scholarly journals Deaths from novel psychoactive substances in England, Wales and Northern Ireland: Evaluating the impact of the UK psychoactive substances act 2016

2021 ◽  
pp. 026988112110266
Author(s):  
Adrian A Deen ◽  
Hugh Claridge ◽  
Richard D Treble ◽  
Hilary J Hamnett ◽  
Caroline S Copeland
Keyword(s):  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Drug Market ◽  
Synthetic Cannabinoid ◽  
Novel Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Legal Highs ◽  
National Programme ◽  
Death Case ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

Background: ‘Legal highs’ began appearing in the UK in the mid-2000s. Whilst many of these substances were controlled under the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act, novel compounds and new variants of controlled compounds were continuously being introduced to the recreational drug market. The Psychoactive Substances Act (PSA) was therefore implemented in 2016 as a blanket ban on all novel psychoactive substances (NPS). Aim: To evaluate the impact of the PSA on deaths following NPS use in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Methods: Cases reported to the National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths where death had occurred 3 years pre- or post-implementation of the PSA were extracted. Cases with NPS detected at post-mortem were analysed and compared against cases non-NPS cases. Results: 293 deaths with NPS detected were identified; 91 occurring before the PSA and 202 afterwards, indicating an 222.0% post-PSA increase. Contrastingly, non-NPS drug-related death case reporting increased by only 8.0%. Synthetic cannabinoid, anxiolytic/sedative and stimulant NPS were detected in the largest proportions of deaths pre-PSA; post-PSA stimulant NPS detections reduced whilst synthetic cannabinoid and anxiolytic/sedative detections increased. Post-PSA, average decedent age increased significantly (mean age pre-PSA 34.4 ± 10.8 vs post-PSA 38.3 ± 9.4), and they were significantly more likely to have been living in deprived areas (pre-PSA 50.0% vs post-PSA 65.9%). Conclusions: Reporting of deaths following NPS use has risen despite introduction of the PSA. Whilst deaths amongst younger individuals and those living in more affluent areas has reduced, additional approaches to prohibition are needed to curb their persistence in deprived demographics.

scholarly journals Legal Highs, Lethal Lows

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 188-192
Author(s):  
Bhavini Shah ◽  
Tom Heaps ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Novel Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Mail Order ◽  
Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Legal Highs ◽  
High Street ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Rapid Emergence

Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS), sometimes referred to as Legal Highs, are newly available drugs with psychoactive properties that are not currently prohibited by United Nations Drug Conventions. Despite many of these compounds still being ‘legal’ and readily available via online mail-order companies and high-street ‘headshops’, their rapid emergence in the UK has been associated with increasing hospital admissions, enquiries on TOXBASE® and fatalities. It is therefore vital that Acute Physicians have a good understanding of the issues in recognizing, investigating and managing patients presenting to the AMU with toxicity due to legal highs. This article outlines the classification and effects of various novel psychoactive substances and presents a strategy for management according to the prevailing toxidrome.

scholarly journals Survey of knowledge of legal highs (novel psychoactive substances) amongst London pharmacists

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amira Guirguis ◽  
John M. Corkery ◽  
Jacqueline L. Stair ◽  
Stewart Kirton ◽  
Mire Zloh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Geographical Area ◽  
Novel Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Legal Highs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Level Of Knowledge ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Source Of Information ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine pharmacists’ knowledge of legal highs (novel psychoactive substances (NPS)). Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire was handed out at two London pharmacist continuing education events in mid-2014. These events update pharmacists about developments of interest/relevance to the profession and to improve their practice. A total of 54 forms were returned; a response rate of 26 percent. Findings – Most pharmacists had poor knowledge of NPS and many considered that NPS were not important to their work, with few having had to advise customers in this area. Despite this, the majority thought that they had insufficient information about NPS. There was a negative correlation between the age of the pharmacist and knowledge of NPS. Research limitations/implications – The sample is a self-selected one drawn from registered pharmacists working in community pharmacies in northwest London, and thus does not include hospital pharmacies. Self-selection means that respondents may only reflect those who are interested in the NPS phenomenon and not the wider pharmacy community. The geographical area covered may not be representative of London as a whole, or indeed other parts of the UK or other EU countries. Practical implications – It is clear that pharmacists do not know much about NPS but would like to know more. This information might improve their practice. Social implications – Pharmacists, easier to see than general practitioners, could be a useful source of information for NPS misusers. Originality/value – There have been no previous attempts to gauge the level of knowledge by pharmacists of legal highs/NPS in the UK or elsewhere to our knowledge.

Revival of an old problem: an increase in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium definitive phage type 8 infections in 2010 in England and Northern Ireland linked to duck eggs

2011 ◽  
Vol 140 (1) ◽  
pp. 146-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. NOBLE ◽  
C. LANE ◽  
C. L. LITTLE ◽  
R. DAVIES ◽  
E. De PINNA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Salmonella Enterica ◽  
Salmonella Enterica Serovar Typhimurium ◽  
Strong Association ◽  
Phage Type ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Serovar Typhimurium ◽  
Duck Egg ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

SUMMARYSalmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium definitive phage type (DT) 8 is uncommon in humans in the UK. In July 2010, the Health Protection Agency reported an excess isolation rate of pan-susceptible S. Typhimurium DT8 in England and Northern Ireland. By the end of October, this amounted to 81 laboratory-confirmed human cases for all regions of England and Northern Ireland in 2010, an increase of 26% and 41% on 2009 and 2008, respectively. Descriptive epidemiological investigation found a strong association with infection and consumption of duck eggs. Duck eggs contaminated with S. Typhimurium DT8 were collected from a patient's home and also at farms in the duck-egg supply chain. Although duck eggs form a small part of total UK eggs sales, there has been significant growth in sales in recent years. This is the first known outbreak of salmonellosis linked to duck eggs in the UK since 1949 and highlighted the impact of a changing food source and market on the re-emergence of salmonellosis linked to duck eggs. Control measures by the duck-egg industry should be improved along with a continued need to remind the public and commercial caterers of the potential high risks of contracting salmonellosis from duck eggs.

Novel psychoactive substances or ‘legal highs'

2015 ◽  
Vol 76 (9) ◽  
pp. C130-C134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen S Bonnici ◽  
Paul I Dargan ◽  
David M Wood
Keyword(s):  
Novel Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Legal Highs

scholarly journals Health and social care access for adults with learning disabilities across the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 174-179
Author(s):  
Samantha Flynn ◽  
Chris Hatton
Keyword(s):  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Family Carers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Adults With Learning Disabilities ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to present data about access to health and social care services during the COVID-19 pandemic for adults with learning disabilities across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected directly from 621 adults with learning disabilities and through separate proxy reports by family carers and paid support staff of another 378 adults with learning disabilities. The data were collected between December 2020 and February 2021 and concerned the use of health and social care services since the start of the first COVID-19 national lockdown in March 2020. Findings Access to and use of health and social care services significantly reduced for adults with learning disabilities across the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic between March 2020 and February 2021, with many people not receiving any services at all during that period. Similar patterns were seen across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. However, data suggest some variations between countries for some services. Practical implications Future pandemic planning must ensure that access to these essential services is not completely lost for adults with learning disabilities and their family carers, as it was in some cases during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Originality/value This is the largest study about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health and social care services for adults with learning disabilities in the UK. The authors primarily collected data directly from adults with learning disabilities, and worked with partner organisations of people with learning disabilities throughout the study.

scholarly journals Knowledge and (Ab)Use in Connection with Novel Psychoactive Substances: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Psychedelic Users Existing on Online Platforms

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 51
Author(s):  
Mohammed-Lutfi Al-Imam ◽  
Ahmed Al-Imam
Keyword(s):  
Religious Affiliation ◽  
Novel Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Online Platforms ◽  
Level Of Knowledge ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Sectional Analysis ◽  
Developed World

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of use and misuse of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) has been escalating at an exponential rate in the past two decades. Studies on NPS are highly concentrated in relevance to the developed world, while few have been undertaken in the developing countries.MATERIALS & METHODS: This study is observational and cross-sectional in nature; it relies on a web-based survey distributed to a population of (ab)users of psychedelics and NPS; this community was accessible via dedicated online platforms psychedelics users located on the Facebook social communication medium. The aim of the study is to estimate the level of knowledge and the extent of (mis)use in connection with psychoactive substances, including the novel ones (NPS).RESULTS: The number of participants who responded to the survey reached 458 responders. The level of knowledge and (ab)use was relatively high. The majority of participating individuals were Caucasians males from the developed world including the US, the UK, India, and western European countries. The primary religious affiliation was either agnosticism or atheism. Approximately, 26% were diagnosed with the neuropsychiatric condition.CONCLUSION: The NPS phenomenon is still a major concern primarily in the developed world. Additional studies are required in virtual and non-virtual populations. The targeted populations should include; students, medical professionals, academics, patients with psychiatric and neurological abnormalities, convicts and criminals, and even terrorists.

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