HRB National Drugs Library e-newsletter volume 22, 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.

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

Irish-related publications

Nurse prescribing of opioid agonist treatment in Ireland: evidence, governance, and the politics of drug policy decision-making.

Kelly, Peter et al (2026) International Journal of Drug Policy, 149. doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2026.105153

Understanding and preventing drug-related interpersonal violence in Ireland through a public health approach

Comiskey, Catherine M et al (2026) International Journal of Drug Policy, 149. doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2026.105156

Demographic and route to treatment differences between people using different substances in the Republic of Ireland: a comparative analysis using data from an EU wide treatment demand protocol

James, Philip D et al (2026) Journal of Drug Issues, Early online. doi.org/10.1177/00220426261419782

Ireland Thinks poll: December 2025 [Alcohol labelling].

Ireland Thinks. (2026) Dublin: Alcohol Action Ireland.

Youth drinking in Ireland: what’s the real picture?

(2026) Dublin: Alcohol Action Ireland.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in Ireland

McCrory, S et al (2026) Irish Medical Journal, 119, (1), p. 17.

Corporate power in Ireland: a review

Stephens, Jennie C et al (2026) Dublin: Maynooth University

Public Health Agency. (2025) Belfast: Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime.

The role of pharmacogenomics in the discontinuation of psychotropic medication: a scoping review protocol

Stollarova, Natalia et al (2026) HRB Open Research, 9. doi.org/10.12688/hrbopenres.14314.1

Social determinants of clusters of health behaviours: a longitudinal cohort study using latent- class analysis

McEvoy, Olivia and Layte, Richard (2026) BMC Public Health, Early online. doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-26188-9

HRB National Drugs Library factsheet updates (2026)

Office of the Inspector of Prisons reports (2026)

Childhood gambling experiences and adult problem gambling

Ó Ceallaigh, Diarmaid et al (2026) International Gambling Studies, Early online. pp. 1-18. doi.org/10.1080/14459795.2025.2591411

Supporting student wellbeing in school contexts: a narrative review

Dempsey, Caoimhe and McCoy, Selina (2026) Dublin: ESRI

Youth oriented advertising in Ireland’s National Lottery: a quantitative content analysis of advertisements

Houghton, Frank et al (2026) Epidemiology Biostatistics and Public Health, 21, (1). doi.org/10.54103/2282-0930/30498

TikTok, teens and mental health: quantifying algorithmic exposure to harmful content

Gannon, John et al (2025) Irish Journal of Medical Science, Early online. doi.org/10.1007/s11845-025-04244-4

Advertising, branded clothing & sponsorship

(2026) Dublin: Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland

Smartphone use, porn, drug and alcohol addictions on Liveline. [Audio]

Cuddihy, Kieran and Kennedy, Ruth (2026) Dublin: RTE

The surprising source of Ireland’s cannabis. [Audio]

Lally, Conor (2026) Irish Times

Warning over use of nitrous oxide. [Audio]

(2026) Dublin: RTE Drivetime

Trends in psychological distress among adolescents in Ireland: survey data from 2018 to 2023 & lived experience perspective

Dooley, Niamh et al (2026) Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, Early online. doi.org/10.1007/s00127-025-03026-8

Exploring service user attitudes towards mental health technologies

Fitzpatrick, Patrick et ak (2026) Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine, Early online. doi.org/10.1017/ipm.2026.10170

Wish to die and healthcare use in older people: cross-sectional findings from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA).

Troya, M Isabela et al (2025) Journal of Public Health (Berl.), Early online. doi.org/10.1007/s10389-025-02647-2

Comparative effects of electronic and traditional cigarette use on pulmonary function, autonomic regulation, and exercise capacity in young adults

Erturk, Nurel and Karababa, Hayrul Nisa (2026) Irish Journal of Medical Science, Early online. doi.org/10.1007/s11845-025-04271-1

WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2025: country profile Ireland

(2025) Geneva: World Health Organization

Department of Health statement of strategy 2025-2028

(2026) Dublin: Department of Health

Self-harm in Irish prisons 2024 report. Sixth report from the Self-Harm Assessment and Data Analysis (SADA) project

Irish Prison Service, National Office for Suicide Prevention, National Suicide Research Foundation. (2025) Dublin: Irish Prison Service

National Poisons Information Centre annual report 2024

(2025) Dublin: National Poisons Information Centre

Frontline Make Change annual report 2024

(2025) Dublin: Frontline Make Change

The Rotunda Hospital Dublin annual report 2024

(2025) Dublin: The Rotunda Hospital

Simon Communities of Ireland annual report 2024

(2025) Dublin: Simon Communities of Ireland

International publications

Euro-DEN Plus: The European Drug Emergencies Network Plus Protocol

European Union Drugs Agency, Euro-Den Plus. (2026) Lisbon: EUDA.

Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs annual report (January 2023 to December 2025 consolidated)

(2025) London: Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs

Impact statement: the 10 year health plan for England

(2026) London: Department of Health & Social Care

Framing decriminalization: a mixed-methods study on media narratives, government resources, misinformation, and public support of British Columbia's drug decriminalization policy

Ali, Farihah et al (2025) International Journal of Drug Policy, 148. doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.105123

Peer support in Scotland: insight report 1

(2026) Glasgow: Scottish Recovery Network

Interventions to reduce relapse risk and drug craving in patients with substance use disorders in forensic psychiatric care: a systematic review of controlled trials

Månsson, Martin et al (2025) Frontiers in Psychiatry, 16. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1718332

Exploring Scottish addiction services: provider-based stigma, addiction aetiology beliefs, treatment bias, and burnout among addiction treatment providers

Ciesluk, Beata et al (2026) Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, Early online. doi.org/10.1186/s13011-026-00701-0

What is known about the development of relational competence in the mental health education of healthcare professionals - a scoping review

Beyene, Lise Saestad et al (2025) BMC Medical Education, 26. doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-08353-7

Addiction is a mental disorder within the mental health spectrum, and it matters

Schütz, Christian G et al (2025) Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine, Early online. pp. 1-8. doi.org/10.1017/ipm.2025.10157

Highly significant correlation between rates of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) in youth survivors of child sexual abuse (CSA) and their biological mothers

Reeson, Matthew et al (2026) PLoS ONE, 21, (1). doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0340591

Disproportionate mental health risks in autistic females: a rapid review with quantitative and narrative syntheses

Lacroix, Adeline et al (2025) Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology, 80. doi.org/10.1016/j.yfrne.2025.101229

‘What am I doing?’ Adults with ADHD reveal struggles with addiction. [Audio]

McNair, Andrew (2026)

A meta-analysis of sexual orientation inequities in substance use among youth

Mereish, Ethan H et al (2025) Addiction, Early online. doi.org/10.1111/add.70301

Minimal progress toward sustainment: 10-year replication of substance use EBP sustainment trajectories and associations with implementation characteristics

Dopp, Alex R et al (2025) Implementation Science, 21. doi.org/10.1186/s13012-025-01471-2

Scoping review of the characteristics and implementation of routine outcome monitoring and feedback for adults and young people accessing alcohol and other drug use treatment

Beck, Alison K et al (2026) International Journal of Drug Policy, 147. doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.105071

Actigraphy-based sleep outcomes in substance use disorders: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

Paredes Naveda, Alisson M et al (2026) PLoS ONE, 21, (1). doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0340595

Barriers to and facilitators of implementation of internet-delivered therapist-guided therapy in child and adolescent mental health services: systematic review and bayesian meta-analysis

Sannes, Annika et al (2025) Journal of Medical Internet Research, 27. doi: 10.2196/83543

Effects of different exercise types on craving in substance use disorder patients with drug dependence -network meta-analysis and dose-response relationships based on frequentist and Bayesian models

Wang, Chuanqiushui et al (2025) Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, Early online. doi.org/10.1186/s13722-025-00639-x

Building a comprehensive understanding of 2SLGBTQ+ youth homelessness: a scoping review

Abramovich, Alex et al (2025) International Journal for Equity in Health, Early online. doi.org/10.1186/s12939-025-02740-8

A meta-analysis of sexual orientation inequities in substance use among youth.

Mereish, Ethan H et al (2025) Addiction, Early online. doi.org/10.1111/add.70301

Work programme of the Pompidou Group (2026-2029).

(2025) Strasbourg: Pompidou Group

"He will still know where I live": harm reduction for women who use drugs and experience gender-based violence

Ramírez-López, Anabel et al (2026) Harm Reduction Journal, Early online. doi.org/10.1186/s12954-025-01393-8

Disease burden attributable to intimate partner violence against females and sexual violence against children in 204 countries and territories, 1990-2023

GBD 2023 Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Violence against Children Collaborators. (2026) The Lancet, 405, 10523,

Europol in brief 2025.

Europol. (2025) Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union

Policing and access to harm reduction services among young people who use drugs and young Indigenous people who use drugs before and after the pilot implementation of decriminalization of personal possession

McAdam, Erica et al (2025) International Journal of Drug Policy, 146. doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.105068

What we need, not what we're given: recommendations for action from young sex workers who use drugs

Schneider, Marie et al (2026) Harm Reduction Journal, 23, (1). doi.org/10.1186/s12954-025-01357-y

Evaluating the impact of an on-site drug testing facility providing real-time drug alerts upon first-aid presentations at a Belgian festival.

Gworek, Hanne et al Pieter (2026) Drugs: Education Prevention and Policy, Early online. doi.org/10.1080/09687637.2026.2613864

Estimating the population size of people who inject drugs in Canada, 2021.

Williams, Anson et al (2025) Canada Communicable Disease Report, 25, (9), pp. 364-373. doi.org/10.14745/ccdr.v51i09a06

Drug harms in Canada: a multi-criteria decision analysis

Crépault, Jean-François et al (2026) Journal of Psychopharmacology, Early online. doi.org/10.1177/02698811251409147

Reitox Alliance operating framework

European Union Drugs Agency. (2026) Lisbon: EUDA.

Addressing policy barriers to scaling up needle and syringe programmes: a global call to action

Fontaine, Guillaume et al (2026) The Lancet. Global health, 14, (1), e164-e172. doi.org/10.1016/s2214-109x(25)00433-4

HIV/AIDS Surveillance in Europe 2025 – 2024 data. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control/WHO Regional Office for Europe

(2025) Stockholm: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

Addiction and chronic skin diseases: a pan-European study on prevalence, associations and patient impact. Ziehfreund, Stefanie et al (2025) Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, Early online. doi.org/10.1111/jdv.70245

Ziehfreund, Stefanie et al (2025) Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, Early online. doi.org/10.1111/jdv.70245

Rapid Action Drug Alerts and Response (RADAR) quarterly reports 2026

(2026) Edinburgh: Public Health Scotland.

Drug and Alcohol Information System overview of initial assessments for specialist drug and alcohol treatment 2024/25.

(2026) Edinburgh: Public Health Scotland

Cocaine use in Europe: the need for cross-sectoral collaboration between security, justice, health, and social systems

Lhosmot-Marquet, Marie et al (2026) The Lancet. Public health, 11, (1), e61-e68. doi.org/10.1016/s2468-2667(25)00283-x

Legislating novel psychoactive substances: lessons from 15 years of UK mortality data (2007-2022).

Rock, Kirsten L et al (2026) Frontiers in Pharmacology, 16. doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2025.1708335

Drug safety update (DSU). Improving information supplied with gabapentinoids (pregabalin/gabapentin), benzodiazepines and z-drugs.

(2026) London: Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency

Adverse events associated with classic psychedelics and MDMA: a real-world population-based study using the WHO pharmacovigilance database (VigiBase)

Syed, Omer A et al (2026) Psychiatry Research, 357. doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2025.116929

Increased prevalence of nitrous oxide-induced subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord: clinical and imaging findings.

Bruen, Richard et al (2026) AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology, Early online. doi.org/10.3174/ajnr.a9062

Trends in fentanyl-containing drug samples seized by law enforcement agencies across Canada

Ledlie, Shaleesa et al (2026) Addiction, Early online. doi.org/10.1111/add.70314

Concordance between urine drug screening and self-reported use in the context of a pragmatic randomized-controlled trial in people with prescription-type opioid use disorder

Bastien, Gabriel et al (2026) Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. Revue Canadienne de Psychiatrie, 71, (1), pp. 41-52. doi.org/10.1177/07067437251367180

Postpartum retention in opioid agonist treatment for opioid dependence: a population-based cohort study

Zhou, Joanna et al (2026) Archives of Women's Mental Health, 29, (6), doi.org/10.1007/s00737-025-01640-8

The association of methadone use with physical function and frailty among persons who inject drugs

Kulik, Grace L et al (2025) Addiction, Early online. doi.org/10.1111/add.70306

The role of opioid treatment programs' crisis response on client perceptions of risk and impact

Frimpong, Jemima A et al (2025) BMC Public Health, 26. doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-25735-0

Varenicline for cannabis use disorder: a randomized controlled trial

McRae-Clark, Aimee L et al (2026) Addiction, Early online. doi.org/10.1111/add.70296

Developmental trajectories of positive expectancies of cannabis use effects among early adolescents: longitudinal observational study using latent class growth analysis

Qin, Weisiyu Abraham et al (2026) JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, 12. doi: 10.2196/85652

Addressing cannabis hyperemesis syndrome in Canada

(2026) Ottawa: Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction

Metabolic profile of male cannabis users and estimation of candidate biomarkers

Oz, Esin et al (2025) Chemical Research in Toxicology, 38, (10), pp. 1762-1770. pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.chemrestox.5c00274

Developing medical cannabis competencies: a consensus statement

Zolotov, Yuval et al (2025) JAMA Network Open, 8, (10). 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.35049

Cannabis-based medicines for chronic neuropathic pain in adults

Ateş, Gülay et al (2026) Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 1, (1). doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd012182.pub3

A qualitative study of same session co-use of nicotine and cannabis among adolescents and young adults

Davis, Danielle R et al (2026) PLoS ONE, 21, (1). doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0340050

Global report on the use of alcohol taxes, 2025

(2026) Geneva: World Health Organization

Minimum legal drinking age and educational outcomes

Bagues, Manuel and Villa, Carmen (2025) Journal of Health Economics, 104. doi.org/10.1016/j.jhealeco.2025.103078

Now you see it, now you don’t. How alcohol industry interference made marketing restrictions disappear from the 10 Year Health Plan in England

Thompson, Emma and Severi, Katherine (2026) London: Institute of Alcohol Studies

A web of interference: how Big Alcohol undermined health policy and polluted public discourse in 2025

Dunnbier, Maik and Andersson, Pierre (2026) Stockholm: Movendi International

Alcohol and substance use policies on Canadian university campuses: a scoping review of grey literature

MacKinnon, Madison et al (2025) Journal of American College Health, Early online. pp. 1-11. doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2025.2603377

Impact and barriers: a national survey of UK adults on alcohol dependence

(2026) Essex: Clean Slate Clinic, Adfam, The University of Sussex

The causal interplay between depression and alcohol use from adolescence to young adulthood: a Mendelian randomization study

Wang, Xuefei et al (2026) Psychological Medicine, 56. doi.org/10.1017/s0033291725102444

(2026) Edinburgh: Public Health Scotland

Public health impacts of increasing the minimum unit price for alcohol in Scotland: a model-based appraisal

Holmes, John et al (2026) PLoS Medicine, 23, (1). doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1004792

Reduction in sugar intake after the introduction of minimum unit pricing for alcohol in Scotland: a difference-in-differences analysis

Leckcivilize, Attakrit et al (2025) American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Early online. doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.101128

Alcohol use disorders are associated with higher healthcare expenditure among older adults with suspected cognitive impairment: a registry-based cross-sectional study

Kamsvaag, Ben et al (2026) PLoS ONE, 21, (1). doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0340484

‘Alcohol problems are definitely twenty-four seven’—a qualitative interview study exploring the presenting features of alcohol-related ambulance call-outs in Scotland (IMPAACT study).

Martin, Jack Gregor et al (2026) Drugs: Education Prevention and Policy, Early online. doi.org/10.1080/09687637.2026.2615705

Impulsivity and neuroticism share distinct functional connectivity signatures with alcohol-use risk in youth

Cheng, Annie et al (2026) Molecular Psychiatry, 31, (2), pp. 953-962. doi.org/10.1038/s41380-025-03196-6

How should public health respond to rise of alcohol-free and low alcohol drinks?

Holmes, John (2026) BMJ, 392. doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2025-086563

Longitudinal trends in vaping, smoking, and harmful alcohol use across sexual orientations in the UK (2014-2021).

Bai, Yihong et al (2026) PLoS ONE, 21, (1). doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0339847

Nicotine and the cardiovascular system: unmasking a global public health threat

Münzel, Thomas et al (2025) European Heart Journal, doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf1010

The health effects of vaping and e-cigarettes: consensus recommendations

Kouzoukas, Erika et al (2025) International Journal of Drug Policy, 148. doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.105117

Continuing use of e-cigarettes after stopping smoking and relapse: secondary analysis of a large randomised controlled trial

Hajek, Peter et al (2026) Addiction, Early online. doi.org/10.1111/add.70294

The role of vaping in smoking cessation. An addendum to the ‘Guide to smoking cessation in Scotland – Planning and providing specialist smoking cessation services (2017)’.

(2026) Edinburgh: Public Health Scotland

How online gambling fits into people’s lives: qualitative research on nonproblem gamblers

Ghelfi, Michela et al (2025) Current Psychology, 45. doi.org/10.1007/s12144-025-08836-2

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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.