SDG 3 Newsletter: Substance Use

This newsletter primarily champions SDG 3.5, Substance Abuse.

Psychoactive substance use: time to rethink? 

As interest grows in the therapeutic potential of substances like cannabis, ketamine and psilocybin, can clinical trial registries help separate evidence from hype and provide a more balanced understanding of their benefits and risks? 

National Overdose Awareness Day

In honour of National Overdose Awareness Day on August 31, this blog discusses the successes and struggles of overdose prevention initiatives in the United States.

Role of Primary care in Relapse and recovery

Relapse in substance use disorders is increasingly understood not as failure but as a manageable, chronic condition, with new evidence showing that primary care can reduce recurrence through early screening, stigma‑free support, lifestyle counseling, and integration of mental health, social networks, and nutrition into routine care.

Global Perspectives on Chemsex in LGBTQ+ Health

This collection in Global LGBTQ+ Health highlights the need for more inclusive and globally representative understandings of chemsex, bringing together research on sexualised drug use, health and wellbeing, harm reduction, community care, and the diverse lived experiences of LGBTQ+ people across different social and cultural contexts.

Meet the Editor: Dr Rayner Kay Jin Tan

What are the biggest priorities in LGBTQ+ health research today? Meet Deputy Editor Dr Rayner Kay Jin Tan as he discusses equity, representation, and the importance of highlighting emerging areas such as chemsex research.

Integrated Perinatal and Postnatal Strategies for Infants with Prenatal Substance Exposure

This collection in Maternal Health, Neonatal and Perinatology highlights the growing need for integrated, family-centred approaches to support infants with prenatal substance exposure and their mothers, bringing together research on neonatal care, developmental outcomes, and multidisciplinary models that improve long-term health and wellbeing.

Substance use in dentistry

This blog posts draws together content from across the BDJ Portfolio to highlight how substance use in dentistry doesn't solely affect patients but amongst dental professionals too.

In Other News...

Nutraceuticals collection

This collection from the European Journal of Applied Physiology explores the use of nutraceutical supplements in sports. Although frequently utilized to enhance performance and improve muscle and whole-body recovery, there is often a deficiency of high-quality, evidence-based research supporting their function and safety.

Substance use disorders and addictions

In this collection from Scientific Reports substance use disorders (SUDs) refer to mental disorders, whereby affected individuals are unable to control their use of substances, such as nicotine, alcohol, drugs, or specific medications. SUDs and related addictions are a major public health concern, affecting people’s health and well-being at all ages.

The baffling science of SSRIs

The world’s most popular antidepressant drugs are under fire. But are they really harder to quit than heroin? Read more in this Nature news feature.

E-cigarettes and the comparative politics of harm reduction

In this interview (part of a series from the OA books group) Co-Editor, Virginia Berridge, of the OA Book E-cigarettes and the comparative politcs of harm reduction, discusses the first in-depth study of the history and current debates surrounding electronic cigarettes comparing the UK, US and Australia.

SDG 5 Breaking Barriers

After two years, Breaking Barriers for Gender Rights and Justice through Research returns this September for the third edition of Springer Nature's free virtual conference exploring progress, challenges, and opportunities related to SDG 5: Gender Equality.