New local guidance to tackle synthetic opioid threat
Communities across England will be better equipped to combat the increasing threat of dangerous synthetic drugs, following new advice issued by the Home Office.
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In an effort make streets safer, the government has set out new recommendations to local authorities, police and public health organisations to better prepare against synthetic opioids. This includes making sure police officers have the skills and confidence needed to carry and administer naloxone, a lifesaving drug to tackle illicit drug use.
Synthetic opioids are extremely dangerous substances and their presence in the UK illegal drugs market has risen over the past 2 years, during which time there have been over 450 drug-related deaths where synthetic opioids were present. Although they are most commonly found in heroin, they are also becoming increasingly present in illicit painkillers and sedative pills.
As part of the government’s Plan for Change, 12 new recommendations have been issued to local authorities, to ensure staff are able to help save lives and support those at risk of overdose.
This advice for local areas includes:
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making ‘out of hours’ resources available to respond to incidents around the clock
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sharing data between coroners, police and health services
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fast-tracked testing of seized drugs when synthetic opioids are suspected
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improving identification and monitoring of all at-risk groups, not just opioid users
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reviewing naloxone supplies in their area to make sure they are at sufficient capacity
These recommendations follow an exercise in November last year which saw local partners across health and policing, as well as national organisations, work together to respond to different scenarios relating to synthetic opioids. The exercise was organised by the government’s Joint Combating Drugs Unit and chaired by the National Police Chiefs’ Council.
Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson said:
Synthetic drugs have no place on Britain’s streets, which is why we must do everything we can to tackle this evolving threat.
This advice will help save lives by ensuring local authorities know how to respond to incidents more quickly and efficiently, as will the vital rollout of naloxone across our police forces.
Already there are hundreds of examples of police officers carrying this lifesaving medicine. I am deeply grateful for their unwavering commitment to protect some of the most vulnerable people in our communities, part of the government’s Plan for Change to keep streets safe.
Alongside this report, the government is also publishing national data on police use of naloxone for the first time. Naloxone is a medicine used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
According to new data released today, as of December 2024, there are approximately 20,650 police officers and 880 police staff carrying the medicine daily across the UK.
The data also shows that police officers across the UK have administered naloxone more than 1,200 times since June 2019. 32 UK police forces are currently using the naloxone provision or piloting it, and another 12 forces have committed to either pilot or roll out its use in the near future.
National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Drugs, Chief Constable Richard Lewis said:
Synthetic drug use, like all illegal drug use, is incredibly dangerous for those who use them as well as carrying high risks of overdosing and we welcome the governments recommendations in how we collectively respond to this particular threat.
We have long supported the use of the anti-overdose drug Naloxone, which has dramatically reduced the chance of drug-related deaths when dispensed by officers who have been equipped with it and encourage its use further.
We remain steadfast in doing all we can to protect the people we serve alongside partners, including the most vulnerable in our society and this tool is just one option we can take to achieve this.
The government supports more police officers carrying naloxone and see this is an important part of steps to reduce opioid deaths across the country.
Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association, said:
We welcome the Home Office initiative supporting police officers in carrying naloxone, which represents a vital step forward in the fight against opioid overdoses. Communities across England are increasingly facing the threat of dangerous synthetic drugs, and this move ensures a faster, more effective response at the most critical moment.
The immediate administration of naloxone can mean the difference between life and death, particularly as synthetic opioids – now more prevalent in the UK’s illegal drug market – have contributed to over 450 drug-related deaths in the past 2 years.
Equipping frontline officers with this life-saving tool, alongside the government’s new recommendations to local authorities, police, and public health organisations, shows a commitment to public safety and harm reduction. We look forward to the upcoming findings that will guide a more robust, informed approach to protecting our communities.
The law was also recently changed to widen access to take-home naloxone without a prescription. This is part of a series of initiatives designed to reduce the threat from synthetic opioids and reduce drug-related harms.
A generic definition of nitazenes, a type of synthetic opioid, was also introduced which will help prevent serious and organised criminal groups from adjusting drug recipes to bypass UK drug laws.
You can read more about this topic on the following pages on GOV.UK: