A large U.S. study has found that some children and teens who start using alcohol, cannabis, or nicotine at an early age already show differences in their brains before they ever try any substance. This challenges the common belief that drug use causes brain changes—it suggests that some young people may already be more vulnerable due to personality traits like curiosity or risk-taking, or because of early life stress or genetics.

The good news is that these early traits can be addressed. A school-based program in Canada helped teens better understand and manage their personalities—and five...

ISSUP, in collaboration with Faces & Voices of Recovery, has launched a new Global Recovery Network webinar series to spotlight diverse perspectives on recovery. The first webinar featured Dr. Haner Hernández, a respected expert in the field and a person in long-term recovery. Dr. Hernández currently serves as a Senior Consultant to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and plays a key role in advancing health equity, workforce development, and recovery support. His presentation provided an insightful and inclusive overview of multiple pathways to recovery, grounded in both...

The WHO Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health and Treatment of Substance Use Disorders provides a comprehensive snapshot of global trends in alcohol consumption, related harms, and national policy responses, alongside the availability and quality of treatment services for alcohol and drug use disorders.

Key Highlights:

• Presents the latest data from WHO Member States, aligned with SDG Health Target 3.5: “Strengthen prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol.”

• Offers updated insights on global alcohol consumption patterns...

This blog post explores how Sweden’s municipal policymaking often falls short of its stated commitments to equality and evidence-based governance—particularly when it comes to addressing intersecting identities and structural inequalities. Current impact assessments tend to be superficial and lack both an intersectional lens and a preventive approach.

Through the lived experience of a politically active single mother and researcher, the post imagines a future where municipalities are supported by independent, interdisciplinary teams focused on improving the quality and depth of impact...

Across Europe, one in four children faces poverty or social exclusion, with vulnerable groups—such as migrants, refugees, and children from disadvantaged families—bearing the greatest burden. These disparities were worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the urgent need for more equitable access to health and social services.

Early childhood is a critical window for health and development, yet investment in prevention remains low. Barriers such as financial constraints, administrative complexity, and lack of coordination across sectors hinder access to essential services—especially...

This publication presents key findings from the 8th round of the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD), conducted in 2024 among 113,882 students aged 15–16 across 37 European countries.

Marking 30 years of monitoring adolescent risk behaviours, the 2024 edition introduces a new focus on mental well-being and prevention activities, highlighting their growing role in shaping youth health outcomes.

The key findings report is available in 33 languages and optimised for online access. A full report, ESPAD Report 2024, will be released in October 2025.

Background
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Although Medicaid covers tobacco cessation treatments, smoking rates remain much higher among Medicaid beneficiaries (30%) compared to those with private insurance (18%). This study examined how often South Carolina Medicaid fee-for-service beneficiaries received tobacco counseling from 2019 to 2022.

Methods
The study analyzed data from 49,401 individuals diagnosed with tobacco use disorder. It assessed differences in counseling rates by age, race, sex, region, and provider type using Chi-squared tests.

Re...

Background
Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for bladder cancer. Harmful substances in tobacco smoke can damage cells and lead to cancer. Understanding this link is important for better prevention and treatment.

Objective
This study reviews global research on the connection between smoking and bladder cancer using bibliometric analysis, aiming to identify key trends, topics, and future directions.

Methods
We analyzed studies published between 1999 and 2023 from the Web of Science database. Tools like VOSviewer and CiteSpace were used to map contributions from countries, institutions...