News | Addiction and substance misuse

Feature

A bumpy road for pharmacy in 2024 

From the launch of Pharmacy First and the promise of a new government, to ongoing struggles with medicines shortages, funding and workforce, there have been some highs and lows for pharmacy during 2024. Here, we look back at the biggest headlines of the year.…

Published: 13 December 2024

News

Legislation enabling pharmacy professionals to supply take-home naloxone comes into force

The decision to expand the list of healthcare professionals authorised to supply take-home naloxone aims to address the problem of opioid-related deaths making up the largest proportion of drug-related deaths in the UK.…

Published: 6 December 2024

News

Vapes to be used in community pharmacy smoking cessation pilot

A Kent-based community pharmacy smoking cessation pilot has been launched “in response to the government's ambition for England to be smoke-free by 2030”.…

Published: 19 November 2024

News

Smoking cessation drug to be provided on NHS three years after its withdrawal over carcinogen concerns

NHS England says generic varenicline could help more than 85,000 people stop smoking each year.…

Published: 12 November 2024

News

Government-funded trial will test psilocybin as treatment for opioid use disorder

The project is one of four funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research aimed at cutting harm from illegal drugs.…

Published: 23 October 2024

Opinion

Introducing a new quality-focused supervised consumption service in community pharmacy

The charity Change, Grow, Live has trialled a community pharmacy service for all service users receiving medication-assisted treatment, aiming to provide them with more holistic care for the first time.…

Published: 14 October 2024

News

Nitazenes linked to 179 deaths in 12 months, government data show

According to data analysis by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, protonitazene was linked to the most reported deaths — 73 out of 179.…

Published: 9 October 2024

News

UK’s first safe drug consumption room expected to open in October 2024

The safe drug consumption facility will allow people to use illegal drugs in a sterile environment at Hunter Street Health and Social Care Centre in Glasgow, Scotland.…

Published: 22 August 2024

News

Deaths related to drug misuse in Scotland rose by almost 12% in 2023

The National Records of Scotland data show that opioids were implicated in 80% of the misuse-related deaths in 2023.…

Published: 20 August 2024

News

Largest ever trial of ketamine to treat alcohol abuse to launch across eight NHS sites

The phase III clinical trial will explore the use of low-dose ketamine combined with psychological support as a therapy for people with alcohol use disorder.…

Published: 19 August 2024