Governments should be using their tax systems to encourage smokers to switch to using safer nicotine products instead of cigarettes, says a new briefing paper from the Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR) project.
Taxation has long been seen by tobacco control groups as one of the most effective tools for controlling the use of cigarettes, says Safer nicotine product taxation and optimal strategies for public health. However, calls from organisations like the WHO to tax safer nicotine products at comparable rates to cigarettes could have ‘devastating consequences’ for public health, the document warns. Instead, governments should be using tax to make sure that cigarettes are ‘significantly’ more expensive than vapes or heated tobacco products, it states.
Tax is designed to serve two main purposes when it comes to tobacco, says the report – to reduce demand by increasing prices, and to generate revenue for the government. However, while higher taxes have helped to cut smoking prevalence rates in many countries, tax measures like those recommended by WHO could mean people returning to smoking cigarettes instead of using less harmful alternatives. At least 54 countries had imposed excise taxes on vapes as far back as 2023, the briefing says, while almost 70 countries had brought in excise taxes on heated tobacco products.
All countries – even those where cigarette taxes represent significant sources of revenue – should be prioritising harm reduction, the paper stresses, as the long-term public health and economic gains far outweigh any short-term losses in revenue. Governments should also consider subsiding safer nicotine products, it adds. This would mirror the subsidisation of nicotine replacement therapies (NRT), which has ‘proven cost-effective,’ it states. ‘Given evidence that vaping products are even more effective than NRT in helping people to quit smoking, subsidising safer nicotine products could yield substantial public health and economic benefits, making it a logical and impactful policy choice.’
Analysis by ASH last year found that nearly 3m people had successfully used vapes to stop smoking during the previous five years, making them by far the most popular aid among people who had successfully quit. However, the proportion of people who mistakenly believe that vaping is as harmful as – or more harmful than – smoking continues to increase, with a study by Brighton and Sussex Medical School earlier this year finding that this was actively discouraging young people from switching to vaping.
‘Tax has played an important role in many countries in helping reduce smoking rates,’ said the GSTHR report’s author, Giorgi Mzhavanadze. ‘By using informed and evidence-based approaches to differentiate between combustible, hazardous tobacco products and much safer nicotine products there is a potential to hasten the demise of smoking and improve public health, benefiting individuals and communities.’
Report available here
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A new integrated drug and alcohol service that will expand the reach of support available to residents across Bristol launched today (1st April).
But that, in turn, is why simply having used prohibited drugs may be insufficient ‘lived experience’, if a person does not also have direct experience of prohibition enforcement.
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MPs have voted to pass the tobacco and vapes bill by 366 to 41. The bill has now passed its third reading and committee stage in the House of Commons, and will go to the House of Lords next month.
A 1998 study found people with four ACEs – compared to those with none – were five times more likely to use illicit drugs, seven times more likely to self-identify as being addicted to alcohol, and 12 times more likely to attempt suicide. A 2015 study of the English population also found ‘this association between adversity exposure and health harming behaviours’ – people with four ACEs were twice as likely to be binge drinkers, three times more likely to be smokers, and 11 times more likely to have used heroin or crack cocaine. A recent study found that those with exposure to one of the ACEs on the list were 4.3 times more likely to develop a substance addiction.
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Emma Marsden is senior communications officer at Spark
China executed four Canadians for drug-related offences earlier this year, according to the Canadian authorities. The four – whose identities are being withheld – were dual citizens.
More than 70 per cent of chronic liver disease cases are caused by alcohol, with the most recent 
In Uruguay, in a prison population of almost 16,000 people, 14,700 were men and 3,300 women, said Mariana Silva of Uruguay’s National Drug Secretariat. However, when it came to drugs offences, 58 per cent of those jailed were women. In Europe, meanwhile, women accounted for 5 per cent of the prison population, said Montanari. ‘They don’t commit other crimes as much as men, and they tend not to commit violent crimes. But the link with drugs is very important. The proportion of women in Europe for drug law offences is maybe not as high as in Latin America, but when we look at those who have problems with drugs and are in prison for acquisitive crimes the percentage becomes huge.’
On 11 March, Forward was proud to participate in a conference presented by Breakeven in Southend-on-Sea to raise awareness of gambling-related harm as a public health concern, says Carwyn Gravell.
To help tackle this prevalence of gambling harm, we wanted to work with specialist partners and, in the East of England, we have developed a partnership with 
Building on this work in Southend, we also partner with Breakeven in our prison services in the region where we deliver mental health support (talking therapies) alongside substance misuse services. Most recently we have run ‘cross training’ with Breakeven where staff from both organisations share their mutual expertise, further raising awareness and improving referral rates. This lays the foundation to expand our partnership across the East, including our substance misuse services in East Kent, Thurrock and Medway.
Thanks to the work of Breakeven and many other organisations who took part in the conference, many more people are recognising the nature and extent of gambling-related harm and – crucially – many more people are stepping forward for vital support. But there’s more to do. A new levy on the gambling industry comes into effect in October, which will raise £100m annually to fund treatment, prevention and research, enabling Breakeven and others to continue their work. 
‘There’s a lot of conflict among women on the streets, and we don’t have anywhere specific for them,’ Chantel said. The hub would bring together partners such as drug and alcohol services, Safer Leeds, and others to offer holistic support.
The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is Accelerate Action, calling for ‘increased momentum and urgency in addressing the systemic barriers and biases that women face, both in personal and professional spheres’. The world Economic Forum says at the current rate of progress it will take until 2158, which is roughly five generations from now, ‘to reach full gender parity’.
Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has been flown to The Hague, following his 
Women smoke at lower rates than men worldwide, but still suffer over 2 million annual smoking-related deaths. And women who do smoke are disproportionately impacted by health consequences. Beyond the general risks of cancer, heart disease, and respiratory illness, women face specific threats such as reproductive health complications, cervical and breast cancers, and higher susceptibility to smoking-related heart disease and COPD.
Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has been arrested after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant accusing him of crimes against humanity following his notorious ‘war on drugs’. Duterte was arrested at Manila airport earlier today after arriving from Hong Kong.
Sadly, stigma exists in two forms when it comes to alcohol – one for those who have been in crisis or sought help, and another for those who choose not to drink. The judgment of not managing a relationship with alcohol or ‘failing’ to stay in control is where individuals can be labelled and exposed to exclusion and judgment. When we choose not to drink by preference, we face a different kind of stigma – sober shaming, as well as exclusion and judgement. In my experience, the less of a ‘problem’ it seems to others, the more we’ll be questioned on our decision to quit.
‘My commanding officer once said that only Americans see a shrink, whereas the British go to the pub. That’s how I’ve dealt with every problem in my life since I left the army.’ 
Women are more likely than men to increase regular drinking during marital separation, according to a study by the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Population Health and Trinity College Dublin. They are also more likely to drink at higher levels in the years afterwards, the researchers found.
Thirty-three people in the London Borough of Camden have now been taken ill after taking what they thought was heroin, according to the latest update from the Metropolitan Police, with 17 attending hospital. Earlier this week police were only aware of 
In support of National Careers Week 2025, The Forward Trust are taking proactive steps to address youth unemployment, especially in light of the concerning statistics reported in February 2025. The rise in the youth unemployment rate for 16-24 year olds from 11.9% to 14.8% highlights a significant challenge that needs urgent attention.
What are The Forward Trust doing to tackle youth unemployment in Kent?
Glasgow’s consumption room, The Thistle, has been used 1,067 times by more than 140 people since it opened in January, according to the city’s Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP).
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The idea of ‘batch cooking’ could be an example of just such a small change in the preparation of heroin (with clusters of nitazene present) that could marginally lower risk. The idea came from a chance discussion with an anaesthetist and pain specialist, someone who was no stranger to using powerful synthetic opioids on patients
Established by Dr Paula Hall, the Laurel Centre is the UK’s largest therapy organisation that specialises in working with clients struggling with compulsive sexual behaviour disorder (commonly known as sex or porn addiction) and their partners. What began as one therapist’s mission to provide a treatment service to an underrepresented and often misunderstood client group has now grown into a 20 plus strong team of specialist, trained therapists based all over the UK with over 500 clients currently using the service, five different client courses available, and an accredited therapist training programme.
Limited to a maximum of eight attendees, the residential has been designed to get clients away from their usual environment and focus all their attention on overcoming compulsive sexual behaviours. Offering the equivalent of 56 hours of therapy, it provides an environment that overcomes the shame, isolation and secrecy that often fuels addiction.
Our residential treatment programme offers a structured environment where you’ll learn the skills and behaviours to maintain long-term recovery from substance use. This includes access to the wrap-around support needed to get you back on your feet.
As community support is important in facilitating change, we create a safe environment where you can embrace support and challenge from the peer group, participate in structured daily activities, independent living and engage with the community in a substance-free setting.
When you undertake a detox, the focus is to improve physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing so your long-term recovery can be achieved. While detox can be challenging, our professional team are on hand 24/7 to support. They’ll manage your withdrawal symptoms and help give you confidence in taking the next step.
To ensure that withdrawal symptoms are managed effectively, the units are staffed by mental health nurses and support workers 24 hours a day.
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Many young adults ‘inaccurately believe that vaping is as bad for you or worse than smoking’ according to a study led by Brighton and Sussex Medical School. Young people were more likely to give up smoking and switch to vaping instead if they properly understood the reduced harm of vaping, 
We offer comprehensive treatment for addiction that is tailored to each individual. Our programmes, based on the 12 Steps, offer each patient the opportunity to engage in different therapies such as CBT, DBT and EMDR, alongside complementary therapies, such as reflexology, acupuncture, and aromatherapy massage to help them engage with their wellbeing while following their bespoke plan. We also have a fitness centre and freshly-cooked food so that patients feel well-cared for and can concentrate on their journey to recovery. There are a variety of accommodation options, from shared/private en-suite rooms, to women-only/male-only houses.
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We have trained and experienced staff available to speak to you at all our services who can support you to explore treatment options and answer any queries or concerns. Find out more on our website 
The whole team at Ark House have created an environment, where it is hoped everyone can flourish. Whatever their background or personal circumstances, clients at Ark can embark on a transformative journey toward sobriety, self-discovery, and personal growth.
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