DRINK AND DRUGS NEWS (DDN) is the monthly magazine for everyone working with substance use issues.
Since 2004 it has become established as the authoritative voice of the sector, the place for in-depth news and features and the forum for debate.
Quick Links:
Advertising information – information for submitting an article – issue dates, deadlines and themes.
Published independently by CJ Wellings, DDN is distributed through a printed circulation that has a readership of more than 25,000. The website, receives more than 22,000 visitors a month and the DDN Bitesize weekly email alerts go to 7,500 subscribers.
It’s the place to find all the latest news, comment, information, resources and jobs. With its thriving comment and letters pages, the magazine is the must-read forum, linking to the DDN Facebook page and our Linkedin Page
The DDN community links people working with drug and alcohol problems with the wider health and social care field. Through fair and balanced journalism the magazine has become valued as the regular read for a discerning and interactive community that includes treatment agencies, commissioners, medical professionals including GPs and nurses, those working in the criminal justice service, housing professionals, social workers, politicians and policy-makers, service users, advocates and people working in education, prevention and all areas of public health.
Advertising to DDN’s targeted readership represents excellent value for money. With our design team offering a first-class layout service at no extra charge, we make the advertising process as seamless as possible, and the testimonials speak for themselves in showing that DDN always reaches a captive audience and gives a direct route to the right candidates.
To find out more about advertising please contact
e: ian@cjwellings.com t: 07711 950 300
Articles and feature contributions need to be emailed to claire@cjwellings.com by the 15th of the month before the press date. (News items can be sent up to the last minute!) The deadline for letters and comment is the Wednesday before publication. Please get in touch to discuss features so they can be scheduled in advance.
Advertising Information
We offer targeted promotion in print, online, via email and social media as well as sponsorship for in person and online events.
Please contact ian@cjwellings.com to discuss the options
The advertising print deadline for each issue is 5pm on the Thursday before publication. Please email ian@cjwellings.com for details
The mechanical information and sizes for print adverts is available here.
Issue Dates
We publish ten issues a year.
Advert booking deadline is the Wednesday before publication with the artwork due on the Thursday.
The issue dates for 2026 are:
February issue:
- Editorial copy date: Thurs 15 Jan
- Press days: Thurs 29/Fri 30 Jan
- Publication date: Mon 2 Feb
February features: Fitness & wellbeing, training & careers
National Apprenticeship Week, 9-15 Feb
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March issue:
- Editorial copy date: Mon 16 Feb
- Press days: Thurs 26/Fri 27 Feb
- Publication date: Mon 2 March
March features: Lung health, women’s services
International Women’s Day, 8 March
National No Smoking Day, 11 March
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April issue: Easter is 3-6 April, so publication is a week earlier than normal
- Editorial copy date: Mon 16 March
- Press days: Thurs 26/Fri 27 March
- Publication date: Mon 30 March
April features: Family & carers, trauma
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May issue:
- Editorial copy date: Weds 15 April
- Press days: Thurs 30 April/Fri 1 May
- Publication date: Mon 4 May
May features: Mental health, homelessness
Mental Health Awareness Week, 11-17 May
International Nurses Day, 12 May
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June issue:
- Editorial copy date: Fri 15 May
- Press days: Thurs 28/Fri 29 Feb
- Publication date: Mon 1 June
June features: Volunteering, Inclusion
Volunteers’ Week, 1-7 June
Pride Month, June
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July/August issue: DDN Conference is Thurs 9 July, so publication is a week earlier than normal
- Editorial copy date: Weds 10 June
- Press days: Thurs 25/26 June
- Publication date: Mon 29 June
July/August features: Criminal justice, alcohol awareness
Alcohol Awareness Week, 6-12 July
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September issue:
- Editorial copy date: Mon 17 Aug
- Press days: Thurs 3/4 Sept
- Publication date: Mon 7 Sept
September features: DDN Conference Special issue
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October issue:
- Editorial copy date: Tues 15 Sept
- Press days: Thurs 1/2 Oct
- Publication date: Mon 5 Oct
October features: Gambling, mental health
World Mental Health Day, 10 October
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November issue:
- Editorial copy date: Tues 15 Oct
- Press days: Thurs 29/30 Oct
- Publication date: Mon 2 Nov
November features: Veteran support, wellbeing
International Stress Awareness Week, 3-7 November
UK Malnutrition Awareness Week, 17-25 November
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December/January issue:
- Editorial copy date: Mon 16 Nov
- Press days: Thurs 3/4 Dec
- Publication date: Mon 7 Dec
December/Jan features: BBVs, housing & resettlement
World AIDS Day, 1 December
Throughout the year: ideas and innovations for the ‘best practice exchange’; career stories for the ‘I am a…’ series; interviews, Q&As, profiles, professional ‘clinics’, and advice pages.
Articles on tackling stigma are always welcome. DDN is proud to be an active member of the Anti Stigma Network (ASN)
Information for submitting an article.
The word count for a page in the printed magazine is 700 words with a double page up to 1,200 words, which includes room for headers, standfirsts and images.
We want to include as many authentic voices as possible in the magazine, so even if you have never written before, please submit the article in your words and we will edit it into magazine format.
A picture says a thousand words so please send any images you have. Please send the highest resolution photos and images you can get. They need to be clear enough for print, so make sure they don’t pixelate when you zoom in – and please don’t edit them as this can blur them and reduce their size significantly.
In order for us to be able to do this, it is essential you stick to the deadlines above – which gives us time to edit, design, proof and get ready for press. If you’re running into problems please let us know as soon as possible so we can reschedule your article.
All articles must contain an author’s name and headshot (though of course we are happy to include anonymised case studies for people submitting personal stories who wish to protect their identity). You do not need a professional portrait shot – a simple head and shoulders picture taken with a mobile phone with a nice clear background works absolutely fine.
This should be sent directly from your phone or email and not run through any filters or other software that might then compress the file and cause pixilation.
The headshot will be a small thumbnail image, you are not submitting yourself for Britain’s next top model! It is essential though, so please don’t be shy!
If you need more details or have any questions please contact claire@cjwellings.com