Never Enough by Barney Hoskyns; The Ice Age by Luke Williams; A Really Good Day by Ayelet Waldman – review

Three vivid memoirs reveal the horrific pull – and possible benefits – of illicit substances

A cure for all ills: what medical advances can we expect in 2017?

Miracles may not exist, but this year could see some key scientific breakthroughs. From dementia and zika to pain relief and customised drugs, here’s a look at what we may hear about this year

A new year that changed me: realising I wanted to live, and giving up heroin

The New Year’s Eve I spent with my family when I was a junkie was horrific. But their contempt for the state I was in helped me to finally change

What should I take paracetamol for?

The drug has no measurable effect on acute back pain, according to a new study – so what should you be using it to treat?

Do branded painkillers work better than cheaper generic ones?

Expensively packaged tablets loudly promise rapid relief or claim to work for particular types of pain. But what’s the scientific evidence that they’re any better than their cut-price rivals?

Researchers say there are no benefits of testosterone treatments for men

Analysis of more than 200 studies conducted since 1950 finds no validity to drug industry’s portrayal of testosterone as akin to a miracle drug for ageing men

Can cannabis relieve pain and other ailments?

MPs have recommended medicinal marijuana for the relief of chronic pain and anxiety, but the law is against it

We must legalise access to medical cannabis as a matter of urgency

My report proves the drug can alleviate suffering for many sick people. The government must have the political courage to accept the scientific rationale

The NHS must show it cares about gay men’s lives – and roll out PrEP HIV drugs

A landmark court ruling that NHS England can fund the highly effective preventive treatment should be urgently acted on to stop the spread of the disease

Leading public health bodies call for decriminalisation of drugs

Report from Royal Society for Public Health and Faculty of Public Health says misuse of drugs should be a health issue, not a criminal one

Surge in teenagers self-poisoning renews mental health concerns

Almost two in three poisonings are intentional – up 50% in past 20 years – with young women most affected, data shows

Do hay fever tablets shrink your brain?

A new study suggests that some popular medicines – including allergy pills – could be harmful. But wait before you sneeze your way through the summer …

NHS England stalls plans for HIV prevention method known as PrEP

Consultation on Truvada will now be shelved, in move sexual health charities have described as ‘shameful’ and ‘failing those at risk’ of HIV

The poppers ban is a veiled attack on pleasure

Whatever the reasoning behind the ban under the new act, it is fundamentally flawed. Alkyl nitrites are among the safest drugs we know

The poppers ban: will it criminalise gay users?

More than 2m bottles of poppers are sold legally every year – and Yorkshire is the centre of the trade. How is one factory preparing for the ban?