Addiction

‘Unprecedented’ rise in drug overdoses in England linked with synthetic opioid

Public Health England has issued a National Patient Safety alert warning of a sharp rise in drug overdoses, which have resulted in 16 deaths around the country.…

Scotland logs highest number of drug-related deaths on record in 2020

Data also show that people living in most deprived areas of Scotland were 18 times more likely to die from a drug-related condition than those in the least deprived.…

Naloxone kit supply may have saved almost 1,400 lives in 2020, report finds

There has been a large increase in the uptake of take-home naloxone kits in Scotland, and the emergency antidote for overdoses caused by heroin and other opioids is likely to have saved many lives.…

Home Office to consult this year on adding DNP to list of regulated poisons

Following advice from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs that the diet pill 2,4-Dinitrophenol is a poison, the UK government will consult on whether to add the compound to the list of regulated poisons.…

A pharmacy resolution for 2021: let’s improve the way patients with addiction are treated

There’s evidence that community pharmacy’s disrespect for people with addiction is deterring them from seeking the drug treatments designed to aid their recovery — putting them at risk of drug-related death.…

The man and his ‘illegal’ van trying to fix Glasgow’s drug problem

A van providing a safe space for drug users to inject is being piloted in Glasgow but, despite backing for the idea of such a facility from the Scottish government, Westminster says that it is illegal.…

Pharmacists can help put an end to illicit drug deaths by being at the centre of a new non-medical use market

Providing currently prohibited drugs through pharmacists in state-run pharmacies sounds like a radical idea, but it could be a way of improving prospects for users.…

Misuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs to obtain illicit highs: how pharmacists can prevent abuse

An overview of the range of medicines that are being misused, diverted, or recorded on websites reporting new trends and experimentations of drug abuse for recreational purposes and how pharmacists can detect, understand and prevent drug diversion activities and drug-misuse adverse ef…

Drug-related deaths in England and Wales remain at record levels, ONS report shows

Deaths related to drug poisoning remained at record levels in 2019, according to figures published by the Office of National Statistics.…

We designed a new way of tapering antidepressants, but why won’t the health authorities recognise its value?

When Peter Groot, a researcher in mental health experience, suffered uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms from his antidepressants, he set about developing tapering strips — clever tools to help patients gradually reduce their dose. But, despite their effectiveness, they are yet to take the medic…