NEWS ROUND-UP
More than a third of WEDINOS samples do not contain the expected substance
Just under 37 per cent of drug samples submitted to drug testing service WEDINOS over the last year contained substances other than those the buyer was expecting, says Public Health Wales – evidence of an ever more‘ complex and unpredictable’ drug market. The latest WEDINOS annual report, which covers the period from April 2025 to March 2026, says that nitazenes, novel benz o diazepines being sold as diazepam, and synthetic cannabinoids in products marketed as CBD, THC or cannabis vapes all remain in circulation, raising concerns about harm and potential overdose. However, the programme has also identified emerging high-potency orphine analogues for the first time – often in samples submitted as heroin.
‘ While nitazenes have been a concern among health workers and drug services for the past few years, the WEDINOS report highlights the presence of orphine analogues as a growing concern within the UK illicit drug market,’ Public Health Wales states.
The latest quarterly RADAR report from Public Health Scotland found that nitazenes had been detected in 13 per cent of deaths positive for a controlled drug over the period March to May this year, while a report from researchers at King’ s College London in January warned that the overall number of deaths related to nitazenes had likely been underestimated by up to a third, as the substances are often undetectable by the time post-mortem blood samples are analysed.
‘ Our work at WEDINOS over the past year demonstrates again the continuing volatility of illicit drug markets, and the high level of substitutions within the market that may increase the risk of ill effects and accidental overdose,’ said head of programme for substance misuse at Public Health Wales, Rick Lines.‘ In particular, the growing detection of high potency orphine analogues – some of which have never been seen by WEDINOS before – continues to highlight concerns about the presence of high potency synthetic opiates in the UK drug market.’
WEDINOS sample ref W075145, purchased as heroin and discovered to contain the orphine analogue N-propionitrile chlorphine as well as protonitazene – a synthetic opioid from the nitazene family that is several times more potent than fentanyl. wedinos. wales
Vapes are the best quitting aid, says Cochrane review
VAPES ARE MORE EFFECTIVE IN HELPING PEOPLE QUIT SMOKING than other methods – with or without behavioural support, according to an updated Cochrane review.
The review, which examined 80 randomised control trials involving almost 30,000 people, found‘ high-certainty evidence’ that nicotine vapes led to higher quit rates than nicotine replacement therapy( NRT) methods like gum or patches. It also found no evidence of increased serious harm from using vapes as a quitting aid, although longer-term studies are still needed, the researchers say. The Cochrane reviews are regarded as among the most trusted evidence sources in healthcare.
Despite being championed as a quitting tool for adults by anti-smoking organisations like ASH, vapes remain controversial – with the WHO opposed to their use on the basis that they expose users to nicotine and potentially harmful chemicals.
Although the number of daily vapers in the UK overtook the number of daily smokers for the first time last month, there remains widespread confusion about their safety, with more than half of adults wrongly believing that vaping is as – or more – harmful than smoking.
‘ We have very strong evidence that regulated nicotine e-cigarettes are substantially less harmful than smoking,’ said the review’ s senior author, Dr Jamie Hartmann-Boyce.‘ Based on the consistency of the findings here, it’ s clear that they are a proven and viable option for people wishing to quit traditional cigarettes. This update includes nine new trials and our main conclusions haven’ t changed.’ Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation available at www. cochranelibrary. com
Secure MUP’ s future, say campaigners
MORE THAN 20 HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE ORGANISATIONS have written to the Scottish Government urging it to secure the future of MUP by introducing automatic uprating of the legislation.
Alcohol harm remains a‘ public health emergency’, the letter states, with almost 1,200 alcohol-specific deaths recorded in Scotland in 2024.‘ The case has been proven and minimum unit pricing saves lives,’ said SHAAP chair Dr Alastair MacGilchrist.‘ Rather than reopening the debate, it’ s now time for the Scottish Government to bring forward legislation to automatically increase the level of the minimum price in line with inflation each year. Then, given the scale of alcohol harms facing the country, serious consideration must be given to how to protect future generations from predatory alcohol marketing, which drives up harms.’
4 • DRINK AND DRUGS NEWS • SEPTEMBER 2026 WWW. DRINKANDDRUGSNEWS. COM