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Tobacco giants helped push ultra-processed foods into global markets

New research reveals how major tobacco companies used cigarette-era business tactics to expand packaged food empires, raising fresh questions about the global spread of ultra-processed and hyper-palatable foods.

4 Jun 2026

Collective trauma reminders trigger immediate cravings for tobacco and cannabis

When national tragedy strikes, the urge to light up isn't just a habit, it is a psychological defense mechanism.

4 Jun 2026

New protocol prevents heavy alcohol relapse after liver transplantation

In a study published in the Liver Transplantation journal by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, Mayo Clinic researchers found that a new proactive treatment protocol for alcohol use disorder after liver transplant resulted in a 0% heavy alcohol relapse rate among patients who followed the protocol, compared with a historical relapse rate of approximately 25%.

3 Jun 2026

TikTok promotes a thriving illicit vaping culture among young people

TikTok videos glamorizing illicit vaping highlight challenges in public health communication, as youth engage more with social media than educational resources.

3 Jun 2026

Study highlights urgent need to grow the addiction medicine workforce

Australia is facing a growing addiction crisis with one in 30 people meeting the criteria for a substance use disorder, yet addiction medicine remains one of the least visible specialities with only around 300 doctors currently specializing in addiction medicine.

2 Jun 2026

New PET imaging approach quantifies synaptic pathology in multiple sclerosis

A new PET imaging approach that measures synaptic density in the spinal cord provides a quantitative way to assess the brain's functional wiring in patients with multiple sclerosis.

2 Jun 2026

Falling fentanyl deaths drive historic drop in American drug overdoses

Researchers from the University of California San Diego have found that U.S. overdose death rates declined dramatically between 2023 and 2024, marking the first recorded drop in all four waves of the nation's overdose crisis.

2 Jun 2026

New PET imaging approach may enable early CTE diagnosis

A first-in-class PET imaging approach can accurately detect a biomarker for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a devastating neurodegenerative disease associated with repeated head impact.

31 May 2026

WHO urges global governments to protect youth from nicotine addiction

Worldwide, at least 40 million children aged 13–15 use tobacco products, and young people's use of e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches continues to rise. In advance of World No Tobacco Day – 31 May – the World Health Organization (WHO) urges governments around the world to protect a new generation from becoming addicted to tobacco and nicotine products.

30 May 2026

Herbal cigarettes are not safer than regular tobacco alternatives

Herbal cigarettes, widely sold in India and abroad as natural, tobacco-free, and even therapeutic alternatives to conventional cigarettes, are not safer than regular tobacco cigarettes.

29 May 2026

Preschool gaming habits may shape problematic gaming symptoms later in life

The study identifies preschool gaming as a strong predictor of adult internet gaming disorder, highlighting the role of early exposure in addiction risk.

29 May 2026

Tobacco price cap could raise billions and improve public health

The UK could raise up to £4.9 billion over five years and significantly improve public health by capping tobacco prices and increasing taxes.

27 May 2026

Psilocybin may provide long-lasting relief from chronic nerve pain

A single dose of psilocybin - the active compound in magic mushrooms - reduces nerve pain for up to a month and makes a widely used painkiller work more effectively, University of Reading research has found.

22 May 2026

Innovative platform bridges the gap between OUD treatment and HIV prevention

People with opioid use disorder (OUD) are at increased risk of contracting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). While there are effective interventions that can substantially reduce HIV incidence and opioid overdose, like pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), many patients still face barriers to accessing and staying engaged in care.

22 May 2026

GLP-1 drugs may help curb addiction by targeting reward pathways

GLP-1 receptor agonists, already used for Type 2 diabetes and obesity, show promise in reducing alcohol and drug-seeking behaviors through central reward and dopamine-related pathways. Most evidence remains preclinical, with limited early human data, so larger clinical trials are needed before these drugs can be recommended for addiction treatment.

21 May 2026

Real-time memory tests identify alcohol-induced blackouts as they happen

It's not surprising if someone experiences memory loss, or a 'blackout,' while drinking alcohol. While common, blackouts are considered a public health concern linked to injury, arrest, assault and overdose.

20 May 2026

Vitamin D deficiency linked to higher postoperative breast cancer pain

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with more moderate to severe pain following breast cancer surgery and an increased consumption of opioid drugs, finds research published online in the journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine.

19 May 2026

WHO warns of rising nicotine pouch addiction among youth

The World Health Organization (WHO) today issues a strong warning over the rapid global expansion of nicotine pouch products, which are being aggressively marketed to adolescents and young people.

17 May 2026

Retinal stimulation via contact lenses effective as antidepressants in mice

Materials scientists have designed brain-stimulating contact lenses that are as effective as Prozac at treating depression in mice. The soft, transparent contact lenses have in-built electrodes that deliver mild electrical signals to the brain via the retina to stimulate specific brain regions associated with depression.

14 May 2026

New research maps the biological toll of drinking

A new review published in the journal Addiction confirms drinking causes substantial harm to health. Some of those harms may be reversible if the person reduces or stops drinking.

14 May 2026