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DDN June 2020
[…] people to wear ankle tag monitors for up to 120 days. tttttt tt 6 • DRINK AND DRUGS NEWS • JUNE 2020 In the meantime, some will finb benzos anb start to self-mebicate. When anb if the young person boes access mental health services there is a goob chance –s in classic ‘bual biagnosis ping […]
Street Benzos: Clinical Management That’s Fit for Purpose
For its latest column, Release teams up with national charity WithYou to discuss how to better support people in treatment for so-called ‘street benzos’. It’s time for a new approach, say Dr Kate Blazey and Shayla Schlossenberg. This is what we know from a clinical perspective. Drugs and alcohol charity WithYou is seeing people […]
The Benzo Trap
[…] drop in use, but anecdotal information from drug services, including young people’s services, suggests the opposite is true. The CSEW data is highly suspect in relation to benzos, and this may be because it misses key using populations. Questions to identify benzo use need to be carefully framed too – would young people taking […]
DDN260307
[…] to be managed properly, said Michael Farrell, consultant psychiatrist at the National Addiction Centre. Alcohol rarely came on its own, but was often accompanied by tobacco, coke, benzos or other drugs, he pointed out. The issue of alcohol and opiates was ‘age old’ – as in alcohol and laudanum in the mid-19th century – […]
Before it’s too late
[…] related services including housing, mental health and criminal justice. 8: Widening the message – as novel opioids are being found in a growing range of substances – benzos, fake Oxys and vapes, we need to widen awareness and harm reduction beyond heroin users based on evidence. Benzo users need to be a key target, […]
DDN210507
[…] are problematic and chaotic with these ‘killer’ drugs (that were introduced by the medical field in response to barbiturates)? At the age of 15 I was prescribed benzos (lorazepam – which was then marketed as Ativan) for barbiturate dependency – but there was no ongoing suppor t when I transferred my addiction to the […]
Rough Treatment
[…] like to introduce ‘Nick’ – not his real name, but a very much real and recent situation. Nick is a 42-year-old man who was dependent on street benzos, mainly diazepam, when he contacted Release. His benzo supply has not been regular, and when he has accessed drug testing via WEDINOS he has seen that […]
Under pressure
[…] feature. This will be especially true for people who have built up significant tolerance to benzo-type drugs pre-PSA, and who will need to cross-substitute with similarly strong benzos to stave off withdrawal. Someone with a 2g a day flubromazolam habit would probably need 80mg of diazepam for a similar effect. A discussion on an […]
DDN060116
[…] distrust and antagonism’ We also find the Alliance increasingly called upon to provide advocacy and suppor t to polydrug users, who may be concurrently dependent on opiates, benzos, alcohol or stimulants. Understandably this presents doctors engaging in treatment with a complex set of presentations and needs – which often results in poor treatment for […]
Risks of pregabalin and gabapentin
[…] a history of substance misuse,’ she adds. Some clients have issues with addiction Ben Sessa, consultant psychiatrist at Addaction, draws strong comparisons between pregabalin and gabapentin and benzos, including the addictive qualities. ‘I’ve had clients who say their GP started them on a prescribed dose… and now can’t stop without getting severe physical symptoms.’ ‘The […]
Semantic challenge
[…] would ask people about (for example) their benzodiazepine use. But asking this doesn’t automatically mean that the respondent will link their etizolam use to the use of benzos, and volunteer this as a response. Similarly, although we ask about cannabis use, the respondent may not volunteer that they are smoking synthetic cannabinoids. 4 […]
DDN April2021
[…] GPs; are SU forums being ignored?; thoughts on trauma and DV 14 PARLIAMENT New approach to policing 15 WRITE IT DOWN! A journal for recovery 16 BANNINb BENZOS bill Nelles warns against dangerous practice 18 VIRTUAL REALITY Online support 19 REACHINb OUT through live chat The final steps towards hep C elimination will be […]
DDN March2021
[…] particularly if used alongside other subdstances, are a major contributory factor to Scotlandbs current drug death crisis,b said CEO David Liddell. Whatâs happening on the streets with benzos? at www.sdftraining.org.uk PLUGGING IN Plug in Devon is a new online community from the Devon Together Alliance (DTA) â coordinated by EDP Drug and Alcohol Services […]
DDN 050124
[…] handlers. The supply of heroin on the islands was always intermittent (leading in the past to some awkward rattles usually assuaged by ‘rescuing’ GPs prescribing DFs and benzos) – and it still is. There is a difference though: gear is brought in more often (but in smaller quantities), stuffed in a condom up the […]
Bristol issues warning after six heroin deaths
[…] states that ‘there have been confirmed reports in various locations around Britain of unusually strong opioids contained in a number of drugs; heroin, OxyContin (oxycodone) and “street benzos”. In this alert we are asking people to be extra cautious as these strong opioids may be in widespread circulation, rather than confined to particular areas. […]
Doing it together
[…] first aims is to expand our peer-led naloxone distribution programme. I often hear that there is too much focus on naloxone, that we need to look at benzos, people using alone, and the case for overdose prevention sites. And of course we do. But making sure naloxone is in the hands of everyone who […]
Another record year for England and Wales drug deaths
[…] cent and 13 per cent respectively. Deaths involving NPS, however, were up by almost 90 per cent – driven by rising numbers of deaths involving benzodiazepine analogues (‘street benzos’) like etizolam and flubromazolam. As in previous years, rates of overall drug misuse deaths were highest among those aged 45 to 49. While death rates were […]
Scotland sees slight fall in drug-related deaths
[…] per cent of deaths in 2021 involved opiates or opioids, almost 920 involved benzodiazepines compared to just 191 in 2015 – an increase mostly driven by ‘street benzos’ like etizolam, says NRS. Gabapentin and/or pregabalin were implicated in just under 475 deaths, and cocaine in more than 400. David Liddell: Statistics represent ‘ongoing systemic […]
Gently does it
Simply cutting off the supply of benzodiazepines to people who’ve been prescribed them for years is far from appropriate.
We need to talk about medical marijuana
[…] also worth pointing out that after a decade of sub-optimal dosing many users are struggling on too low a dosage and quietly making the difference up with benzos and booze, which is the most dangerous drug combination out there. Marijuana offers a much safer alternative than central nervous system depressants for those desperately trying […]
A Tangled Web: drug purchasing on the darknet
The ‘darknet’ online marketplace has experienced significant turbulence lately, affecting the availability of different drugs. Be ready for the impact, says Kevin Flemen.
Crack Cocaine – Cracks in the mirror
[…] via, for example, needle exchange. Harm reduction interventions, including resources to address the needs of crack smokers, polydrug users (including crack and alcohol, use of opiates or benzos as comedown drugs) and crack injectors need to be in place. Drug-related deaths strategies should also address responses to critical incidents involving crack, including the need […]
Who cares?
[…] pleased. He agreed to continue counselling and to come back if he was at risk of relapsing. After six months he relapsed – first on alcohol and benzos, and then heroin, and repeated this pattern for about 14 years. Mostly he would do outpatient detox with us, but did have two attempts at rehabilitation. […]
Reaching out: painkillers
[…] kind of work in primary care, we were also coming across a great deal of patients addicted to prescribed painkillers as well,’ says Royle. As with the benzos, ‘these patients are never going to roll up at an addiction treatment service on the high street – but that doesn’t mean that there’s not tens […]
Recovery and drug treatment
[…] ways of living. The right way is to get a job, pay your rent and care for your friends and family. The wrong way is methadone, booze, benzos and benefits; watching daytime TV while the state takes care of your kids. In the aftermath of the general election we noticed something peculiar. There seemed […]
DDN 050321
[…] fairly non-euphoric, par ticularly oral methadone, and there may be some evidence that some people take additional drugs to supplement the effects. Commonly used are alcohol and benzos, both depressants, and cocaine, a stimulant – which may have more logic: the coke ‘peps up’ the methadone, giving it a more euphoric effect, similar to […]
DDN 050124
[…] handlers. The supply of heroin on the islands was always intermittent (leading in the past to some awkward rattles usually assuaged by ‘rescuing’ GPs prescribing DFs and benzos) – and it still is. There is a difference though: gear is brought in more often (but in smaller quantities), stuffed in a condom up the […]
News in brief
Psychoactive survey A consultation on new psychoactive substances has been launched by the National Assembly for Wales’ health and social care committee, looking at issues like awareness, legislation, service capacity, partnership working, data collection and international evidence. The committee is looking for submissions from both individuals and organisations and the consultation, which has been welcomed […]
SDF launches nitazenes resource pack
[…] clear that, as anticipated, synthetic opioids have become involved in the drug supply in Scotland,’ said SDF CEO Kirsten Horsburgh. ‘Nitazenes have been found in heroin and benzos but may be in supplies of other drugs. There is always risk so long as drug supply is unregulated. But the core message is to try […]
DDN November 2020
[…] instilling wsafer bractice, it had already saved at least one life through administering wnaloxone. The harm reduction advice was invaluable: there was a high incidence of street benzos (a major contributor to deaths in Scotland) and many beoble were found to be injecting coke, often when on a high dose of methawdone. A second […]
Review of the year – 2023
[…] by 2030. JULY Treatment agencies begin issuing warnings about unusually strong opioids, with clusters of fatal overdoses around the country. Drugs sold as heroin, oxycodone and ‘street benzos’ are being found to contain fentanyls and nitazenes, the organisations point out. DDN heads to Birmingham for its 15th annual service user conference, Many Roads. While […]
Myanmar overtakes Afghanistan as largest opium source
[…] more than 20 samples of benzodiazepines that were found to contain nitazenes since September. The samples included substances being sold as diazepam and alprazolam – both ‘street benzos’ and drugs bought online by people ‘likely believing them to be genuine pharmaceutical products’. Head of substance misuse at Public Health Wales and WEDINOS, Rick Lines […]
Open market
How easy is it to have any drug you want delivered to your door with no questions asked? This and other issues raised at HIT’s Hot Topics conference gave a revealing snapshot of changes in the drugs field, as Max Daly reports. The change that has been buffeting the drugs field for the last five […]
Afghanistan sees shift from opium to methamphetamine production
[…] drug-related deaths in Scotland (often when used with heroin) every year, and growing numbers across the UK. Again, if heroin becomes less available, the incentive to use “street benzos” as well will increase.’ Understanding illegal methamphetamine manufacture in Afghanistan. Taliban opium ban: what the future holds at https://transformdrugs.org/blog/taliban-opium-ban opium field UNODC executive director Ghada Waly
DDN2801
[…] lot of creativity, as DDNfound out. A text message beeps on my mobile phone. It’s warning me that dodgy benzodia- zepines are being circulated in Bilston – benzos with a blue tinge to them, nicknamed blue bombs. ‘One case we have heard of, person ended up in A&E from poss OD. Be careful,’ says […]
£5m funding for overdose-preventing tech projects
Projects using technology such as AI or drones to help prevent fatal overdoses have been awarded a share of £5m funding from the Department of Health and Social Care and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. The projects will explore how AI wearable technologies can detect overdoses and alert healthcare professionals or family members to […]
DDN 050321
[…] fairly non-euphoric, par ticularly oral methadone, and there may be some evidence that some people take additional drugs to supplement the effects. Commonly used are alcohol and benzos, both depressants, and cocaine, a stimulant – which may have more logic: the coke ‘peps up’ the methadone, giving it a more euphoric effect, similar to […]
Drug-related A&E admissions in Scotland up by 13 per cent
The average weekly number of drug-related attendances at Scottish A&E departments between March and May this year increased by 13 per cent compared to the same period last year – to more than 1,080 attendances. However, the average weekly number of drug-related acute admissions was down by 23 per cent between January and March compared to […]