HRB National Drugs Library e-newsletter volume 21, issue 1

Our newsletter includes links to Irish and international publications related to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. To view our entire collection of research and access our resources visit our website, Ireland's comprehensive substance use research library. And follow us @HRBdrugslibrary

Also, take a look at the NDTRS treatment data tables, services map and alcohol dashboard, among other resources on our site.

Irish-related publications

Growing Up in Ireland: Cohort '98 at age 25 main results

(2025) Cork: Central Statistics Office

A qualitative analysis of people who died by suicide and had gambling documented in their coronial file

Reynolds, Ciara ME et al (2025) Addictive Behaviors, Early online. doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108267

Examination of patients presenting to the emergency department as “apparently drunk”

Hanrahan, Michael T et al (2025) Irish Journal of Medical Science, Early Online. doi.org/10.1007/s11845-025-03868-w

On-label alcohol beverage warnings in Ireland- setting a standard for Europe

Murray, Frank (2025) The Lancet Regional Health - Europe, 50. doi.org/10.1016/j.lanepe.2025.101209

Predictors and outcomes of adolescent alcohol and drug use: a scoping review

Brennan, Margaret M et al (2024) Dublin: Health Research Board and Trinity College Dublin

Factors associated with cocaine use at 17 and 20 years old: a longitudinal analysis of a nationally representative cohort

Brennan, Margaret et al (2025) Journal of Adolescent Health, Early Online. doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2024.10.033

Self-medicating in a difficult world

Whyte, Monica (2024) Murmurations: Journal of Transformative Systemic Practice, 7, (2), pp. 34-42. doi.org/10.28963/7.2.4

Media coverage of Ireland’s first supervised injecting facility

Duffin, Tony (2025) Linkedin

Improvisational practice: engaging neurodivergent young people with addiction and mental health problems

Murray, Denis Dominic (2024) Murmurations: Journal of Transformative Systemic Practice, 7, (2), pp. 18-33. doi.org/10.28963/7.2.3

Risk and protective factors for cannabis use in adolescence: a population-based survey in schools

O'Dowd, Teresa M et al (2024) Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine, Early online. pp. 1-9. 10.1017/ipm.2024.28

A radical departure from Ireland’s approach to drug addiction [Audio]

Pollak, Sorcha (2025)

An evidence-informed model and guide for effective relational working in youth justice.

O’Meara Daly, Eóin et al (2025) Manchester: HM Inspectorate of Probation

Childhood contact with social services, self-harm and suicidal or self-harm ideation in young adulthood: a population-wide record-linkage study.

McKenna, S et al (2025) Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, 34. doi.org/10.1017/s204579602400088x

Exploring unintentional ‘carer harm’—Insights from family carers and professionals: an Irish case study

Donnelly, Sarah et al (2025) The British Journal of Social Work, bcaf004. doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcaf004

Should alcohol carry cancer warning labels?

Devi, Sharmila (2025) The Lancet, 405, (10476), pp. 366-367. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(25)00187-4

Alcohol control enforcement in Ireland: a paper tiger

Houghton, Frank (2025) Alcohol Action Ireland blog

EASL policy dialogues. Episode 8. Tackling alcohol harm: lessons from Ireland and Europe [Audio].

European Association for the Study of the Liver. (2025) Geneva: EASL

Glucagon-like peptide-1 analogues reduce alcohol intake

O'Farrell, Maurice (2025) Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism, Early Online. doi.org/10.1111/dom.16152

Draft programme for Government 2025: securing Ireland’s future

(2025) Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Independent TDs.

HIV treatment audit 2023 and progress towards UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets, Ireland.

(2024) Dublin: Health Service Executive

Do smoking bans work?

Howard, Sally and Krishna, Geetanjali (2025) BMJ, 388. doi.org/10.1136/bmj.q2759

Teen smoking and chronic skin disease: an ethical crossroad in hidradenitis suppurativa care

Sexton, Fiona et al (2025) Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, Early Online. doi.org/10.1093/ced/llaf030

HSE National service plan 2025

(2025) Dublin: Health Service Executive

International publications

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of whole-school interventions promoting mental health and preventing risk behaviours in adolescence

Lekamge, Roshini Balasooriya et al (2025) Journal of Youth and Adolescence, Early online. doi.org/10.1007/s10964-025-02135-6

Evidence-based interventions for youth with concurrent mental health and substance use disorders: a scoping review.

Marshall, Tyler et al (2025) Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. Revue Canadienne de Psychiatrie, Early online. doi.org/10.1177/07067437241300957

A multimodal neuroimaging study of youth at risk for substance use disorders: functional magnetic resonance imaging and [F]fallypride positron emission tomography

Nikolic, Maja et al (2024) Alcohol, Clinical & Experimental Research, Early online. doi.org/10.1111/acer.15511

Emotion regulation in the association between posttraumatic stress disorder and substance use: a systematic review with narrative synthesis

Bowen, Alice May et al (2024) Trauma, Violence & Abuse, Early Online. doi.org/10.1186/s12954-024-01135-2

The effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for reducing problematic substance use, mental ill health, and housing instability in people experiencing homelessness in high income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis

O'Leary, Chris et al (2025) Campbell Systematic Reviews, 21, (1). doi.org/10.1002/cl2.70019

Residential drug and alcohol treatment: self-assessment guidance

(2025) London: Office for Health Improvement & Disparities

A scoping review of healthcare effectiveness data and information set (HEDIS) substance use disorder measures

Goal, Oliver Ethan et al (2025) Annals of Medicine, 57, (1). doi.org/10.1080/07853890.2024.2447413

The power of lived experience in optimizing US policymakers' engagement with substance use research: a series of rapid-cycle randomized controlled trials

Long, Elizabeth C et al (2024) Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports, 13. doi.org/10.1016/j.dadr.2024.100299

Family incarceration and mental health among 101,417 affected families: a systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis

Liu, Huinan et al (2025) Trauma, Violence & Abuse, Early Online. doi.org/10.1177/15248380241306353

Karlsson, Antonia et al (2025) Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre

The implementation of safer drug consumption facilities in Scotland: a mixed methods needs assessment and feasibility study for the city of Edinburgh

Nicholls, James et al (2025) Harm Reduction Journal, 22. doi.org/10.1186/s12954-024-01144-1

Who's asking me? Service user perspectives on safer injecting facilities

Salisbury, Petra and Hill, Darren (2024) Drug Science, Policy and Law, Early Online. doi.org/10.1177/20503245241308745

Rapid Action Drug Alerts and Response (RADAR) quarterly reports 2025

(2025) Edinburgh: Public Health Scotland.

Association of substance use with suicide mortality: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis

Athey, Alison et al (2025) Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports, 14. doi.org/10.1016/j.dadr.2024.100310

Harm Reduction Database Wales: drug related mortality: annual report 2024 (data to end of 2023). mortality: annual report 2024 (data to end of 2023).

Public Health Wales Health Protection Division. (2025) Cardiff: Public Health Wales

UK circular 002/2025: The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 Order 2024. Changes to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 to control 22 substances, with 2-benzyl benzimidazole variants (nitazenes) falling under a new generic definition

(2025) London: Home Office

Pharmacological strategies to decrease long-term prescription opioid use: a systematic review

Ellerbroek, Hannah et al (2024) Journal of Clinical Medicine, 13, (24). doi.org/10.3390/jcm13247770

Medicine choices in opioid substitution treatment. Recommendations for prescribing methadone and buprenorphine to people in treatment for opioid dependence in England

(2024) London: Department of Health & Social Care

"It's a delicate balance": clinicians' experiences of providing heroin-assisted treatment

Ellefsen, Rune et al (2024) Harm reduction journal, 21, (1). doi.org/10.1186/s12954-024-01135-2

Attitudes toward driving after cannabis use: a systematic review

Boicu, Bianca et al (2024) Journal of Cannabis Research, 6, 37. doi.org/10.1186/s42238-024-00240-0

Identification of cannabis product characteristics and pricing on dark web markets

Nali, Matthew C et al (2025) Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, Early Online. pp. 1-9. doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2024.2446446

Age of onset of cannabis use and substance use problems: a systematic review of prospective studies

Hamaoui, Jad et al (2025) Addictive Behaviors, 163. doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108259

Brain function outcomes of recent and lifetime cannabis use

Gowin, Joshua L et al (2025) JAMA Network Open, 8, (1). 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.57069

Evaluating the impact of minimum unit alcohol pricing on purchasing behaviour by different social class and age groups in Wales: a controlled interrupted time series study

Billan, Sonam et al (2025) Public Health, 240. pp. 71-79. doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2024.12.051

Alcohol-attributed disease burden and formal alcohol policies in the Nordic countries (1990-2019): an analysis using the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

van der Velde, Lode et al (2024) European Journal of Public Health, Early Online. doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckae195

Draft report: scientific findings of the alcohol intake & health study for public comment

Shield, Kevin et al (2025) Washington DC: Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking

Final report: review of the introduction of minimum pricing for alcohol in Wales: contribution analysis

Livingston, Wulf et al (2025) Cardiff: Welsh Government.

Evaluation of the minimum price for alcohol in Wales: research with retailers and quantitative analysis

Mitchell, Martin et al (2025) Cardiff: Welsh Government

Long-term health consequences and costs of changes in alcohol consumption in England during the COVID-19 pandemic

Card-Gowers, Joshua et al (2025) PLoS ONE, 20, (1). doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0314870

Socioeconomic position, alcohol use and alcohol-attributable emergency department visits.

Smith, Brendan T et al (2024) Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, Early Online. doi.org/10.1136/jech-2024-222476

Alcohol and cancer risk: the U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory

U.S. Surgeon General. (2025) Washington: U.S. Surgeon General

The influence of age on brief motivational intervention for unhealthy alcohol use

Rodrigues, Belina et al (2025) Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports, 14. doi.org/10.1016/j.dadr.2024.100313

Control of precision grip in children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure

Simmons, Roger W et al (2024) Alcohol, Clinical & Experimental Research, Early online. doi.org/10.1111/acer.15504

Harmonization of alcohol use data and mortality across a multi-national HIV cohort collaboration

Ingle, Suzanne M et al (2025) Alcohol, Clinical & Experimental Research, Early online. doi.org/10.1111/acer.15522

From sports to screens: exposing big alcohol’s predatory practices in 2024

Dunnbier, Maik et al (2025) Stockholm: Movendi International

Societal spirits in the silver streak: unraveling complexity in drinking habits of the mature adult population.

van den Ende, Maarten W J et al (2025) Alcohol, Clinical & Experimental Research, Early online. doi.org/10.1111/acer.15486

Screening instruments to detect problematic alcohol use among adults in hospitals and their diagnostic test accuracy: a systematic review

Bisschop, Jacqueline M et al (2025) Drug and Alcohol Review, Early Online. doi.org/10.1111/dar.13987

Calorie (energy) labelling for changing selection and consumption of food or alcohol

Clarke, Natasha et al (2025) Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 1. doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd014845.pub2

Relationship of modifiable risk factors with the incidence of thyroid cancer: a worldwide study

Maleki, Zahra et al (2025) BMC Research Notes, 18, 22. doi.org/10.1186/s13104-024-07058-2

Global burden of cardiovascular disease mortality attributable to secondhand smoke, 1990-2019: systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Dong, Juan et al (2024) PLoS ONE, 19, (12). doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0316023

Implementing a smoke-free generation policy for Canada: estimates of the long-term impacts

Coyle, Doug (2025) Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada, 45, (1), pp. 39-53. doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.45.1.03

Quantile regression of tobacco tax pass-through in the UK 2017-2021: how have manufacturers passed through tax changes for different tobacco products in small retailers? Analysis at the national level and by neighbourhood of deprivation

Wilson, Luke B et al (2025) Tobacco Control, Early online. doi.org/10.1136/tc-2024-058958

Effectiveness of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship bans on smoking prevalence, initiation and cessation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Saad, Christina et al (2025) Tobacco Control, Early online doi.org/10.1136/tc-2024-058903

Prevalence of popular smoking cessation aids in England and associations with quit success

Jackson, Sarah E et al (2025) JAMA Network Open, 8, (1). doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.54962

Evidence update on e-cigarette dependence: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Kundu, Anasua et al (2025) Addictive Behaviors, 163. doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2024.108243

Interventions for quitting vaping.

Butler, Ailsa R et al (2025) Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 1. doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd016058.pub2

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2025) London: NICE

Striving towards national lower-risk gambling guidelines: an empirical investigation among a sample of Swedish gamblers

Dowling, Nicki A et al (2025) Journal of Gambling Studies, Early Online. doi.org/10.1007/s10899-024-10372-w

What is the impact of sports-related gambling advertising on gambling behaviour? A systematic review

McGrane, Ellen et al (2025) Addiction, Early online. doi.org/10.1111/add.16761

The association between the ‘whistle-to-whistle’ ban and the presence of gambling advertising on UK television

McGrane, Ellen et al (2025) Addiction Research & Theory, Early Online. doi.org/10.1080/16066359.2024.2444224

Gambling harms in Glasgow city: a system map

(2025) Edinburgh: Public Health Scotland

Copyright © 2025 HRB National Drugs Library. All rights reserved.

The HRB National Drugs Library newsletter is a free subscriber-only monthly email newsletter offering relevant Irish and international news and information on alcohol and other drugs research. E-mail addresses provided for the purpose of subscribing to the newsletter will only be used by the library to distribute the requested information. The newsletter is published by the HRB National Drugs Library, Health Research Board. The library is staffed by qualified information professionals who handle a wide range of enquiries. Not sure what we can do for you? Email us and we will be happy to discuss your information needs.