At Zoom Testing, we bring you the latest UK drug news each week. This week brings mixed news as Scotland faces a rise in drug deaths from new strong mixes in heroin. On the plus side, the NHS will spend £532 million to train staff who help with drug and drink issues.
Our updates this week cover risks to kids from vaping, more smoking in parts of England, and new ways drugs cross into UK waters. We also look at how Glasgow’s drug room has saved lives, and how Stockton plans to use its £2.5 million grant to help those in need.
Monday, March 17, 2025
Health groups in Scotland warn of a spike in drug deaths. New tests show some heroin has strong new drugs mixed in. Users get sick fast. Some die. Many need more than one dose of life-saving spray. Docs will soon test new brain tools to help with drug and drink habits. These tiny tools send small zaps to cut down cravings.
Parts of London may soon try nights with no booze. These will be calm, with soft lights and less noise. The goal is to help those who find loud bars hard to enjoy. At horse races in Cheltenham, fans saw big blue bins at the gates. Race fans could drop drugs in these bins with no risk of being caught.
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
The Home Office has shared a new report on drug use based on wastewater testing. NHS changes are coming, and Health Chief Wes Streeting says there might be some bumps along the way. More kids are using vapes, with a new clinic in Liverpool seeing children as young as seven who need help to quit.
Stockton has won £2.5 million to help people with drug and alcohol problems. Fans are sad to learn that drag star The Vivienne died from taking ketamine. Pubs face a setback as special rules from COVID times will end on April 1. This change will affect how they can serve drinks to customers.
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
Smoking rates went up in parts of England for the first time since 2006. The South-west area saw a 17% rise. Doctors in Scotland say liver disease from drinking may jump 54% by 2044. They want new steps to cut these risks. Tests found new drugs in water in Australia that are far worse than fentanyl.
Some good news came from Blackburn where eight groups will now help people with drug and drink issues. One woman told the BBC that the lockdown helped her stop using drugs. The EU will host a talk about MDMA next week to look at how it moves through Europe.
Thursday, March 20, 2025
New data shows 43,400 people in Scotland have opioid issues—about 1.23% of people aged 15-64. The Public Health Scotland report highlights ongoing drug struggles. Glasgow’s drug room has helped with more than 15 urgent medical cases since January. A new study finds mental health patients need better help to quit smoking.
Tests of water in 128 European cities show more people are using drugs like MDMA and cocaine than last year, while fewer use cannabis. In Hull, police are looking into why students got sick after vaping illegal drugs at school. Leeds has started a new plan to fight drug and alcohol harm with help from police, hospitals, and local groups.
Friday, March 21, 2025
The NHS released a new plan for drug and alcohol staff training with £532 million in funding. Half of all drug users in prison don’t get help after they leave, a new study shows. People with lung issues now visit hospitals more often in North East England.
Drug gangs are now dropping cocaine in UK waters for small boats to pick up, say border agents. In the US, drug deaths are down as Trump keeps the opioid crisis plan going. Good news for some smokers: e-cigs may be safer for the heart than normal ones if you have HIV.
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