James Nicholls

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.

Regulatory capture in UK alcohol licensing policy: The 2025 ‘licensing taskforce’ report Click on the article title to read more.

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...

Reforming the licensing system Seeking views and evidence to develop a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system under the Licensing Act 2003.

Just noticed that the official announcement above doesn't include a link to the actual call for evidence (!!). It's here:

www.gov.uk/government/c...

There are other proposals re digitising the system and making it easier to serve on pavements. None require core principles of accountability, conditions, or local control to be weakened. It's not clear the Govt recognises this, so full implications need to be addressed in forthcoming debates.

On principle licensing should be independent of the businesses it regulates. These plans risk reversing that, while weakening scrutiny and accountability. Regardless of views on whether pubs can drive economic regeneration (moot point…), this is essentially about core regulatory principles.

The proposals also include a fifth licensing objective to promote the economy. Pubs need support - but licensing has always existed to set guardrails against harm not promote business. This would change that primary purpose, creating new conflicts between public protection and private interests.

NB – though framed as boosting nightlife, the reforms would equally affect shops, supermarkets and online - where most alcohol is sold. The major threat to pubs (and public health) is the off-trade, and the reforms wouldn't rebalance this - but would reduce powers to refuse off-trade applications.

There’s also a proposed ‘amnesty’ on licensing conditions. Conditions allow tailored controls on e.g. promotions, door staff, layout. They're fundamental to licensing practice. Sweeping deletions are unlikely to benefit well-run pubs, but could severely limit powers to regulate problem venues.

The reforms would undermine this in 2 ways:

1) Creating a ‘National Licensing Policy Framework’ to act as a centralised entity directing local decisions through 'licensing circulars'

2) Giving unelected licensing officers sweeping powers to override views of elected members.

The current system is already permissive: applications are approved unless objections are raised, and over 90% are granted. But decisions are made by elected councillors – providing accountability in principle. And they can apply conditions to mitigate risks.

Licensing taskforce report and government response The industry-led licensing taskforce report on licensing policy and the government's response.

The plans are based on the report of a Licensing Taskforce, co-chaired by the CEO of Greene King. While headlines are about opening hours, the actual proposals are about large-scale transfer of licensing powers and reshaping the system's core (and historical) purpose. www.gov.uk/government/p...

Cheers to Change: Red Tape Review Could Bring More Food, Music and Fun to Your Local The Government is launching a fast-track review to tear up outdated licensing rules that have been holding back pubs, bars and local events and we want to hear from the people who know best: landlords...

Plans to rapidly overhaul alcohol licensing in England and Wales have just been published. They're being sold as ‘tearing up outdated licensing rules’, but could seriously undermine democratic accountability and local control. The devil (as ever) is in the details. www.gov.uk/government/n...

It was great to meet everyone. Should be a fantastic project!

Indeed - Orwellian in a different sense! Not sure I’ve come across quite such purple prose in a similar doc before. Can you think of any?

That's exactly what I thought.

The Government's response to the recent industry-dominated Licensing Taskforce report is quite a thing to behold. Regulatory capture as marketing copy... www.gov.uk/government/p...

I've written a piece for @addiction-ssa.org on Alcoholics Anonymous, exploring it's current role - and tensions - within the current recovery landscape 90 years after its first meetings were held. Please share 🙏

www.addiction-ssa.org/features/ess...

#alcoholicsanonymous #recovery #addiction

Studying moralities in drug policy: An editorial introduction Published in Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy (Vol. 32, No. 4, 2025)

Check out our new issue on moralities in drug policy. Fantastic editorial and most of the papers are open access: Studying moralities in drug policy: An editorial introduction www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Having observed the shift in youth drinking from ‘Is this a thing??’ 15 years ago, to many years of ‘I reckon it is due to x, y or z…’ It’s great hear to mature, informed consideration of the wider social realities that it reflects - even tho most (speaking as a parent of teens) are quite melancholy

Alcohol Alert June 2025 Alcohol Alert Podcast · Episode

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...

Drugs campaigner Peter Krykant dies, aged 48 Peter Krykant, a former addict, set up a supervised facility from a van which he took around Glasgow.

This is incredibly sad news. Peter made a huge difference to the world. Such a loss to so many people. RIP.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Sly Stone: A funky life – in pictures The singer and front man of Sly and the Family Stone was known for his big style and even bigger hair.

Yesterday 😞 Sly Stone: A funky life - in pictures www.bbc.com/news/article...

Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) Sly & The Family Stone · Fresh · Song · 1973

RIP Sly Stone. Absolute pioneer, and also made one of the greatest cover versions ever recorded open.spotify.com/track/52Xfwd...

The complexity of stigma demands nuanced debate Published in Addiction Research & Theory (Ahead of Print, 2025)

A further (final) reply to the 'positive stigma' debate (DM if you need full text), myself and @jamesnicholls.bsky.social

The complexity of stigma demands nuanced debate www.tandfonline.com/eprint/69FCR...

A whole-system response to drug prevention in the UK Report on the long-term prevention of drug use and related harms among young people.

Pleased to see the first report published by the ACMD’s standing committee on prevention. We make several recommendations to government on the importance of a whole system approach to drug prevention / www.gov.uk/government/p...

Moving it to the PSA is an interesting approach.. What’s your view on that?

Final report from the London Drugs Commission calls for cannabis to be moved from the MDA 1971 to the PSA 2016, effectively decriminalising possession, but not creating a legal retail market - on grounds that the public health risks of commercialisation outweigh potential benefits of legal supply.

Congratulations Ben!

I was delighted to contribute to this fantastic special edition of @deppjournal.bsky.social on morality and drug policy - and to work with such a great editorial team. The introduction (below) sets out clearly where we are, and where we need to go next.

This looks great! Looking forward to reading it.