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Daily news - 5th January 2024 |
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UK news
Prescription drugs sold online without 'robust' checks
Patients' lives are being put at risk because it is too easy to buy prescription-only medicines from online pharmacies, a leading pharmacist says | BBC, UK
'We had to investigate our autistic son's death'
The parents of an autistic teenager who died from an accidental overdose say they had to investigate his death themselves to find out what killed him | BBC, UK
Former gang member warns Kent children about drug gangs
Kent primary school children are being warned by an ex-gang member about the dangers posed by county lines drug dealers. Francis Osei-Appiah said he had given talks to over 40,000 children over the last 12 years with some as young as 10 | BBC, UK
Former cocaine addict raises £80,000 for his homelessness charity by sleeping rough in UK's biggest cities
After his recovery nine years ago, Richard, of Edinburgh, founded Scotland-based charity Steps to Hope to raise money for people suffering with homelessness and addiction | Mail Online, UK
Tobacco: Sales
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to enforce the generational ban on tobacco products | They work for you, UK
Ofsted ‘Good’ rating recognises Forward’s service delivery of Adult Education and Apprenticeships
Following a recent inspection, The Forward Trust has been awarded a ‘Good’ rating by Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills) acknowledging achievements made in our Adult Education and Apprenticeship schemes | Forward Trust, UK
Police raids target gang importing cannabis from US to UK
Eight people have been arrested in an operation targeting a gang suspected of importing high strength cannabis into the UK from the US, police have said | BBC, UK
Hundreds of illicit vapes and cigarettes seized
Hundreds of suspected illicit vapes and cigarettes have been seized after a police officer stopped a shop worker selling an e-cigarette to a child | BBC, UK
International news
French booze-free January falls flat with Macron government
France's President Emmanuel Macron has been accused of caving in to the wine lobby by failing to lend his weight to an alcohol-free "Dry January" | BBC, UK
Europe’s war against tobacco has a new target: Nicotine
Europe is building up a head of steam to wage the next war on Big Tobacco. And this time, it’s not over deadly cigarettes but a product that contains no tobacco at all — the seemingly innocuous nicotine pouch | Politico, UK
Ancestral spirit: can brewing a traditional moonshine help Colombia’s youth avoid gangs?
Viche, a sugar cane-based drink made by African-Colombian communities for centuries, is slowly gaining legality and respectability | Guardian, UK
No heroin found among drugs used in recent overdose clusters in Dublin and Cork, HSE finds
According to chemical testing of the drugs, they contained nitazenes which were synthesised in a lab, along with caffeine and paracetamol | Journal, Ireland
Synthetic drugs led to an uprecedented level of drug overdoses in 2023 - audio
Eleanor Burnhill speaks to Professor Eamon Keenan, National Clinical Lead for addiction services in the HSE, about emerging drug trends | RTe, Ireland
US opioid crisis: Hope for new approach as naloxone machines spread in 2023
Vending machines with free overdose-reversal drugs are being embraced across US, but misconceptions remain a hurdle | Aljazeera, Qatar
Deaths tied to 'fake Xanax' street drug are increasing
According to a new report, the drug they actually took was an unapproved benzodiazepine sedative called bromazolam, with street names like "fake Xanax" and "dope." It's increasingly being distributed illicitly online or on the street, and when mixed with fentanyl, is also fueling a rising number of deaths | Medical Xpress, USA
What To Know About Nitazenes: Rare But Emerging Opioids More Potent Than Fentanyl
Though incidents involving them are still rare, an emerging class of drugs called nitazenes has raised concerns among health officials due to them being more potent than fentanyl, the need for several doses of naloxone in overdoses and the lack of knowledge about them among healthcare providers | Forbes, USA
SMOKEOUT Act Aims New Crackdown at Unlicensed NY Cannabis Stores
ANew York State bill would give cities and towns new enforcement powers to target and shut down unlicensed cannabis dispensaries. It’s the latest salvo in authorities’ long struggle to uproot the illicit market since New York legalized adult-use cannabis in 2021 | Filter Magazine, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
Wine is stronger and measures are bigger. So can I manage moderation?
I am eschewing dry January for something arguably more difficult – one small glass a night, with two nights off each week. What could possibly go wrong ... | Guardian opinion, UK
Medical cannabis barriers are failing patients
Medical cannabis was legalised in 2018 as a result of a series of highly impactful campaigns from families of children with severe forms of epilepsy. These stories captured the attention of the nation and rightfully spurred action from the government | Comment Central, UK
Everything you need to know about the Dutch cannabis experiment
After many setbacks, the Netherlands has finally launched its ‘cannabis experiment’, initiating the process of a legal cannabis market. Let’s take a look at what this program aims to achieve, how this has been received by the drug reform community, and what questions this program will answer regarding the future of cannabis legalisation in Europe | Volteface, UK