DrugWise

RADAR alert: Rising harms linked to Scotland’s drug supply.
🧪 New sedative medetomidine found in drugs sold as heroin & benzos
💊 New & re emerging street benzos, incl. clonazolam, are increasing risks
There’s no safe way to take drugs.
For more info: publichealthscotland.scot/population-h...

Frontiers | Legislating novel psychoactive substances: lessons from 15 years of UK mortality data (2007-2022) BackgroundNovel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) emerged in the early 2000s as chemically designed alternatives to circumvent laws which internationally control...

Legislating novel psychoactive substances: lessons from 15 years of UK mortality data (2007-2022) - www.frontiersin.org/journals/pha...

ACMD announces decision on the classification of ketamine The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) has today (28 January 2026) published its updated harms assessment of ketamine.

News story - The ACMD has advised the government ketamine should remain a class B controlled substance, but that police forces and health care professionals must receive greater support to better identify, prevent and respond to ketamine‑related harms - www.gov.uk/government/n...

Ketamine: an updated review of use and harms Following a 2025 government commission, the ACMD has carried out a review of the use and harms of ketamine.

"Ketamine: an updated review of use and harms" - Following a 2025 government commission, the ACMD has carried out a review of the use and harms of ketamine - www.gov.uk/government/p....

Scotland's Rapid Action Drug Alerts and Response ​report out - Most harms involved multiple drugs. Clonazolam was the most common street benzo, detections of nitazene-type opioids in deaths reached their highest, cocaine remained the most frequently reported publichealthscotland.scot/publications...

A BIG thank you to @changegrowlive.bsky.social for renewing their much valued sponsorship to DrugWise Daily - the free alcohol and other drugs newsletter. You are helping to keep this service going for thousands in the field. Subscribe here - www.dsdaily.org.uk

Are you committed to ending stigma? Why not join us. All we ask is that you call out stigma and discrimination when you experience it and observe it, and work with other members to share how best to understand stigma and fight discrimination. Sign up, its free: zurl.co/J257s

We have also joined forces with @local.gov.uk to highlight the exploitation of vulnerable people through ‘patient brokering’ in this sector. localgovassoc-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/joint-c...

Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey 2023/4 | National Centre for Social Research This survey provides data on the prevalence of both treated and untreated psychiatric disorder in the English adult population.

Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey 2023/4 via @natcen.bsky.social
natcen.ac.uk/publications... -
Signs of dependence on illicit drugs increased from 3.8% of 16 to 64 year olds in 2014 to 6.7% in 2023/4, mostly related to increases in signs of dependence on cannabis.

Drug ban in prison has backfired, says University of Sussex study The research says since banning

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Cutting Through with Harry Shapiro

Our Director, @harryshapiro.bsky.social is interviewed on the Cutting Through podcast - open.spotify.com/episode/0Y6b...

Breakfast - 08/11/2025 The latest news, sport, business and weather from the BBC's Breakfast team.

Our Director Harry Shapiro @harryshapiro.bsky.social speaks on Nitrous Oxide in this BBC Breakfast report. Listen from 1 hour 15 minutes in www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

New opportunities for addictions PhD and fellowships launched today! More on the website and more to follow. Watch this space....

Peer Mentoring Evaluation: A report on final research findings Evaluation findings from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) test of Peer Mentoring for individuals with a substance dependency.

Peer Mentoring Evaluation: A report on final research findings - Evaluation findings from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) test of Peer Mentoring for individuals with a substance dependency -
www.gov.uk/government/p...

ACMD review of the evidence on the use and harms of etomidate The report presents a review of etomidate and structurally related compounds and subsequent recommendations regarding their classification and scheduling.

ACMD review of the evidence on the use and harms of etomidate - www.gov.uk/government/p...

Deaths related to drug poisoning in England and Wales: 2024 registrations. New stats out from ONS - www.ons.gov.uk/releases/dea...

Young people given stark warning on deadly risks of taking drugs The government has launched a new campaign to alert young people to the dangers of ketamine, counterfeit medicines and adulterated THC vapes

Press release - Young people given stark warning on deadly risks of taking drugs - www.gov.uk/government/n...

Ketamine deaths increase twenty-fold since 2014 with mixing drugs on the rise | King's College London Deaths due to illicit ketamine use have increased twenty-fold since 2014 – but these deaths are increasingly occurring in complex polydrug settings, raising doubts over whether single-substance drug p...

Ketamine deaths increase twenty-fold since 2014 with mixing drugs on the rise - www.kcl.ac.uk/news/ketamin...

Mobile drug consumption units could be introduced in Scotland The Scottish Affairs Committee found smaller mobile facilities could be more cost-effective, while reaching a greater number of drug users.

Mobile drug consumption units could be introduced in Scotland
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Thousands of opioid deaths missed off official figures The error - affecting England and Wales - raises concerns about the impact on the government's approach to drug deaths.

Thousands of opioid deaths missed off official figures - www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The UK Government has announced £10 million in funding to support the next generation of leaders in addiction research. Find out more about the Addiction Healthcare Goals Research Leadership Programme: tinyurl.com/2sveeum8

Diana Johnson is no longer minister for drug policy. Possible replacement is Sarah Jones.

Drug-related deaths in Scotland, 2024 - New statistics out - In 2024, there were 1,017 drug misuse deaths registered in Scotland, a decrease of 13% (155 deaths) compared with 2023 - www.nrscotland.gov.uk/publications...

A really BIG thank you to
@phoenixfutures.bsky.social
for generously sponsoring DrugWise Daily and helping to keep this free newsletter going for all in the drugs field. Subscribe here dsdaily.org.uk

RADAR alert issued on nitazenes and contamination of the drugs supply - publichealthscotland.scot/news/2025/au...

Introducing: The New Collective Voice Affected Others Group! - Collective Voice Adfam and Collective Voice are excited to announce the launch of a brand-new group, bringing together organisations supporting families affected by substance use and individuals with lived experience, to work together to improve support for affected others.

@adfam.bsky.social and Collective Voice are excited to announce the launch of a brand-new group, bringing together organisations supporting #families affected by #substance use and individuals with lived experience, to work together to improve support. www.collectivevoice.org.uk/news/introdu...

Ketamine harms assessment The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) is calling for evidence on ketamine use, harms and interventions.

The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) is calling for evidence on ketamine use, harms and interventions.
www.gov.uk/government/c...

Panorama - Britain’s Ketamine Crisis Why are so many people taking ketamine? Hazel Martin talks to users, those being treated in detox and rehab, and doctors being inundated by young patients in need of help.

Panorama - Britain’s Ketamine Crisis, BBC iPlayer - Hazel Martin talks to users, those being treated in detox and rehab, and doctors being inundated by young patients in need of help - www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

If you are conducting research on substance use or addictive behaviours and want to include the views of people with living and lived experience, email ppiepruaddictions@kcl.ac.uk to see how the APPIE network can help | @nihr-pruaddictions.bsky.social‬