JANUARY

In what could be an ominous sign of things to come on this side of the Atlantic , New York City ’ s health department attributes an almost 80 per cent increase in overdose deaths since 2019 largely to fentanyl . More than a million Americans have now died from a drug overdose since 2000 , says the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Meanwhile , the number of people being treated for alcohol issues in the UK is up by 10 per cent in a year , to almost 85,000 , according to the latest OHID figures .

The number of drug-free wings in prisons doubles to 45 , with up to 100 special blocks planned by 2025 , and DDN is devastated to hear of the death of harm reduction activist and long-time DDN conference team member Si Parry .

supply should put all of us on high alert ,’ says the agency ’ s executive director , Ghada Waly .

the drug sector ’ s workforce shows there are now almost 11,500 ‘ whole time equivalent ’ treatment provider staff working alongside nearly 400 commissioning staff .

FEBRUARY

More than £ 420m funding is confirmed for local authorities to provide drug and alcohol treatment through to 2025 , part of the government ’ s commitment to significantly increase treatment capacity .

MARCH

The government announces that it intends to ban nitrous oxide , despite the ACMD advising that the harms associated with the substance are ‘ not commensurate with control under the Misuse of Drugs Act ’ and a ban would put ‘ disproportionate burdens ’ on its legitimate use . Meanwhile , global cocaine production increases by 35 per cent in just two years following a COVID-related slowdown , says UNODC . ‘ The surge in the global cocaine

APRIL

The much-delayed gambling white paper is finally published , with proposals including a mandatory levy on the industry to fund treatment and new stake limits for online slot games , although many are disappointed with the lack of action on advertising .

A statement from 30 health organisations warns that Scotland could be ‘ sleepwalking ’ back to record levels of alcohol-related deaths , while the latest Home Office figures reveal that seizures of cocaine and ketamine are at their highest ever levels .

Meanwhile , the first comprehensive census of

MAY

The government is ‘ complacent ’ about the scale of alcohol-related harm in the country , warns the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee , with a ‘ staggering ’ 82 per cent of dependent drinkers not receiving treatment . ‘ The government has had no alcohol strategy in place since 2012 and abandoned its latest effort in 2020 – just as deaths from alcohol began to rise sharply over the terrible , unacceptable toll it was already taking ,’ states committee chair Meg Hillier .

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