Key Findings

This is a quick summary of the main discovery for each research paper we have published, organized issue by issue. Each key finding is below the article title, with a link to the abstract. 


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November 2021

Social norms as a predictor of smoking uptake among youth: a systematic review, meta‐analysis and meta‐regression of prospective cohort studies

Perceived smoking behaviour of parents and close friends appears to be a consistent predictor of youth smoking initiation.

Link to Abstract

A meta-analysis of problem gambling risk factors in the general adult population

Problem gambling risk factors with the highest effect sizes are associated with continuous play format gambling products.

Link to Abstract

Associations between social media usage and alcohol use among youths and young adults: findings from Understanding Society

Heavier social media use appears to be associated with more frequent drinking among young people in the UK.

Link to Abstract

Supporting smoking cessation and preventing relapse following a stay in a smoke‐free setting: a meta‐analysis and investigation of effective behaviour change techniques

Behavioural and pharmacological support may maintain smoking abstinence following a stay in a smokefree institution.

Link to Abstract

A longitudinal study of the moderating effects of romantic relationships on the associations between alcohol use and trauma in college students

For US college students, being in a romantic relationship may reduce the effects of interpersonal trauma exposure on alcohol use.

Link to Abstract

Acute effect of alcohol on working memory updating

Acute effects of alcohol on Working Memory Updating appears to reduce expected performance improvement upon repeated testing.

Link to Abstract

The correlates and extent of prescribing of medications for alcohol relapse prevention in England

In England, medications for alcohol relapse prevention are rarely prescribed (7.8% in 2015/16).

Link to Abstract

The validity of the state–trait anxiety inventory and the brief scale for anxiety in an inpatient sample with alcohol use disorder

Brief Scale for Anxiety and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form Y-2 are not reliable substitutes for clinical diagnoses of anxiety disorder among inpatients with alcohol use disorder.

Link to Abstract

The impact of removing former drinkers from genome‐wide association studies of AUDIT‐C

Differentiating between former drinkers and life-long abstainers can improve AUDIT-C genome-wide association results.

Link to Abstract

The associations between prenatal cannabis use disorder and neonatal outcomes

Prenatal cannabis use disorder appears to be associated with higher odds of adverse neonatal outcomes.

Link to Abstract

Trends in MDMA‐related mortality across four countries

MDMA-related deaths increased in Australia, Finland, Portugal and Turkey between 2011 and 2017.

Link to Abstract

Did paying drugs misuse treatment providers for outcomes lead to unintended consequences for hospital admissions? Difference‐in‐differences analysis of a pay‐for‐performance scheme in England

A P4P programme in England that ran from 2012-2014 appeared to increase emergency hospital admissions.

Link to Abstract

Does the preparation for intravenous administration affect the composition of heroin injections? A controlled laboratory study

Preparation of heroin for intravenous injection can contribute to unintentional variations in the potency of the final injected solution.

Link to Abstract

The effect of needle and syringe program and opioid agonist therapy on the risk of HIV, hepatitis B and C virus infection for people who inject drugs in Amsterdam, the Netherlands: findings from an emulated target trial

Complete participation in harm reduction programs may decrease HIV and hepatitis C and B virus acquisition risk among people who inject drugs in the Netherlands.

Link to Abstract

The effect of person, treatment and prescriber characteristics on retention in opioid agonist treatment: a 15‐year retrospective cohort study

In New South Wales, Australia, retention of patients in buprenorphine treatment for opioid dependence is higher for prescribers of longer tenure than for those of shorter tenure.

Link to Abstract

All‐cause and suicide mortality among people with methamphetamine use disorder: a nation‐wide cohort study in Taiwan

People in Taiwan with methamphetamine use disorder have higher all-cause mortality rate than the general population, with suicide having the highest contribution.

Link to Abstract

Maternal and child genetic liability for smoking and caffeine consumption and child mental health: an intergenerational genetic risk score analysis in the ALSPAC cohort

Evidence is not strong that maternal smoking and caffeine GRS have a causal effect on offspring mental health outcomes.

Link to Abstract

Evaluating four motivation-phase intervention components for use with primary care patients unwilling to quit smoking: a randomized factorial experiment

Nicotine mini-lozenges may increase smoking abstinence in people initially unwilling to quit smoking.

Link to Abstract

Who, me? Optimism bias about US teenagers’ ability to quit vaping

US teens who smoke and vape have less optimism bias about their ability to quit vaping than teens who do not smoke or vape.

Link to Abstract

Community-based smoking cessation treatment for adults with high anxiety sensitivity: a randomized clinical trial

A high intensity exercise program increased smoking abstinence in people with high anxiety sensitivity.

Link to Abstract

Moderators and mediators of outcomes of parents with substance use problems: further evaluation of the Parents under Pressure programme

Parents in a family-focused SUD intervention with poorer parental emotional regulation and higher child age and family risk may be associated with greater reductions in child abuse potential at 6-mo follow-up.

Link to Abstract

Attributable fractions for substance use in relation to crime

More than 42% of Canadian crime would likely not have occurred if the perpetrator had not been under the influence of or seeking alcohol or other drugs.

Link to Abstract

The shape of gambling risk‐curves for frequency, expenditure and proportion of income in Australia

Gambling risk-curves in Tasmania appear to be linear and r-shaped, not J-shaped.

Link to Abstract

The relationship between cannabis and schizophrenia: a genetically informed perspective

Genetic liability for cannabis use disorder appears to be robustly associated with schizophrenia.

Link to Abstract

Raising the bar: improving methodological rigour in cognitive alcohol research

Methodological shortcomings weaken the robustness of cognitive alcohol research.

Link to Abstract