Home | Archive | Weekly | Reports
Daily news - 1st September 2023 |
 |
UK news
Drugs contaminated with synthetic opioids: an updated collective message
To anyone that uses drugs or cares for someone who does: The drugs available in the UK seem to be changing lately. As services that provide support to people who use drugs and their loved ones, we have come together to issue a shared statement about some of the new drugs being used by the people we support and the risks they present | With You, UK
Harm reduction flyers on nitazenes
There has been an increase of nitazenes detected across the UK drug supply. These substances are a class of synthetic opioids that are believed to be as strong (or stronger) than fentanyl | Release, UK
Naloxone and NSP Click and Deliver Map
31-08-23 UPDATE. In the top left hand of this map is an icon you can click to show or hide the list of 'layers' on this map. You can turn on the 'Naloxone Click and Deliver' layer to see where you can mail order naloxone. Clicking an area where display a description which includes a link to the necessary website to place your order | Release, UK
Police led alcohol intervention checklist and toolkit
[Published 20th July 2023] A toolkit to provide additional support to police forces across England and Wales | Home Office, UK
Nottingham's alcohol team cutting admissions, say hospital bosses
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust's (NUH) nurse-led Alcohol Care Team (ACT) was set up in 2021. In its first full year the trust said it helped more than 2,500 patients by providing advice and specialist assessments for those with alcohol and drug dependency | BBC, UK
Cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) for the treatment of Long COVID symptoms: current and potential applications
This review summarises current clinical trials and studies exploring CBMPs in Long COVID. The current evidence provides a rationale to further explore CBMPs as a treatment for Long COVID symptoms | Open Exploration, UK
Pharmacy staff save two lives after timely naloxone training
Medication that can save the lives of people who are overdosing on opioids has recently been used by staff at Wicker Pharmacy | Likewise Sheffield, UK
Recovery Games 2023 – save the date!
16th September 2023. This year is the 10th anniversary of The Recovery Games in Doncaster, a free event brought you by Aspire Recovery. It will see up to 40 teams compete in gladiator style events with last year 1000 people attending | Aspire, UK
Recovery Walk UK – Hull
23rd September 2023. One of the biggest celebrations of people in recovery in the UK. The UK Recovery Walk 2023 will be held in Hull from 11.00am on Saturday 23rd September. Individuals and families will walk through the centre of the town to celebrate the event | FAVOR, UK
Recovery Walk Scotland - Greenock 2023
23rd September 2023. Recovery Walk Scotland is the largest recovery event in Scotland and has been held in different locations across our beautiful country since 2013. The event is comprised of three parts: Roses in the River Memorial, Recovery Walk Scotland procession through the town and a Recovery Festival and Village in Greenock | Recovery Walk Scotland, UK
Hartlepool shop hit with alcohol ban over illegal vapes
A shop has had its alcohol licence suspended for six weeks after concerns around illegal vapes being sold | BBC, UK
International news
Ketamine Is Killing the Dancefloor
“It sucks seeing people just standing around like zombies and not dancing,” one DJ tweeted | VICE, UK
HSE prepares for arrival of killer synthetic drugs following Taliban opium crop crackdown
The HSE is ramping up preparations and testing services in the event that possible shortages of heroin in Dublin could be filled by more powerful synthetic versions of the drug | Irish Examiner, Ireland
Temple Bar group seeks back lane closures to stop drug dealing
Businesses and residents in Dublin’s Temple Bar are appealing to Minister for Justice Helen McEntee and Dublin City Council to shut off back lanes in the area in an attempt to combat “industrial scale” drug dealing, muggings and other crimes | Irish Times, Ireland
Frequently asked questions (FAQ): drug overdose deaths in Europe
Updated. This page provides answers to the questions most often asked about drug overdose deaths in Europe. Also known as drug-induced deaths, they are deaths directly attributable to the use of illicit drugs. The information presented here is based on the latest data from the Member States of the European Union and the EMCDDA affiliates Norway and Türkiye. It draws on contributions from specialists from these countries, as well as on information provided by European countries in the annual reporting exercise to the agency | EMCDDA, Portugal
DrugNet Europe - August edition
Latest monthly news round-up by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. Any item may be reproduced provided the source is acknowledged | EMCDDA, Portugal
A Proclamation on National Recovery Month, 2023
During National Recovery Month, we celebrate the more than 20 million Americans who have had the courage to seek help for substance use disorder, showing millions of others that recovery is possible. We honor their resilience and recommit to making sure that every American has access to the services and support they need to rebuild lives of purpose and hope | The White House, USA
Trends in Fatal Poisoning Among Drug Users in France From 2011 to 2021An Analysis of the DRAMES Register
This case series assessment of 4460 drug-related deaths in France found that opioid drugs were the main contributor to deaths, as they are in most countries. However, licit methadone was the main cause of opioid-related deaths during the study period, with 36% of deaths involving a single or predominant drug and 42% of deaths involving drug combinations in 2021. The findings of this case series indicate that a large-scale naloxone distribution program is urgently needed in France to prevent opioid overdoses, including among licit methadone users | JAMA Network Open, USA
Drug Overdose Deaths with Evidence of Counterfeit Pill Use — United States, July 2019–December 2021
Evidence of counterfeit pill use in overdose deaths more than doubled from July–September 2019 to October–December 2021, and tripled in western U.S. states. Decedents with evidence of counterfeit pill use, compared with those without such evidence, were younger, more often Hispanic or Latino, and more frequently had a history of prescription drug misuse and drug use by smoking | CDC, USA
Marijuana should be moved to lower-risk drug category, U.S. health officials say
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has asked the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug under the Controlled Substances Act, a move that could potentially expand acceptance of the drug | Medical Xpress, USA
Impact of vaping high CBD/low THC products on driving ability
A recent International Journal of Legal Medicine study assesses how cannabinoid levels in the blood affect driving after single or repetitive vaporization of cannabis rich in cannabidiol (CBD) | News Medical, USA
Ocular Symptoms in Adolescents and Young Adults With Electronic Cigarette, Cigarette, and Dual Use
This cross-sectional study of 4351 individuals aged 13 to 24 years noted that users of both e-cigarettes and cigarettes have a higher likelihood of experiencing more severe and frequent ocular symptoms than users of a single tobacco product. Cigarette users experienced more ocular symptoms than e-cigarette users, and those who used these products more recently reported more symptoms than others | JAMA Network Open, USA
Do most Americans know how to help loved ones battling addictions? New poll says yes
About 71% of 2,200 respondents to an American Psychiatric Association poll said they would know how to assist a friend or family members. Most, about 73%, would refer that loved one to treatment, and 74% would talk to them about their addiction | Medical Xpress, USA
Persons With Spinal Cord Injury Report Peripherally Dominant Serotonin-Like Syndrome After Use of Serotonergic Psychedelics
[Open access] Persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) have a high prevalence of treatment-resistant mental health comorbidities that compound the extent of their physical disability. Reports from online discussion forums suggest that those living with SCI are using psychedelics, though the motivation for their use is unknown. These anecdotal reports describe a consistent phenomenon of neuromuscular and autonomic hypersensitivity to classical serotonergic psychedelics, such as psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) | Neurotrauma Rep, USA
Rogue nonprofit workers set up pop-up safe injection site in SF Tenderloin
In San Francisco, a group of local nonprofit workers went rogue on Overdose Awareness Day by opening a pop-up safe injection site | abc7 news, USA
Chicago Activists Demand SCS at Overdose Awareness Rally
On August 28, Chicago activists rallied at Federal Plaza in downtown Chicago, demanding that Illinois lawmakers take immediate action to prevent overdose deaths | Filter Magazine, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
Harry’s blog 120: Bent as a boomerang: vaping politics in Australia
Dr Colin Mendelsohn is a well-respected tobacco harm reduction expert who wrote an article for the Australian website Education HQ advising schools on strategies to deal with vaping among students. The article was posted then withdrawn. Dr Mendelsohn received an email from the editor saying: “Unfortunately my managing editor has decided we need to unpublish your article for now, I'm terribly sorry. He is working through a concern that's been raised around your relationship with the vape and tobacco industry.” | NSP blog, UK
US department of health calls for cannabis to be rescheduled
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has officially recommended that cannabis should be rescheduled under federal law, with the possibility of becoming one of the most significant shifts in US drug policy in years. Let’s look at what the move could mean for consumers, research and businesses | Volteface, UK
Drugs: Continuing to Fight a Lost War
Peter McVerry SJ reflects on the futility of the continuing ‘war on drugs’ in Ireland and why the money that is wasted in the punishment of drug users would be better spent on education and treatment | JCFJ, Ireland