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Daily news - 28th February 2025 |
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UK news
A qualitative study of benzodiazepine/z-drug and opioid co-use patterns and overdose risk
[Open access] Co-use of benzodiazepines and/or ‘z-drugs’ along with opioids is linked to the rise in drug related deaths (DRD) in the UK. Understanding patterns of co-use could inform harm reduction strategies for reducing DRDs. This study explored how people co-use, including dosages, timings, methods of administration, use of other substances and desired effects sought | Harm Reduction Journal, UK
Paydens and Drinkaware join forces over alcohol campaign
Alcohol awareness charity Drinkaware has partnered with Paydens to roll out its free Drinking Check across the group’s 128 pharmacies in the south east of England. Pharmacists are using the tool to assess people’s drinking habits to see if they are seriously impacting their health | Pharmacy Magazine, UK
Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of patients have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in (a) England, (b) Cambridgeshire and (c) Peterborough Integrated Care Board | They work for you, UK
Glasgow Claypits helped turn the life around of former drug addict turned nature lover
Former drug addict turned nature lover Scott Milligan has opened up about how Glasgow beauty spot Hamiltonhill Claypits has helped him to turn his life around as he looks to give something back to the community | Glasgow Times, UK
Bottling Up Trouble: alcohol, workplaces, and the need for change
On this month’s podcast we spoke to Tabbin Almond, alcohol-freedom coach and author of the recent book: ‘Bottling Up Trouble: How alcohol is harming your business... and what to do about it’. Tabbin shares insights from her work helping people change their relationship with alcohol. We discussed the pro-alcohol workplace culture, its impact on employees and businesses, and the need for structural change | IAS, UK
124. The power of Medicine with Josh Dugdale - podcast
In this episode of the Drug Science podcast, we speak with Josh Dugdale of the Wasing Estate, described as a "mindful aristocrat." He shares his experiences with Ayahuasca in the Amazon and how they influenced his journey upon returning to the UK. Josh discusses the creation of a mindful and spiritual festival during the pandemic and also explores the challenges surrounding psilocybin access rights, the changes needed in this area, and what the future of psychedelic reform might look like | Drug Science, UK
Street Drugs Discussions: Deep dive into Mephedrone
Fri, 21 Mar 2025 12:00 - 14:00 GMT. This webinar features a panel discussion discussing the rise and fall of Mephedrone in the UK | Drug Science, UK
Aircraft drug-drop gang smuggled £4m of cocaine
A gang involved in importing parcels of cocaine that were dropped into the British countryside from a plane has been convicted of drugs offences | BBC, UK
Three jailed for roles in £1m cannabis factory
Three men have been jailed for maintaining a cannabis factory described by a judge as the "largest I've ever seen" in his judicial career. Vietnamese nationals Cong van Dinh, Hoa-Xuan Lau and Tien Nguyen were all paid to work at the factory, which was based at a warehouse in Huddersfield | BBC, UK
International news
Addicted: How the world got hooked on illicit drugs – and why we need to view this as a global threat like climate change
With illicit drug use increasing by 20% over the past decade, University of York Honorary Fellow and Associate Professor Ian Hamilton looks at the scale of the harm done by drugs around the world, the changing trends in supply and demand, and calls for a “complete shift” in the way governments and societies recognise and respond to what has become a global threat | Policing Insight, UK
Mexico releases 29 high-level organized crime operatives into US custody
Prisoners, including Rafael Caro Quintero, extradited as Mexico faces pressure to show it’s tackling fentanyl trafficking | Guardian, UK
Irish study shows one in five drug and alcohol users have symptoms of ADHD
One in five people using drugs and alcohol have symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a major study by Irish researchers | Irish Examiner, Ireland
Smokescreen: some vape firms pivot after FDA crackdown
Some e-cigarette companies targeted by U.S. authorities have altered their business model or changed their corporate structure, including by transferring operations to offshore firms, according to a U.S. regulator and representatives of two companies | Reuters, USA
Morocco Set to Earn Big Money with Cannabis Medicine Exports
Morocco is charging full speed toward turning cannabis into a life-changing medicine with the country exporting its first-ever shipment of medical hashish in partnership with Swiss company Medropharm in Morocco | Morocco World News, Morocco
Refer2Quit: A pilot referral approach to promote treatment for parents who smoke tobacco through pediatric primary care
[Open access] Evidence-based tobacco treatments are rarely provided to household members who smoke but do not attend a child’s pediatric visit. This pilot study evaluated an electronic health record (EHR)-linked intervention leveraging pediatric visits to identify and engage household members who smoke tobacco in treatment remotely | Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports, USA
Vaping while pregnant isn't harmless—study uncovers risks to newborn lung health
In a recent review published in the journal Antioxidants, researchers in Italy evaluated the impact of e-cigarettes (E-Cigs) on fetal and neonatal lung development, focusing on oxidative stress and inflammation | News Medical, USA
Can supervised consumption site expansion reduce HIV and hepatitis C infections?
Supervised consumption sites can help reduce rates of infectious diseases that are commonly transmitted through injection drug use by providing sterile syringes and other resources that promote safer drug use. Researchers in this study examined the potential impact of scaling up these harm reduction services on rates of infectious disease | Recovery Research Institute, USA
Medication typically prescribed for ADHD may offer some benefit for methamphetamine use disorder
Methamphetamine use disorder is rising in the United States while its treatment is limited by lack of FDA-approved medications. This study tested whether the ADHD medication lisdexamfetamine – best known by the brand name Vyvanse – might offer help to individuals with more severe methamphetamine use profiles| Recovery Research Institute, USA
New study identifies brain circuit key to reducing cocaine-seeking behavior
Imagine a future where the grip of cocaine use disorder can be loosened, where cravings fade, and the risk of relapse diminishes. A new study published in Science Advances, led by Penn Nursing's Heath Schmidt, PhD, brings this vision closer to reality. The research has identified a critical brain circuit that plays a pivotal role in regulating cocaine-seeking behavior | News Medical, USA
Leading Pro-Vape Academic “Couldn’t Stand on the Sidelines Any Longer”
Dr. Michael Siegel has long been a prominent expert voice making the case for tobacco harm reduction. He’s published large numbers of studies and media articles, as well as his own influential blog | Filter Magazine, USA
Drug Trends output: Patterns of re-using own needles among a sample of people who regularly injects illicit drugs in Australia, 2008-2024
The aim of this bulletin is to examine trends in own needle re-use over time among a sentinel sample of people who regularly inject drugs. Given their documented association with injecting risk behaviours more broadly, findings will be stratified by gender, main drug injected, and injecting frequency | NDARC, Australia
Blogs, comment and opinion
Latest Report Highlights Small Drop in World Female Imprisonments
A new report by the Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (ICPR) at Birkbeck University revealed that over 733,000 women and girls are estimated to be currently held across 221 penal institutions worldwide. This total, which includes both pre-trial detainees and those convicted and sentenced, is based on the most updated data from nations and territories in 2024 | Talking Drugs, UK
Nangs are popular with young people. But are they aware of the serious harms of nitrous oxide?
Nitrous oxide – also known as laughing gas or nangs – is cheap, widely available and popular among young people. Yet it often flies under the radar in public health programs and education settings. For example, it’s not included in the drug education curriculum in Australian schools. In our new study, we spoke to young people (aged 18 to 25) who have used nitrous oxide. We found they were are unaware of its risks – even when they reported symptoms such as “brain fog” and seizures | Conversation, Australia