Dr James Nicholls

Senior Lecturer in Public Health

Health Sciences Stirling Stirling

Dr James Nicholls

Contact details

About me

I specialise in alcohol and drug policy, treatment provision, harm reduction and advocacy. I am particularly interested in mechanisms of policy change and how implementation shapes outcomes. I also have an interest in regulation, especially comparing the impact of licensing regimes on consumption and harm.

I have recently led projects including an independent statutory review of the alcohol licensing system in Northern Ireland, and a needs assessment for a safer drug consumption facility in Edinburgh.

I have a background researching the history of drinking cultures and alcohol policy, for which I have received Research Fellowships from the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Academy.

In 2015, I became Director of Research and Policy at Alcohol Research UK where I oversaw a national grants programme supporting alcohol research across the UK. I advised the Home Office and DHSC on alcohol policy; was a member of the Public Health England Alcohol Leadership Board and Expert Group on treatment; Chair of the PHE National Alcohol Licensing and Public Health Forum; and Secretary of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Alcohol Harm.

More recently, I was Chief Executive Officer at Transform Drug Policy Foundation where I worked with national and international partners to advocate for public health-led drug policy. I worked closely with partners at the United Nations, where Transform held Special Consultative Status, and with MPs, MSPs, service providers and academic researchers as well as families directly impacted by drug-related harms.

I have served as a trustee Cranstoun and Adfam National. I am an Associate Member of the Faculty of Public Health and sit on their Drug Policy Special Interest Group.

Research projects (5)

Evaluating the impact of the UK’s first saNctioned sAfer drug Consumption faciliTy (ENACT): A mixed-methods natural experiment study
PI: Dr James Nicholls
Funded by: National Institute for Health Research
–

Independent Review of the Alcohol Premises Licensing System in Northern Ireland
PI: Dr James Nicholls
Funded by: Northern Ireland Executive
–

Edinburgh Drug Consumption Room feasibility study
PI: Dr James Nicholls
Funded by: City of Edinburgh Council
–

Perceptions and attitudes of strategic decision-makers and affected families across Scotland towards Drug Consumption Rooms to prevent drug-related deaths
PI:
Funded by: Scottish Government
–

EXILENS - Exploring the Impact of Alcohol Licensing in England and Scotland
PI: Professor Niamh Fitzgerald
Funded by: National Institute for Health Research
–

Outputs (55)

Article

The implementation of safer drug consumption facilities in Scotland: a mixed methods needs assessment and feasibility study for the city of Edinburgh

Nicholls J, Masterton W, Falzon D, McAuley A, Carver H, Skivington K, Dumbrell J, Perkins A, Steele S, Trayner K & Parkes T (2025) The implementation of safer drug consumption facilities in Scotland: a mixed methods needs assessment and feasibility study for the city of Edinburgh. Harm Reduction Journal, 22, Art. No.: 6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-024-01144-1

Article

Making sense of drug use and dependence—A scoping review of mass media interventions intended to reduce stigma towards people who use drugs

Holland A, Freeman TP, Nicholls J, Burke C, Howkins J, Harris M, Hickman M, Attwood A, Carlisle V, Krykant P & Maynard OM (2024) Making sense of drug use and dependence—A scoping review of mass media interventions intended to reduce stigma towards people who use drugs. International Journal of Drug Policy, 132, Art. No.: 104543. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104543

Article

Factors influencing public health engagement in alcohol licensing in England and Scotland including legal and structural differences: comparative interview analysis

Fitzgerald N, Mohan A, Purves R, O’Donnell R, Egan M, Nicholls J, Maani N, Smolar M, Fraser A, Briton T & Mahon L (2024) Factors influencing public health engagement in alcohol licensing in England and Scotland including legal and structural differences: comparative interview analysis. Public Health Research. https://doi.org/10.3310/BGTR4277

Article

Measuring How Public Health Stakeholders Seek to Influence Alcohol Premises Licensing in England and Scotland: The Public Health Engagement In Alcohol Licensing (PHIAL) Measure

Fitzgerald N, Mohan A, Maani N, Purves R, De Vocht F, Angus C, Henney M, Nicholls J, Nichols T, Crompton G, Mahon L, Mcquire C, Shortt N, Bauld L & Egan M (2023) Measuring How Public Health Stakeholders Seek to Influence Alcohol Premises Licensing in England and Scotland: The Public Health Engagement In Alcohol Licensing (PHIAL) Measure. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 84 (2), pp. 318-329. https://doi.org/10.15288/jsad.22-00020

Article

‘Why would we not want to keep everybody safe?’ The views of family members of people who use drugs on the implementation of drug consumption rooms in Scotland

Parkes T, Price T, Foster R, Trayner KMA, Sumnall HR, Livingston W, Perkins A, Cairns B, Dumbrell J & Nicholls J (2022) ‘Why would we not want to keep everybody safe?’ The views of family members of people who use drugs on the implementation of drug consumption rooms in Scotland. Harm Reduction Journal, 19 (1), Art. No.: 99. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-022-00679-5

Book Chapter

The legal regulation of drugs in the UK

Nicholls J & Rolles S (2022) The legal regulation of drugs in the UK. In: Drug Science and British Drug Policy: Critical Analysis of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Waterside Press.

Article

Impact of public health team engagement in alcohol licensing on health and crime outcomes in England and Scotland: A comparative timeseries study between 2012 and 2019

de Vocht F, McQuire C, Ferraro C, Williams P, Henney M, Angus C, Egan M, Mohan A, Purves R, Maani N, Shortt N, Mahon L, Crompton G, O'Donnell R, Nicholls J, Bauld L & Fitzgerald N (2022) Impact of public health team engagement in alcohol licensing on health and crime outcomes in England and Scotland: A comparative timeseries study between 2012 and 2019. The Lancet Regional Health Europe, 20, Art. No.: 100450. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanepe.2022.100450

Commentary

Further implications of the harm to others framework for drug policy debates

Nicholls J (2021) Further implications of the harm to others framework for drug policy debates. Commentary on: Wilkinson C., Ritter J. Applying a ‘harm to others’ research framework to illicit drugs: political discourses and ambiguous policy implications. Addiction 2021; 116: 1941– 1946. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.15243. Addiction, 116 (8), pp. 1947-1948. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.15311

Book Chapter

Substance use, dangerous classes and spaces: a historical perspective

Nicholls J & Berridge V (2020) Substance use, dangerous classes and spaces: a historical perspective. In: MacGregor S & Thom B (eds.) Risk and Substance Abuse: Framing Dangerous People and Dangerous Places. Routledge Studies in the Sociology of Health and Illness. London: Routledge, pp. 14-29. https://www.routledge.com/Risk-and-Substance-Use-Framing-Dangerous-People-and-Dangerous-Places/MacGregor-Thom/p/book/9781138491243

Letter

The UK Government must help end Scotland's drug-related death crisis

Nicholls J, Cramer S, Ryder S, Gold D, Priyadarshi S, Millar S, Hunter C, Hogg R, Jones A, Measham F, Stevens A, Hamilton I, McPhee I, Eastwood N & Powell M (2019) The UK Government must help end Scotland's drug-related death crisis. The Lancet Psychiatry, 6 (10), p. 804. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2215-0366%2819%2930301-3

Article

Exploring the impact of public health teams on alcohol premises licensing in England and Scotland (ExILEnS): procotol for a mixed methods natural experiment evaluation

Fitzgerald N, Egan M, de Vocht F, Angus C, Nicholls J, Shortt N, Nichols T, Maani Hessari N, McQuire C, Purves R, Critchlow N, Mohan A, Mahon L, Sumpter C & Bauld L (2018) Exploring the impact of public health teams on alcohol premises licensing in England and Scotland (ExILEnS): procotol for a mixed methods natural experiment evaluation. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 18 (1), Art. No.: 123. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-018-0573-z

Authored Book

Alcohol, Power and Public Health: A Comparative Study of Alcohol Policy

Butler S, Elmand K, Thom B & Nicholls J (2017) Alcohol, Power and Public Health: A Comparative Study of Alcohol Policy. Routledge Advances in Health and Social Policy. London: Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/Alcohol-Power-and-Public-Health-A-Comparative-Study-of-Alcohol-Policy/Butler-Elmeland-Thom-Nicholls/p/book/9780367224110

Article

Implementing a Public Health Objective for Alcohol Premises Licensing in Scotland: A Qualitative Study of Strategies, Values, and Perceptions of Evidence

Fitzgerald N, Nicholls J, Winterbottom J & Katikireddi SV (2017) Implementing a Public Health Objective for Alcohol Premises Licensing in Scotland: A Qualitative Study of Strategies, Values, and Perceptions of Evidence. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14 (3), Art. No.: 221. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14030221

Book Chapter

Alcohol policy in global context

Nicholls J (2016) Alcohol policy in global context. In: Kolind T, Thom B & Hunt G (eds.) The SAGE Handbook of Drug and Alcohol Studies: Social Science Approaches. SAGE Reference. London: SAGE, pp. 164-180. https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/the-sage-handbook-of-drug-alcohol-studies-volume-1/book242981#contents

Article

Holidays, celebrations, and commiserations: measuring drinking during feasting and fasting to improve national and individual estimates of alcohol consumption

Bellis MA, Hughes K, Jones L, Morleo M, Nicholls J, McCoy E, Webster J & Sumnall H (2015) Holidays, celebrations, and commiserations: measuring drinking during feasting and fasting to improve national and individual estimates of alcohol consumption. BMC Medicine, 13 (1), Art. No.: 113. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-015-0337-0

Article

The impact of spatial and temporal availability of alcohol on its consumption and related harms: A critical review in the context of UK licensing policies: Critical review of availability research

Holmes J, Guo Y, Maheswaran R, Nicholls J, Meier PS & Brennan A (2014) The impact of spatial and temporal availability of alcohol on its consumption and related harms: A critical review in the context of UK licensing policies: Critical review of availability research. Drug and Alcohol Review, 33 (5), pp. 515-525. https://doi.org/10.1111/dar.12191