News | Addiction and substance misuse

News

Drug consumption room pilot records more than 1,000 injecting episodes in a month

According to latest service data on The Thistle, a drug consumption facility in Glasgow, 560 people used the site's services more than 10,000 times in 2025.…

Published: 20 January 2026

News

Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists recommends ‘ring-fencing’ diamorphine stock amid supply issues

Medicine supply alerts sent in December 2025 and January 2026 have requested that prescribers switch to morphine sulphate 10mg/1mL injections, where possible.…

Published: 15 January 2026

Opinion

From pain to wellbeing: why deprescribing might be the most powerful prescription of all

Pharmacist Shilpa Patel shares how staff at her GP practice worked to reduce high-dose opioid prescribing among patients who had taken the drugs for years.…

Published: 5 January 2026

News

Health news round-up: winter pressures, weight-loss resolutions and well being for the new year and beyond

A weekly summary of important developments in health news that you may have missed and what we can expect going into 2026.…

Published: 2 January 2026

News

Government proposes defibrillator-style naloxone access

The emergency opioid treatment could also be made available without a prescription at hostels and homeless outreach services, government proposals say.…

Published: 29 December 2025

News

Government to consult on widening access to take-home naloxone ‘before year end’

In December 2024, UK law was amended to make it legal for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to provide take-home naloxone kits without a prescription in an effort to widen access.…

Published: 10 December 2025

Opinion

PJ view: The government’s approach to illegal street drugs should focus on treatment and prevention

While the first drug-checking service has now been approved in Scotland, where the only safe drug consumption room is located, the government has reiterated that there are no plans to expand these across the UK.…

Published: 31 October 2025

News

Coroner raises concerns following opioid overdose after hospital discharge letter was lost

A patient was given both his new and previously prescribed opioid medication, leading to an overdose, a report from the coroner for the City of Sunderland found.…

Published: 28 October 2025

News

More research needed into psychedelics for mental illness treatment, says Royal College of Psychiatrists

The Royal College of Psychiatrists has also called for the creation of a centralise patient database to monitor the use of psychedelics and related substances, as well as their effects.…

Published: 19 September 2025

News

Drug-related deaths in Scotland at lowest level since 2017

National Records of Scotland data show that 1,017 people died from drug misuse during 2024.…

Published: 2 September 2025