Dr André McDonald talks about the findings of a population-based study in Ontario, Canada tinyurl.com/yr38jte5 @addictionjournal.bsky.social

Apply to speak at the 2026 PhD Symposium. The SSA's PhD Symposium provides a great opportunity for early career researchers to share their research findings and refine their presentation skills among a supportive group of peers. If you are a PhD student or have recetnly submitted your thesis, apply to be a speaker by 28 May 2026.

The PhD Symposium is a free annual event for PhD students or people who have recently submitted their thesis. Apply to be a speaker by 17:00 BST on 28 May 2026 tinyurl.com/4ayek5b3

The SSA is offering pre-doctoral support and post-doctoral support to help retain talented researchers in the field of addiction and support the career aspirations of future research leaders. Find out more and apply: tinyurl.com/56ys3x64

The SSA is offering two types of bursaries, designed to support different roles and career stages. Find out more and apply: tinyurl.com/ywhtw46k

Holly Wood-Blake reflects on the SSA's first policy roundtable discussion on the topic of a national alcohol strategy tinyurl.com/u53veank

Alcohol researcher @jamesmorris24.bsky.social explores the social identity aspects of the positive sobriety movement tinyurl.com/yjnafkn3

Read the March newsletter, featuring funding opportunities from the SSA and @nihr.bsky.social, plus a blog calling for changes to drug and alcohol treatment for women: mailchi.mp/addiction-ss...

Dr Tsen Vei Lim speaks to Lucy Loch about suggestions for policymakers to regulate ultra-processed foods tinyurl.com/3uj4bw5x @addictionjournal.bsky.social

“There’s also a massive stigma…which prevents people from acknowledging and admitting there is something wrong…a narrative that's been developed by the alcohol industry - that it’s ‘irresponsible drinkers’, so if you can’t manage this addictive product, you are somehow irresponsible” - Alice Wiseman

You can watch the full version of the @addiction-ssa.org roundtable on the future of UK alcohol policy now www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwSc...

I chaired an amazing panel of experts that cover everything from the role of industry to rethinking who is harmed by alcohol.

A short trailer below.

The UK hasn't had a national alcohol strategy since 2012. Today @addiction-ssa.org has released a full roundtable discussion recorded in February in which SARG Director @jholmessheff.bsky.social joined seven other experts to discuss alcohol harm and what an effective strategy would look like.

Eight experts discuss the need for a new national alcohol strategy | Full video YouTube video by Society for the Study of Addiction

Alcohol causes cancer, liver disease, and widespread harm - yet effective policy remains elusive.

🎬 @addiction-ssa.org filmed an expert roundtable on what a national alcohol strategy should include, e.g. MUP, health warnings, no industry influence.

Watch: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwSc...

What does the UK need from a new alcohol strategy? We asked the experts. Watch the full policy roundtable discussion on our YouTube channel: youtu.be/QwScYlckEzo?...

Set your reminders!

SHAAP's Dr Peter Rice is part of an expert roundtable discussing UK alcohol policy. Out tomorrow from @addiction-ssa.org

Here's a sneak peek 👀👇

What should the UK do about alcohol harms? | Trailer YouTube video by Society for the Study of Addiction

The SSA filmed a policy roundtable discussion in February 2026 on the topic of a national alcohol strategy. Watch the trailer now. Full video coming Wednesday 25 March 2026 www.youtube.com/watch?v=-O4i...

Medication effects on cue‐induced craving in the human laboratory are associated with return to heavy drinking in randomized clinical trials for alcohol use disorder: A follow‐up meta‐analysis Background and aims The alcohol cue-reactivity paradigm is widely used to test the initial efficacy of potential medications for alcohol use disorder (AUD); however, there is limited quantitative ev...

New in @addiction-ssa.org - Drs. Lindsay Meredith and Suzanna Donato contributed to a new meta-analysis showing that medications that reduce alcohol cue-induced craving in the lab are more likely to prevent return to heavy drinking during clinical trials.

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Tickets are now on sale for the SSA’s Annual Conference. Read about the benefits of booking early, the different rates for members and non-members, and the support available for students and people from third-sector organisations tinyurl.com/4s8ak9ub

Trying to develop your research career? Have a look at our #OppUps - a live listing of upcoming and current #mentalhealth and #addiction career development opportunities!

Find your next fellowship or small grants funding, workshop and more... 🔍

View here 👇️
buff.ly/GVqEK3Y

Recruitment poster from the University of Sheffield and the Sheffield Addictions Research Group (SARG). The headline asks: "DO YOU WORK FOR AN ALCOHOL TREATMENT OR RECOVERY SERVICE?" The sub-header reads: "Share your expertise to help the Sheffield Addictions Research Group (SARG) understand the advice given to service users about alcohol-free drinks." Eligibility criteria are listed with icons: 1. Must be aged 18 or over. 2. In a client-facing role now or in the last two years. 3. Based in a non-NHS service in the UK. A "PARTICIPATE NOW" section includes three bullet points: 15-20 minutes, 100% anonymous, and "Help shape national guidance" There is a large QR code and the link https://sarg-sheffield.ac.uk/survey to take the survey. Footer text notes: "This project is funded by the National Institute for Health and Social Care Research (NIHR) Mental Health Incubator. Reference: NIHR200172. University of Sheffield ethics approval has been obtained. Reference: 072040. The sub-header reads: "Share your expertise to help the Sheffield Addictions Research Group (SARG) understand the advice given to service users about alcohol-free drinks." Eligibility criteria are listed with icons: 1. Must be aged 18 or over. 2. In a client-facing role now or in the last two years. 3. Based in a non-NHS service in the UK. A "PARTICIPATE NOW" section includes three bullet points: 15-20 minutes, 100% anonymous, and "Help shape national guidance" There is a large QR code and the link bit.ly/4cFKyFh to take the survey. Footer text notes: "This project is funded by the National Institute for Health and Social Care Research (NIHR) Mental Health Incubator. Reference: NIHR200172. University of Sheffield ethics approval has been obtained. Reference: 072040.

We're looking for people who work in alcohol treatment or recovery services to complete a survey about what advice is given to service users about alcohol-free drinks: sarg-sheffield.ac.uk/survey Please share to help us reach as many people as possible! #AlcoholRecovery #MentalHealth

Addiction Audio is the podcast from @addictionjournal.bsky.social, featuring interviews with authors about their research. In the latest episode, Dr Monserrat Conde from @oxprimarycare.bsky.social talks about 23 recommendations for e-cigarette research with young people tinyurl.com/ynd4cevy

📰 New blog post!

✨️ Adventures in Addiction Science: Insights and Innovations from the SSA PhD Symposium and Conference 2025
by Kristina Hnízdilová

💻️ Read the blog here: buff.ly/MNpHZm7

What anabolic–androgenic steroids reveal about the limits of current harm reduction models Background Harm reduction has largely been shaped by responses to psychoactive drug use where the most urgent harms are acute. These models focus on overdose, blood-borne viruses, and rapid-onset to...

New in @addictionjournal.bsky.social w @jasonmnagata.bsky.social & @drsuzinielsen.bsky.social

Our new paper argues it’s time to rethink policy and health responses for ppl who use steroids.

@uqchsr.bsky.social @ucsfchildrens.bsky.social @monashaddiction.bsky.social

doi.org/10.1111/add....

Addiction Call for Papers Oral Nicotine Pouches <em>Addiction</em> is an SSA journal publishing peer-reviewed research reports on pharmalogical and behavioural addictions spanning many different disciplines.

The deadline for submissions to our special issue on oral nicotine pouches has been extended until 30 June 2026 - see our call for papers for more information onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal...

Associations between the national 'Swap to Stop' programme offering free vapes for smoking cessation and quit attempts in England: Results from a population-based survey - PubMed The introduction of Swap to Stop (which provides free vape starter kits with behavioural support to quit smoking) in England appears to be associated with a statistically significant increase in quit attempts using vapes.

New research from the Policy Research Unit in Addictions suggests the UK’s “Swap to Stop” scheme led to ~125,000 more people in England trying vaping to quit smoking in its first year.

Read the paper in @addictionjournal.bsky.social⬇️
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41785407/

Call for Papers: Sociology of Addiction | Addiction, Control and Governance | University of Helsinki Submit a chapter to an upcoming edited book about Sociology of Addiction.

📣 Call for Papers: Sociology of Addiction

Are you a social scientist researching addictions?

Submit a chapter to an upcoming edited book that brings together sociological applications, approaches and conceptualisations on addiction-related topics.

More information on our website 👇

For #InternationalWomensDay, we are sharing our latest blog from Nic Adamson, Deputy Chief Executive at @changegrowlive.bsky.social and Chair of the Women’s Treatment Working Group tinyurl.com/5n6vcf8w

In the latest episode of Addiction Audio, Professor Jonathan Brett talks about why psilocybin might be promising for methamphetamine use disorder and the increased interest in psychedelics tinyurl.com/393uetfk | Addiction Audio is the podcast from @addictionjournal.bsky.social

If you would like to share your research or shape discussions about addiction science, please consider submitting an application for an oral presentation, poster presentation, or workshop at the 2026 Annual Conference tinyurl.com/32y28hzk

Delighted to share our new paper in BMJ Mental Health:

“Cannabis use, cognitive function and dementia risk in older adults: observational and genetic analyses” (2026)
🔗 mentalhealth.bmj.com/content/29/1...

@oxfordpsychiatry.bsky.social @ox.ac.uk @addiction-ssa.org @ukbiobank.bsky.social

There are only a couple of days left to apply for the GROW 2026 programme - applications close on 2 March at 11.59pm. ⏰

Are you an early career #mentalhealth #researcher interested in developing your career and building your network?

APPLY NOW! 🌱
mentalhealthresearch.org.uk/grow/