Here’s this week’s summary of some of the more interesting drug testing news stories and articles from around the UK. As always, if drugs are a concern for you, your family or your organisation, Zoom Testing is here to help. Contact us with all of your drug testing requirements.
Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines belong to a group of drugs known as depressants. Unfortunately, benzodiazepines have an extremely high rate of abuse. In the UK, the most common benzodiazepine is Valium. Slang names for the drug include benzos, temazies, jellies, eggs, moggies and vallies. A benzodiazepines drug test will detect BZD in urine within hours of using the drug and possibly up to 2 – 14 days after use.
Cannabis
Cannabis is the most commonly used illegal drug in the UK. At Zoom Testing we offer a very wide range of drug testing kits for cannabis. This week, there were a number of cannabis related news stories that caught the eye:
Man jailed for Isle of Man medicinal cannabis licence fraud
A man who fraudulently applied for a licence to produce medicinal cannabis products on the Isle of Man has been jailed for four years | BBC, UK
Hucknall cannabis grow with nearly 100 plants found by police
A large cannabis grow worth tens of thousands of pounds has been uncovered during a house search, police said | BBC, UK
Thornaby cannabis farm ‘worth several millions’ found
A cannabis farm growing drugs with an estimated street value of several millions of pounds has been found in a warehouse raid | BBC, UK
Birmingham drug dealer stabbed student who confronted him
A drug dealer fatally stabbed a music student after he was confronted about selling cannabis on the street | BBC, UK
Cocaine
Powder cocaine continues to be the second most commonly used drug of abuse in the UK, after Cannabis. Zoom Testing supply a wide range of drug testing kits for cocaine. In the news this week:
Derby dealer had to be revived by police after trying to swallow drug wraps
As the cops approached the car they saw 53-year-old Harris had stopped breathing and was unconscious, and had to give life-saving medical help. Nine wraps of drugs, containing heroin and crack cocaine, were removed from his throat, where they had become stuck, before he was taken to hospital and then arrested | Derby Telegraph, UK
Operation Venetic: Manchester drugs supplier sentenced to 15 years
Darren Midgley, 43, of Sudell Street, Collyhurst, Manchester, admitted conspiring to supply cocaine and was jailed at Manchester Crown Court. Midgley used an encrypted EncroChat phone to arrange his drug deals until the platform was taken down in 2020 | NCA, UK
Cocaine use: ‘You’d have it for a night out, like the way people have a few cigarettes’
Dealers stay anonymous through Snapchat, say young people who use drug that is ‘accessible everywhere’ | Irish Times, Ireland
Heroin
Heroin is a pain-killing drug, which is derived from the dried milk of the opium poppy. Heroin belongs to a group of drugs known as opiates, other opiates include morphine and methadone. Heroin is also known as smack, H, junk, brown, skag and gear. Zoom Testing is a leading supplier of drug testing kits for Heroin.
ACT government to decriminalise possession of small amounts of drugs including cocaine and heroin
The Australian Capital Territory government will decriminalise the possession of small amounts of illicit drugs including heroin, cocaine, MDMA and methamphetamine, becoming the first jurisdiction in the country to do so. | Guardian, UK
MDMA
The common name for the drug MDMA is Ecstasy which is a controlled substance. Ecstasy Drug Test Kits are available from Zoom Testing. We can also supply party drugs test kits.
Canada trials decriminalising cocaine, MDMA and other drugs
Canada has announced it will temporarily decriminalise the possession of small amounts of some illicit drugs in British Columbia (BC) | BBC, UK
Let doctors use MDMA to treat veterans with PTSD and depression, former ADF boss says
Chris Barrie says he hopes common sense will prevail and the TGA will allow drug to be more readily used to treat patients | Guardian, UK
What’s in ‘Happy Water,’ a Synthetic Drug Cocktail Being Taken by Partygoers?
Consumption of the psychoactive beverage, which sees MDMA, meth, ketamine and diazepam dissolved in liquid, is on the rise in Asia | VICE, USA
Other Drug News in the UK
Also in the news this week:
Gang jailed over £400,000 Dundee drugs operation
A seven-man gang has been jailed for their part in a £400,000 drugs operation | BBC, UK
The Arab World’s New Drug of Choice – audio
Captagon is a popular recreational drug used across the Middle East and Arabian Gulf. It can temporarily boost a user’s mood – though long-term it is highly addictive. Production is concentrated in Syria, and smuggled across the border into Jordan and onto the Gulf. Officials in Jordan say militant groups are profiting from the production of the drug, and Yolande Knell has been out on patrol with the people trying to stop them | BBC, UK
Photo by pina messina on Unsplash
