Here’s a summary of some of the more interesting drug testing news stories and articles from around the UK this week. As always, if drugs are a concern for you, your family or your organisation, Zoom Testing is here to help. Contact us with all of your drug testing requirements.
Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines belong to a group of drugs known as depressants. Unfortunately, benzodiazepines have an extremely high rate of abuse. In the UK, the most common benzodiazepine is Valium. Slang names for the drug include benzos, temazies, jellies, eggs, moggies and vallies. A benzodiazepines drug test will detect BZD in urine within hours of using the drug and possibly up to 2 – 14 days after use.
Cannabis
Cannabis is the most commonly used illegal drug in the UK. At Zoom Testing we offer a very wide range of drug testing kits for cannabis. This week, there were a number of cannabis related news stories that caught the eye:
Royal Marine Commandos jailed over £300k drugs operation
Grant Broadfoot, 29, and Stuart Bryant, 31, were caught using a Ministry of Defence-owned van to transport cannabis from England to Scotland in June 2020 | BBC, UK
Cocaine
Powder cocaine continues to be the second most commonly used drug of abuse in the UK, after Cannabis. Zoom Testing supply a wide range of drug testing kits for cocaine. In the news this week:
Diver’s body found near $20m worth of cocaine in Newcastle waters
Police investigating whether the diver was attempting to retrieve the 50kg of drugs from a ship or the water | Guardian, UK
Wigan cocaine boss rumbled after posting beer snap online
The boss of a huge cocaine empire was caught after he posted a photograph of himself drinking beer on a secret messaging app being monitored by police | BBC, UK
Heroin
Heroin is a pain-killing drug, which is derived from the dried milk of the opium poppy. Heroin belongs to a group of drugs known as opiates, other opiates include morphine and methadone. Heroin is also known as smack, H, junk, brown, skag and gear. Zoom Testing is a leading supplier of drug testing kits for Heroin.
MDMA
The common name for the drug MDMA is Ecstasy which is a controlled substance. Ecstasy Drug Test Kits are available from Zoom Testing. We can also supply party drugs test kits.
US asks China to do more to stop rising drug deaths from fentanyl
Beijing must “do more” to stop the export of chemicals to make fentanyl, the US drug law enforcement agency has said | BBC, UK
Other Drug News in the UK
Also in the news this week:
My teenage Prozac diary
At just 14, Daniella Isaacs was prescribed Prozac. Looking back on those years, she reflects on her complicated relationship with the new ‘wonder drug’ | Guardian, UK
Drug-filled tennis balls thrown into Suffolk prison
Police tweeted to say one of the balls, containing suspected controlled drugs, was retrieved by a police dog named Harry, with other balls being found by a prison dog | BBC, UK
Dutch court jails drugs gang who built torture room and cells in containers
Eleven men sentenced after police hack online chat and hear of plans for ‘cutting pliers for fingers and toes’ | Guardian, UK
Portsmouth dock worker charged with attempted drug importation
Michael Jordan, of London Road, Portsmouth, was detained by the National Crime Agency (NCA) at his home on Tuesday | BBC, UK
Photo by Girl with red hat on Unsplash
