK
Festival fans warned over 'pink powder' drugs
As thousands of music fans look forward to summer festivals, health experts have warned of the dangers of taking new drugs known as "pink powders". The drugs are also sometimes referred to as "pink cocaine" but according to Northern Ireland's Public Health Agency (PHA) the powders rarely contain cocaine. In reality, the powders are often a mix of very high-strength MDMA, ketamine and other substances. "We really want to highlight to people - if it's pink, stop and think," said Dr Denise O'Hagan from the PHA | BBC, UK
Thousands of young Scottish people admitted to A&E amid Ketamine crisis
Stats uncovered by the Sunday Mail by a freedom of information request show almost 1600 A&E and hospital admissions across Scotland in the last four years | Edinburgh Live, UK
Warning over suspected dangerous vape liquid
Young people are being warned to stay alert to the circulation of illicit vapes, after police seized liquids thought to contain fentanyl. Durham Police said it seized several suspected Mazza vapes and vape liquids across County Durham. Mazza is the street term for a type of liquid containing unregulated nicotine or cannabis products | BBC, UK
What are 'Mazza' vapes? - audio
Kay Davidson explains the dangers of new illicit vapes hitting the market | BBC, UK
£44.8 billion goes up in smoke each year as cost of smoking to society in England revealed
Published by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), the figures highlight the significant economic and social impact of smoking across England, underlining the substantial burden it places on individuals, communities, public services and the wider economy | ASH, UK
Disposable vape use falls sharply during the first year of the ban
YouGov survey data, commissioned from Action and Smoking and Health shows that in 2026, just 13% of 11–17-year-olds who vape say they mainly use disposable products, down from 42% in 2025 before the ban, and substantially lower than the peak of 69% recorded in 2023 | ASH, UK
ITV Tonight - Over the Counter: Our Hidden Drug Addiction - video
Sam Holder examines how over-the-counter drugs present significant dangers of becoming habit-forming and even addictive if not used correctly. Dr Prun Bural, Medical Director at Change Grow Live is interviewd at 8:13 and 21:20 | ITV, UK
DDN Magazine June 2026
As the country celebrates Pride in all its glory, we’re championing many forms of inclusion in this month’s issue. As a new report by London Friend reveals (p14), mental health issues like trauma, loneliness and isolation are major challenges for LGBTQ+ drug and alcohol support services – issues that confront us in many contexts | DDN, UK
Substance use services from a lived experience perspective - reviewing the evidence from 2024-25 around MAT Implementation
This release summarises a qualitative secondary analysis of lived and living experience evidence about substance use services across Scotland, focusing on implementation of the 10 Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Standards during 2024-25 | Public Health Scotland, UK
55 Years of the Misuse of Drugs Act
EDM (Early Day Motion)258 tabled on 02 June 2026. This motion has been signed by 5 Members. It has not yet had any amendments submitted. Motion text: "That this House notes that the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, which received Royal Assent 55 years ago, has failed to reduce drug consumption and that drug deaths are now at a record high; regrets that the Act is clearly not fit for purpose, having instead increased harm, damaged public health and exacerbated social inequalities..." | UK Parliament, UK
Research Briefing: Ketamine
Ketamine is classified as a class B drug in the UK. Data suggests that ketamine use is increasing and there are concerns about the harms of misuse. This briefing covers prevalence of use, effects, risks and more | House of Commons Library, UK
Social media app normalises illegal vaping among teens, study finds
Content shared on social media platforms is contributing to the normalisation of illegal vaping among young people, according to new research from the University of East Anglia (UEA) | Dental Nursing, UK
Banning smoking at school gates is backed by research
Research carried out for campaigners at Asthma + Lung UK Scotland found 83.7% agree the Scottish Government should bar people from lighting up outside schools | TFN, UK
School children using vapes laced with drugs like Spice
More than a quarter of children across Blackburn and Darwen have used a vape laced with drugs, according to a recent health survey. The figures were revealed by the charity Healthwatch at a local authority meeting on Tuesday | BBC, UK
Vapes laced with 'spice' that put boy, 12, in coma sold to kids on social media
Professor Chris Pudney at the University of Bath has been investigating the prevalence of these vapes in schools and, in 2025, found that as many as one in four confiscated vapes contain spice. He has since been researching how available it is on social media and has found a network of ten thousand accounts linked to the sale of the drug | ITV, UK
Woman warns of 'ketamine bladder' after drug use scarred hers for life
Ellie Wight started taking ketamine when she was 18. It made her feel like she had "no worries" and "no cares", helping her to relax in social settings. She thought it was a "safe option" compared to other drugs, and "didn't think she'd have any issues". Five years later, the 23-year-old is living with permanent damage to her bladder caused by repeated use of the powerful class-B drug | BBC, UK
Estate agent, 22, with ketamine addiction died after weight dropped to just 5st
A young estate agent with a ketamine addiction died in agony at home after discharging herself from hospital and telling her mum ‘I can’t do it anymore’, and inquest heard | Metro, UK
Stop smoking service data explorer
This data explorer presents latest published analysis on stop smoking service data, alongside indicators relating to the prevalence of smoking | OHID, UK