Here at Zoom Testing, we track the news that matters to you. Each week, we share vital updates about drugs and alcohol in the UK. Our daily roundup covers policy shifts, testing news, health research and local projects. We keep things clear and to the point – perfect for busy professionals in healthcare, policy and support work. From new laws to local schemes, you’ll find the key stories here. Check in with us Monday to Friday for your essential sector briefing. Here’s what happened this week….
Monday, January 13, 2025
Great news from Glasgow! The city opened its first safe space for drug users. Medical staff are there to help. The center will stop drug deaths and save lives. The UK gave £12.4m to help people with drug and alcohol problems in Northern Ireland.
Big brands want to make drinking safer. Soccer star Jay Bothroyd and Jameson whiskey want fans to drink less at games. A new study shows very few people use nicotine pouches. Only 1 in 100 adults try them. Norway shows many smokers are switching to snus instead of cigarettes. This is a safer choice.
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
The UK made a big step forward this week. Glasgow opened its first legal drug room. This will help cut drug deaths in Scotland. Right now, Scotland has the most drug deaths in Europe. The UK added ten new experts to help guide drug laws. New studies show that giving people money helps them quit smoking. Both cash and gift cards work well.
The alcohol-free drinks market is booming this year. Stores are selling lots of drinks with no alcohol. Pubs say more people want these drinks than ever before. Ryanair wants new airport rules. They say each person should only get two drinks. This would stop problems with drunk passengers. TV star Millie Mackintosh talked about her struggles with alcohol as a new mom. Many people are joining the talk.
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
The UK is taking big steps to help people. Glasgow’s new drug room is now open. It will save lives. The UK picked ten smart people to give advice about drugs. Studies show a great way to help smokers quit – give them money! Both cash and gift cards work.
The alcohol-free drinks market is booming this year. Pubs are selling more drinks without alcohol than ever. Ryanair has a new plan. They want airports to give each person just two drinks. This will stop problems on planes. TV star Millie Mackintosh shared her story about drinking too much as a new mom. Many people say this helps them talk about their own problems.
Thursday, January 16, 2025
The UK Home Office announced new rules about drugs. They banned 20 dangerous synthetic drugs to keep streets safe. Glasgow’s new drug room, called Thistle, is now open. The Guardian reports this happened after many people worked hard to make it real. Peter Krykant, who used to take drugs, helped make this happen.
New evaluations show good news about alcohol rules in Wales. Setting minimum prices for drinks helps stop problems. But Cancer Research UK has sad news too. More people are dying from liver cancer now than 20 years ago. The FDA wants to make cigarettes less addictive. They plan to cut down the nicotine. Nature says some people are mean to scientists who study tobacco and alcohol. They call them bad names.
Friday, January 17, 2025
The UK wants to make ketamine laws stricter. They asked for a new study about it. The police did a great job last year, with drug seizures hitting £3 billion. Dublin has good news too. Their new safe drug site helped 100 people in just three weeks.
A new study shows some big numbers. Smoking costs England £43.7 billion each year. But it only brings in £6.8 billion in taxes. And in an odd twist, Houston police have a strange problem – rats are eating the drugs in their evidence room!
Photo by Anthony Cunningham for Zoom Testing
Zoom Testing is a leading UK drug testing company and a supplier of Drug Test Kits.
