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The Latest Breaking News from Opioids

Latest opioid settlement plan with OxyContin maker Purdue and Sackler family getting few objections

The company that makes OxyContin, members of the Sackler family who own it and many groups that sued over its role in the opioid crisis are asking a judge to approve a settlement plan

The Independent UK

Taking prescription opioids for too long can be harmful. Here’s how to cut back and stop

Opioids, such as oxycodone, morphine, codeine, tramadol and fentanyl, are commonly prescribed to manage pain. You might be given a prescription when experiencing pain, or after surgery or an injury.

The Conversation

US appeals court overturns West Virginia landmark opioid lawsuit decision

A federal appeals court has overturned a landmark decision in an opioid lawsuit in West Virginia

The Independent UK

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New record high drug deaths as killer nitazene opioid ravages UK streets

Nitazenes can be 100 times more potent than heroin and bring a high risk of overdose

The Independent UK

New record high drug deaths as nitazene opioid fatalities almost quadruple

A total of 195 deaths registered last year involved nitazenes, a figure almost four times that of the 52 deaths registered in 2023.

Evening Standard

Rise in young people being harmed by ketamine sparks new awareness campaign

Ministers said there were also growing concerns about THC vapes laced with ‘spice’, as well as synthetic opioids being sold in medicines online.

Evening Standard

Managing Chronic Pain Without Relying on Heavy Drugs

Chronic pain affects nearly one in five adults over 65, yet many are searching for safer alternatives to prescription opioids. While opioids can temporarily relieve...

Saving Advice

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Highly potent synthetic opioids found in teddy bear-shaped pills linked to a death in Queensland

Public health warning issued after drugs known as nitazenes detected amid move to ban pill testing

The Guardian - AU

How Opioid Prescriptions Are Being Overused in Senior Care Settings

Opioid medications were once hailed as breakthrough pain relievers—but for seniors in care settings, they’ve quietly become a growing concern. Long-term prescriptions, often written for...

Saving Advice

Police uncover first UK lab producing new type of deadly opioids

Nitazenes were involved in 38 drug deaths in Scotland in the space of just a few months

The Independent UK

UK’s first nitazene drug lab found in Ayrshire, police board told

The high-strength synthetic opioids sometimes mixed into other drugs can be dangerous due to their potency.

Evening Standard

10 times stronger than fentanyl, nitazenes are the latest, deadly development in the synthetic opioid crisis

At the end of 2023, the health crisis caused by fentanyl use in the United States set alarm bells ringing. However, the situation may get even worse with the emergence of another family of synthetic opioids: nitazenes.

The Conversation

What correctional officers think about harm-reduction services for incarcerated people with drug addictions

Opioids, including the best known — morphine, heroin and fentanyl — have been gaining popularity over the last few decades. Although officially banned, these painkillers still find their way into prisons either via drones or with visitors. The result is that more and more prisoners are using opioids.

The Conversation

‘Crisis on top of crisis’: Scotland faces threat from dangerous form of opioids, experts warn

Synthetic opioids known as nitazenes, linked to more than 100 deaths, can be hundreds of times stronger than other drugs

The Guardian - UK

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The Conversation

New data shows a jump in older people dying from drug overdoses

When we talk about drug overdose deaths, many of us imagine a problem that affects young people.

The Conversation

Balancing kratom’s potential benefits and risks − new legislation in Colorado seeks to minimize harm

David Bregger had never heard of kratom before his son, Daniel, 33, died in Denver in 2021 from using what he thought was a natural and safe remedy for anxiety.

The Conversation

Running is a substance-free pleasure that supports addiction recovery

Addiction is a widespread health issue that will affect about one in five Canadians over their lifetimes. For example, addiction to opioids has led to opioid and overdose crises in many cities, which has brought the social question of addiction to the forefront.

The Independent UK

Urgent warning after synthetic opioids linked to 38 deaths in Scotland over just three months

Between January and March 2025, nitazenes were detected in 38 deaths

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AAP

'Disturbing evolution': opioid-laced vape liquid seized

An Australian-first arrest was triggered after vape liquid laced with a dangerous and highly addictive synthetic opioid was marketed to hundreds of buyers.

The Independent UK

Shocking new report finds this drug is more deadly than fentanyl

Even trace amounts of the drug can trigger a deadly overdose

Evening Standard

Is London on the brink of a deadly opioid crisis? The killer synthetic drugs flooding the capital’s clubs

Up to 500 times stronger than heroin, killer synthetic opioids called nitazenes are flooding the capital’s clubs — masquerading as other recreational drugs. Claire Cohen reports

The Conversation

Speedballing – the deadly mix of stimulants and opioids – requires a new approach to prevention and treatment

Speedballing – the practice of combining a stimulant like cocaine or methamphetamine with an opioid such as heroin or fentanyl – has evolved from a niche subculture to a widespread public health crisis. The practice stems from the early 1900s when World War I soldiers were often treated with a…

Reason

The Real Opioid Crisis Isn't Prescriptions—It's Prohibition

West Virginia's overdose data prove it: Officials misunderstood the problem, and patients paid the price.

Radio France Internationale

Cocaine and synthetic drugs power new era of global trafficking

The world drug market has never been so globalised, active and diverse, according to the United Nations – which marks International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on Thursday. RFI takes a look at the latest trends, from the explosion of cocaine to shifting routes and new synthetic drugs.

The Independent UK

Purdue Pharma's $7B opioid settlement plan could get votes from victims and cities

A judge could decide Friday whether to advance OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma's $7 billion-plus plan to settle thousands of lawsuits over the toll of opioids

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