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Daily news - 21st January 2026 |
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UK news
The government's response to the ACMD review of the evidence on the use and harms of etomidate
Letter to the ACMD from Sarah Jones MP, Minister for Policing and Crime, responding to the ACMD recommendations on the use and harms of Etomidate | ACMD, UK
Drug Alert: Methoxetamine Found In Cocaine Samples
Surrey Combatting Drugs partnership have shared information received from OHID regarding potential high risk cocaine in circulation in the Hillingdon area. A large amount of white powder, originally thought to be cocaine was tested forensically, with results confirming that the substance contained no cocaine, but did contain Methoxetamine (MXE) commonly referred to as ‘mexxy’ | Forward Trust, UK
Naloxone: Public Consultation
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to publish a consultation on access to naloxone | They work for you, UK
National naloxone programme Scotland - Quarterly Monitoring Bulletin April to June (Q1) 2025/26
This release by Public Health Scotland (PHS) presents information on the number of take-home naloxone kits issued by the National Naloxone Programme (NNP) in Scotland | PHS, UK
Drug rehab charity warns early education about dangers of ketamine use 'never more critical' - video
Kenward Trust says Medway has seen the fifth greatest increase in the country of children undergoing drug or alcohol treatment | ITV, UK
'In incontinence pads since I was 20:' Recovering ketamine addict had bladder removed due to drug
A 25-year-old man who had to undergo bladder surgery has said that the long-term side effects of using ketamine have "ruined" his life | ITV, UK
New law could see vaping banned in all pubs across England
The Government has issued an update on a potential ban on vaping in pubs across the UK | Manchester Evening News, UK
Legal cannabis clinic is launched for Doncaster medical patients
Medicann Clinics, a leading UK medical cannabis clinic, has announced the launch of virtual clinic appointments for qualifying patients in Doncaster and the wider South Yorkshire region, improving access to specialist care through secure telehealth consultations | Doncaster Free Press, UK
'I sold my house and risked everything on Smoke Free - we've now helped 1m people quit'
A lifetime of self-improvement work led Dr David Crane to create the UK’s leading quit-smoking app, which has hit its one-millionth quitter milestone along with multi-million pound revenues | Yahoo Finance, UK
The Forward Trust National Reunion 2026
Jan 24 from 11am to 3:30pm GMT, Hackney Church (St John at Hackney). This year expect to catch up with friends from around The Forward Trust as we come together to watch amazing life performances and hear incredible stories of life-changing experiences in recovery | Forward Trust, UK
The Manifesto Sessions: Drug Checking - A Routine Harm Reduction Service
Tue 27 Jan, 14:00 - 15:00 GMT. Online. Our 8th webinar within our Manifesto Sessions webinar series will focus on community drug checking services. As part of our ‘Setting the blueprint for a more equal and prosperous Wales for people who use substances’, we want community drug checking services to be part and parcel of harm reduction interventions across Wales | Barod, UK
International news
How cognition and decision-making processes shape behaviour with Justin Mahlberg - podcast
In this episode, Dr Tsen Vei Lim speaks to Dr Justin Mahlberg, a Research Fellow at Monash University, Australia. The interview covers Justin’s research article on social cognition and decision-making in people with methamphetamine use disorder | SSA, UK
Department of Justice accused of ‘laziness’ in slow passage of nitrous oxide Bill
Delay to legislation to regulate ‘laughing gas’ will make abuse problem worse, Dáil hears | Irish Times, Ireland
Cannabis May Help Some Communities Cope With Gun Violence
In a new study published in Clinical Psychological Science, Payne, now a professor at the University of Delaware, and his colleagues zoomed into cannabis use in this population of street-identified Black Americans, a substance often used to help individuals cope with stress and other uncomfortable emotions | APS, USA
Fentanyl’s Prevalence in Drug Seizures Not Linked to Drop in OD Deaths, Research Suggests
As theories continue to emerge for the dramatic turnaround in overdose deaths, a new study indicates that it’s largely unrelated to the decreased proportion of fentanyl in law enforcement drug seizures—even though the previously increasing prevalence of overdose mortality and of fentanyl in seized drugs appeared to be more closely related | Filter Magazine, USA
Drugs Barely Even a Pretext Anymore in Trump’s Regional Nightmare
On January 19, Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va) vowed to pass a war powers resolution curbing the Trump administration’s military actions in Venezuela. One such measure narrowly failed to pass the Senate on January 14, after Vice President JD Vance’s vote broke a 50-50 tie. Kaine, who sponsored it along with Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky), promised to remain resolute. We’re going to be filing a whole lot more war powers resolutions,” he said | Filter Magazine, USA
Blogs, comment and opinion
Has England’s drinking returned to “normal”?
At the beginning of 2020, an unprecedented shock occurred: the COVID-19 pandemic. With pubs closed, daily life disrupted, and many people under severe stress, initial studies showed an increase in risky alcohol consumption in England | IAS blog, UK