Sheffield Addictions
Research Group
Public health and health economic research on alcohol, tobacco, gambling and addiction.
The Sheffield Addictions Research Group (SARG) is based in the Sheffield Centre for Health and Related Research at the University of Sheffield. Our innovative research, spanning from modelling the effects of policy interventions to understanding complex human behaviour, has directly shaped legislation and public health strategies in the UK and internationally.
Research areas
Alcohol
We are an international centre of excellence for public health research on alcohol. Since 2008 our alcohol research has played a key role in current policy and public debate.
Tobacco
We are continually expanding our portfolio of tobacco research, with a commitment to conducting policy-relevant research that can inform evidence-based interventions.
Gambling
We are actively engaged in emerging areas of gambling research, seeking to understand and address the complex issues surrounding addiction and public health.
Featured projects
Latest news
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SARG researchers present on economic modelling and wastewater surveillance at European Public Health Conference
Two researchers from the Sheffield Addictions Research Group (SARG), Dr Charlotte Head and Dr Esther Chanakira, will showcase innovative local-level tools for policy design, including economic modelling and wastewater surveillance, at the European Public Health (EPH) Conference in Helsinki from 11–14 November 2025.
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SARG to present latest research on alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks at SSA Annual Conference 2025
Researchers from the Sheffield Addictions Research Group (SARG) are set to present their latest findings on alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks at the Society for the Study of Addiction (SSA) Annual Conference 2025.
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New SARG report details alcohol-related health and financial burden in Northern Ireland
The Sheffield Addictions Research Group (SARG) has published new analysis estimating the substantial health and financial toll of alcohol consumption in Northern Ireland, using the most recent available post-pandemic data.
New on the blog
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The rise of no/lo: How the alcohol-free and low-alcohol market has developed in Great Britain
In this guest post, Dr Nathan Critchlow from the University of Stirling provides an overview of a paper published recently in the journal Drug and Alcohol Review. The study explores how commercial, governmental, and third-sector activities have shaped the rapid growth of the alcohol-free and low-alcohol market in Great Britain.
Latest journal papers
Research collaborations
