This month the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released its annual report on deaths related to drug poisoning in England and Wales. “The number of deaths due to drug poisoning registered in 2019 remains at a similar level to 2018*. Almost half of all drug related deaths involved opiates such as heroin and morphine. However, cocaine deaths rose for the eighth consecutive year to their highest level."
* 4,393 deaths registered in 2019 and 4,359 registered deaths in 2018.
Data on deaths related to volatile substance abuse (VSA) are not included in the report. The latest data can be found in the ONS report, Deaths related to volatile substances and helium in Great Britain: 2001 to 2016 registrations.
Other headlines this month include:
UK
Butane sniffer jailed for under age sex with girl: [He] met the girl in the centre of Barnstaple where they started using the gas.
Nitrous Oxide
Laughing gas 'can cause paralysis', warns Wales' top doctor: Laughing gas is "not just a bit of harmless fun" and can cause paralysis, Wales' chief medical officer has warned.
Gang who stole canisters from hospitals at start of lockdown due in court: The sentencing of four men in a Norfolk-based gang who stole canisters containing pain-relieving gas from hospitals at the start of the coronavirus lockdown is due to take place today.
Basingstoke man arrested on suspicion of dealing nitrous oxide: The 32-year-old man is suspected of possessing cannabis with intent to supply and being concerned in the supply of the psychoactive substance nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas.
Man arrested and 20,000 canisters of Nitrous Oxide seized after police raid in Fallowfield: Inhaling the colourless gas via balloons has become increasingly popular in recent years.
Knuckle duster, hammer and drugs seized as police step up anti-social behaviour patrols across Preston: A quantity of class A and class B drugs were seized, along with a large quantity of nitrous oxide canisters.
Nitrous Oxide awareness campaign coming to local schools: Tamworth Borough Council and Tamworth Police are reaching out to local schools to join an awareness campaign about the increasing use of a recreational drug, Nitrous Oxide (N2O or Laughing Gas).
Labour councillor calls for more to be done to tackle laughing gas: St Helens Borough Council also launched its ‘N2Othing to Laugh About’ campaign in the summer to raise awareness of the dangers of using the drug.
MP Robert Buckland issues stark warning after nitrous oxide canisters are found on the streets: He spoke out after canisters were found on the streets and at beauty spots in and around Swindon.
Fears over laughing gas canisters found around Fife: A Cupar councillor has voiced concerns over an increasing amount of disposed nitrous oxide canisters found around Fife.
Authorities 'making too much' of Nitrous Oxide abuse, [Leeds] Councillor claims: ... “Would we even be aware of the problem if it wasn’t for the little canisters that are left?"
Spelthorne Borough Council demands stricter fines for sellers of laughing gas: However, some councillors believe the war on drugs is lost and they should be legalised.
Booze and laughing gas could be banned in Bromley parks: The measures to curb perceived anti-social behaviour are just some being considered in a wide-ranging consultation launched by Bromley Council, for which it is currently encouraging public feedback on.
Other warnings about the use of nitrous oxide also came from Bishop Auckland and Somerset. Concerns regarding littering relating to nitrous oxide also came from Wiltshire.
IRELAND
Local drugs taskforce warns about dangers of 'laughing gas'.
USA
20-year-old driver allegedly huffing aerosol cans kills urgent care worker (MO): A Missouri man was allegedly huffing inhalants when he lost control of his SUV and fatally mowed down an urgent care worker in front of the clinic, authorities said.
Man inhales gas duster in Rally’s drive-thru line (OH): Rally’s workers saw the man “huff” the gas duster several times while waiting in the line. Then he passed out in the driver’s seat of a minivan. His vehicle was still running.
Nitrous Oxide Seller Whip-It! to Pay $50K for Not Warning Minors, SD DA Says (CA): A $50,000 civil judgment was announced Wednesday against a nitrous oxide distributor for failing to verify its products were not sold to minors and failing to provide state-mandated health and safety warnings, according to the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office.
BRAZIL
Teen dies after inhaling deodorant gas during challenge: A 12-year-old teenager died after participating in the “deodorant challenge” on Tuesday in Aracaju, in Sergipe.
INDIA
Substance abuse & how to tackle it among youngsters: According to the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC), approximately ... 1.18 crore people use sedatives and inhalants and about 4.6 lakh children and 18 lakh adults need help as a result of inhalant use.
TAIWAN
Taoyuan to crack down on misuse of laughing gas: The Taoyuan City Government has drafted a regulation to prevent the inappropriate use of certain gases, especially laughing gas, the Department of Public Health said yesterday.
Taiwan includes medicinal nitrous oxide in Trace & Track system: In order to manage the distribution of medicinal nitrous oxide and prevent it from being used for recreational purposes, the medicinal nitrous oxide has been included in the trace and track system of medicinal products according to Pharmaceutical Affairs Act since October 1st, 2020.
JAPAN
3 Japan teens allegedly inhaling gas nabbed over apartment fire after explosion: Three teenagers in Fukuoka Prefecture were arrested on Oct. 27 on suspicion of causing a fire after gas from portable cylinders they were inhaling exploded when they lit a cigarette at an apartment.
AUSTRALIA
Inquest into deaths of Territory children known to sniff solvents, skip school: The family of a 12-year-old boy was told he was "too young" for rehabilitation three times in the year leading up to his death from petrol sniffing, the Northern Territory coroner's court has heard.
NT petrol sniffing inquest hears impassioned pleas for truth on last full day of evidence: The family of a 17-year-old girl who died by suicide five years after she began petrol sniffing say her loss to them is unimaginable.
NT mental health boss agrees he didn't 'understand' legal obligations, inquest hears: Three NT children known to sniff petrol were denied adequate treatment because health staff, even at the top level, didn't "understand" their legal obligations — repeating the same mistakes raised during a 2017 inquest, a court has heard.
NT coroner told 'indifference' from health department 'may have resulted' in youth petrol sniffing deaths: The Northern Territory coroner has heard recommendations made three years ago appear to have had "absolutely no influence" on health authorities dealing with petrol sniffing, and their "indifference" may have resulted in the deaths of more young people.
NT Government departments vow to help vulnerable children as petrol sniffing inquest continues: Government department heads in the NT have repeated promises to retrain staff, improve their record-keeping and coordinate support for children who sniff solvents.
NEW ZEALAND
Teen died accidentally while experimenting with huffing butane: [The] Christchurch teen died accidentally from huffing. A coroner and his family want to warn others of the dangers of using butane.
