APCC responds to the announcement that new synthetic opioids have been banned by the government

APCC Addictions & Substance Misuse Leads, David Sidwick and Joy Allen responds to the announcement that new synthetic opioids have been banned by the government

Following yesterday's Home Office announcement that new synthetic opioids are now under the strictest controls, in line with fentanyl, to prevent drug-related deaths in the UK and ensure anyone caught supplying these substances faces tough penalties, APCC Addictions & Substance Misuse Leads, David Sidwick and Joy Allen, said:

“We welcome the announcement that the government is banning a further 15 synthetic opioids as part of its action to prevent drug deaths. That it is regularly having to react as new synthetics become available, is a warning signal of the pace at which life-threatening drugs are being synthesised and finding their way into our communities, causing serious health harms, risk of overdose and contributing to drug-related crime too. Police and Crime Commissioners are very aware of this emerging threat, and deeply saddened by continuing reports of deaths linked to these drugs.

“As Senior Responsible Owners of our own local Combating Drugs Partnerships, we are encouraging Public Health to raise awareness of the threat of these drugs and of the opportunity that naloxone presents to reverse the effects of opioid overdose thereby preventing avoidable drug deaths, including those associated with new synthetic drugs.

“We are also strongly advocating for the expansion of the use of naloxone across police forces but, as important as this is, it is a last-ditch intervention - we also need to be doing everything we can to prevent people using drugs in the first place and to get those who are using opioids into evidence-based treatment and on the road to recovery. That's why PCCs are working closely with government and locally with partners to redouble our efforts to cut supply through robust enforcement and to improve the pathways from policing, probation, and prisons into the treatment services that can get people's lives back on track and are one of the most effective ways we can cut crime and reduce re-offending.

NOTES FOR EDITORS