I'll be presenting a poster at the European Public Health Conference next week in Helsinki bringing together my postdoc work with @lhgp.bsky.social and my PhD/MSc work on environmental contamination in wastewater. academic.oup.com/eurpub/artic...

Super interesting work using health admin records by @simondymond.bsky.social and colleagues, looking at gambling-related suicide - especially good on use of services and opportunities for interventions www.kcl.ac.uk/news/researc...

Our new video introduces the Policy Research Unit in Addictions, showing how our research helps inform policy and tackle the challenges of addiction and addictive products. Watch it on Youtube and subscribe for more on our latest research youtu.be/Qwp4VrnFfnk

SARG researchers @abi-stevely.bsky.social @ppermanhowe.bsky.social and @mervemolla.bsky.social are heading to the @addiction-ssa.org Annual Conference to present some of our latest research into alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks. Find out more on the SARG website 👇 #publichealth #nolo

Addiction Psychologist podcast ft. @jholmessheff.bsky.social on Minimum Unit Pricing creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/...

This is a hugely important editorial that sets out how UK Government proposals to reform alcohol licensing will undermine the entire purpose of the licensing system. It will explicitly move the focus from protecting public health and social order to promoting economic goals and business priorities.

New @addictionjournal.bsky.social editorial on the licensing reforms currently being rushed through by the UK Government. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... The Call for Evidence closes on November 6th www.gov.uk/government/c...

We need two new full-time lecturers in #criminology here at @sheffielduni.bsky.social. One permanent share.google/RuTNSJWfvkuK... and one 12 month maternity cover share.google/xzf5icskztO9...

I spoke to @samuelacuff.bsky.social and @noahemery.bsky.social on their Addiction Psychologist podcast about the evidence on minimum unit pricing for alcohol. You can listen below: creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/...

The latest paper from our @nihr.bsky.social funded No/Lo Project finds that around a third of people use alcohol-free or low-alcohol drinks in attempts to cut down on drinking alcohol, but no clear evidence that they increase the success of these attempts. #AlcoholResearch #NoLo #AlcoholPolicy

We're recruiting for a new CEO! You will be the driving force behind our mission to reduce alcohol harm and improve lives across Scotland and beyond. Find out more and apply ⬇️ www.alcohol-focus-scotland.org.uk/about-vacanc...

Our new paper led by Inge Kersbergen finds no clear evidence that using alcohol-free or low-alcohol drinks increases the success of attempts to cut down on drinking. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Looks like a great opportunity for pop health researchers... #demography #episky jobs.helsinki.fi/job/Helsinki...

Lots of media coverage this morning of findings from our new report 'Alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks in Great Britain: Monitoring report on 2023 data'. The no/lo market continues to expand and no/lo drinks are more likely to be consumed by risky drinkers. Find out more 👇 @nihr.bsky.social

Sober months like Dry January have become increasingly popular in recent years, but do they actually change how we drink? In this blog, @aishamoolla.bsky.social outlines the findings from recent @sarg-scharr.bsky.social research on the short and long-term impacts. www.ias.org.uk/2025/09/23/d...

Exploring the impact on emotional wellbeing of having a spouse or cohabiting partner with elevated Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) scores: Secondary analysis of cross-sectional health survey data buff.ly/IPZyUGS @uofgsocsci.bsky.social @shwardle.bsky.social

New paper on changes in sales of alcohol and alcohol-free/low-alcohol products in January, and whether these changes drive longer term trends! www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... Led by @aishamoolla.bsky.social @jholmessheff.bsky.social @voodooeconomics.bsky.social @jamiebrown.bsky.social

This is a great discussion of generational change, risk, anxiety and drinking behaviours featuring @amypennay.bsky.social and @jholmessheff.bsky.social from the @ias.org.uk podcast. open.spotify.com/episode/1avJ...

The Government's big new 10 year health plan has finally been published. In spite of lots of talk about moving towards prevention rather than treatment, there is basically no meaningful alcohol prevention policy here. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/686638...

Opportunity for Sheffield people to get involved in research led by my colleague @mervemolla.bsky.social

Our latest paper led by Oscar Rousham finds three trajectories of diet quality across adolescence and early adulthood. We find independent contributions of both parental SEP and individual education years to odds of following different trajectories in data from Western Austr. doi.org/10.1016/j.ap...

Why is youth drinking in decline? Listen to our latest podcast to hear why it's more than any one cause, and needs to be understood from a broader sociological position of generational change. Ft. @jholmessheff.bsky.social and @amypennay.bsky.social Listen here: www.ias.org.uk/podcast/why-...

A new book explores why young people in high-income countries are drinking less, linking the decline to growing health consciousness, closer parental relationships, and a broader culture of caution. In our latest blog, the authors discuss the findings. www.ias.org.uk/2025/05/28/y...

The latest 'Alcohol Explained' video from @ias.org.uk focuses on Minimum Unit Pricing for alcohol, with contributions from me and @victimofmaths.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3EX...

'Young People, Alcohol and Risk: A Culture of Caution' | @amypennay.bsky.social @gabrielcaluzzi.bsky.social @soc-researcher.bsky.social @jholmessheff.bsky.social et al @ias.org.uk www.ias.org.uk/2025/05/28/y...

Written by @amypennay.bsky.social, @gabrielcaluzzi.bsky.social, @soc-researcher.bsky.social, @jholmessheff.bsky.social, Michael Livingston, Jonas Raninen and Jukka Törrönen

We have a new paper out today in Lancet Public Health looking at increases in alcohol-specific deaths in England. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Important short article explaining why the NAS report on alcohol consumption and health uses a flawed approach to understanding the risks of low levels alcohol consumption. In short, claims that low levels of drinking are associated with reduced health risks are not robust.

SARG Director @jholmessheff.bsky.social and Research Fellow @abi-stevely.bsky.social will be presenting at this free @instalcstud.bsky.social webinar on Minimum Unit Pricing on 29th May. Find out more and sign up to attend 👇 #alcohol #publichealth

New paper out today, led by Anna Butters with me, Inge Kersbergen, and @jholmessheff.bsky.social "‘Knowing how it works for me’: a qualitative interview study of the use of personalised approaches to manage common challenges during Dry January" www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10....

📢 New SARG paper 📢 This qualitative study explored the strategies 'official' and 'unofficial' UK Dry January participants used to overcome common challenges, and how these evolved post-January. Led by Anna Butters with @fieldmatt.bsky.social @jholmessheff.bsky.social & Inge Kersbergen.

If you're currently working on a PhD in the field of Addiction, you should consider signing up for the SSA PhD symposium, a fun, friendly one day event before the main conference, where you can present your research and meet your peers working across Addiction research.

The alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks market in the UK is growing, but slowly. In this new blog post Luke Wilson talks about key trends identified in a study he led with @abi-stevely.bsky.social. He also considers the wider implications of these trends for public health. #alcohol #nolo

Join our webinar on 29 May to learn everything you need to know about Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) of alcohol. Leading experts will explore the theory behind the policy, its impact in Scotland and Wales, & crucially, what England can learn from their experiences. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/minimum-un...

📢 New SARG paper 📢 Led by Luke Wilson and @abi-stevely.bsky.social this paper was published as part of our ongoing No/Lo Project and reports on trends in alcohol-free and low-alcohol drink consumption in Great Britain. They found that consumption is increasing but predicted to remain low in 2025.

New paper out today showing the rise in alcohol-free and low-alcohol products and forecasting future trends! Includes interesting graphs 👀 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.... @jamiebrown.bsky.social @jholmessheff.bsky.social

A systematic review of adolescent alcohol-related harm trends in high-income countries with declines in adolescent consumption by Emma Vieira and colleagues @nic-alcohol.bsky.social @amypennay.bsky.social @jholmessheff.bsky.social buff.ly/uaIqVS9

@nihr.bsky.social wants senior #publichealth people to help them decide what research to fund. Apply for the Prioritisation Committee to help us fund the research you need in your public health work. @adphuk.bsky.social @local.gov.uk @pubhealthjobsuk.bsky.social www.nihr.ac.uk/get-involved...

The meat of this editorial is about the increasingly insane processes universities are creating for doing simple tasks. And the ever-greater auditing demands funders (and ultimately governments) place on universities. It's worth a read if only to know that someone else feels your pain.

Fantastic new article by our PhD student Emma Vieira examining how alcohol-related harms among adolescents have shifted in countries that have seen a decline in adolescent drinking onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

As we continue to expand our research into the consumption of alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks, here are details of a new project focusing on young people. It's funded by @alcoholchangeuk.bsky.social and led by @soc-researcher.bsky.social and @melissaoldham.bsky.social #alcohol #publichealth

Adding #AlcoholFree beer to lunchtime meal deals does nothing to encourage substitution for alcoholic alternatives as generally, the days of lunchtime drinking are thankfully long gone. But it may help normalise alcohol products in these settings. ⚠️ www.telegraph.co.uk/business/202...

Research Practitioner In my team Grade 11 £56 to £61k 0.5 WTE ce0369li.webitrent.com/ce0369li_web...

***New SARG report*** Our review of Northern Ireland's alcohol licensing system led by colleagues at ISMH at University of Stirling is now out. You can read the full report here: www.communities-ni.gov.uk/publications... And there's a nice write-up on the BBC here: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

We're part of the Local Health and Global Profits programme @lhgp.bsky.social which involves working with local governments, local populations, public health practitioners and civil society groups to understand the building blocks, including commercial factors, impacting on communities' health.

Our independent review of the licensing system in Northern Ireland has been published. A key feature is the ‘surrender principle’: a 1-in-1-out system for pubs and off-licences, so this a major focus of the study – but lots of other novel features as well. www.communities-ni.gov.uk/publications...

There's been lots of articles on David Nutt's (and others') synthetic alcoholic drinks. This one is more interesting than most as the second half gives input from other researchers on some of the science behind these products. www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

This new SARG study led by Luke Wilson is the first to examine solitary drinking in Great Britain. It identifies key characteristics of solitary drinkers and drinking occasions and provides useful insight into this under-researched area of British drinking culture. @jsadjournal.bsky.social #alcohol

Solitary Drinkers in Great Britain: How Do Their Sociodemographic Characteristics, Consumption Patterns, and Drinking Occasions Differ From Those Who Drink With Others? (new in @jsadjournal.bsky.social 86/1) @jholmessheff.bsky.social @pmeierprof.bsky.social www.jsad.com/doi/full/10....

Re-posting a visualization of indirect cost rates as a pdf to share with others, also added a bit more to explain that by cutting the IDC to 15%, it is likely that Universities will have only 8-9% effective IDC, or even lower. abqresearch.wordpress.com/wp-content/u...