SARG Blog
Personal insights from members of the Sheffield Addictions Research Group.
Addiction isn't just about brain chemistry – but nor is it just bad choices
What drives addiction? Professor of Psychology Matt Field examines various potential explanations, ranging from brain alterations to individual choices. He introduces the concept of neuroeconomics, which studies how we make value-based decisions and offers a new way to understand the complexities behind addictive behaviours.
Trends in the alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks market in the UK
In this blog post Luke Wilson discusses the latest trends in the alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks market in the UK including the on-trade, off-trade and their use by people attempting to reduce their alcohol consumption.
Creating a Smokefree Generation: The role of universities in supporting the Tobacco and Vapes Bill
In this blog post Duncan Gillespie discusses the UK Government's Smokefree Generation policy, highlights Sheffield's student-led research and advocates for a national university network to share best practices for creating smoke-free environments.
Alcohol-specific deaths in England reach a new peak
Colin Angus discusses his latest blog post for the Institute of Alcohol Studies exploring new figures on alcohol-specific deaths in England.
Gambling research on the rise in the Sheffield Addictions Research Group
Research Associate and PhD student Ellen McGrane shares some of the gambling research currently underway within the Sheffield Addictions Research Group.
The impact of the October 2024 Budget announcement on alcohol duties
Colin Angus shares his thoughts on the October 2024 Budget announcement and how it will impact on alcohol duties.
Latest mortality data from Scotland
The latest mortality data from Scotland strongly suggests another rise in drug-related deaths in 2023 after a big fall in 2022, an increase in deaths by suicide and little change in alcohol-specific deaths.
Reflections on the HBSC study and adolescent drinking
John Holmes share his reflections on the latest report from the HBSC study which found that English children are now the most likely to drink alcohol across the 44 high-income nations studied.