Three die in north London borough from new synthetic opioid as expert warns: 'We are staring into the abyss' Cychlorphine is thought to be 100 times stronger than heroin Evening Standard · Dec 11, 2025
Opium poppy cultivation in Myanmar hits highest level in a decade, UN report says There were signs that heroin from Myanmar is reaching markets in Europe previously supplied by Afghanistan, with several seizures over the past year that involved passengers travelling from Southeast Asia to Europe. Euronews · Dec 3, 2025
Heroines, not heroin: charity’s Facebook page returns after AI flagged it for drugs Photography group Hundred Heroines was removed after Meta’s AI tools mistook name for class-A opioid reference The Guardian - UK · Nov 18, 2025
Former Border Protection Agent Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison For Allowing Drug-Smuggling Cars Into The U.S. A former U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for letting cars filled with methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl into the U.S. Latin Times · Nov 17, 2025
Former customs officer sentenced to 15 years in prison for helping traffickers bring drugs into US A former Customs and Border Protection officer has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to working with Mexican traffickers to bring drugs into the U.S. Diego Bonillo pleaded guilty in July to multiple charges, including conspiracy to import controlled substances such as cocaine, methamphetamine and… The Independent UK · Nov 14, 2025
"He was a genuine, unforgettable, lunatic presence." How a heroin-kicking, hell-raising, heavy metal-hating genius named Brent Hinds changed the face of metal forever Guitarist, artist, lunatic woodworker, dog-lover, psychedelic traveller – Brent Hinds was all of these and more Metal Hammer · Nov 10, 2025
Officials Seize More Than $13 Million Worth Of Heroin At a California Port Of Entry Customs and Border Protection officers seized more than $13 million worth of heroin at a port of entry in California, according to a new report Latin Times · Nov 6, 2025
A fatal drop: what do we know about the drugs, 500 times stronger than heroin, taking Australian lives? Only a few years after first being detected in Australia, nitazenes have been found in everything from vapes to fake heroin – and the death toll is rising The Guardian - AU · Nov 2, 2025
Drug overdose deaths soar to 30-year high with four-fold increase in lives lost to super-strength nitazenes A record 5,565 people died in 2024 – the highest since 1993 – including 195 who took deadly new synthetic drugs, which are up to 100 times more potent than heroin The Independent UK · Oct 17, 2025
Wisconsin Mother Sentenced After Newborn Suffers Skull Fractures in Drug-Related Neglect Case A West Bend woman accused of neglecting her newborn baby has taken a plea deal after the child suffered serious injuries just five days after birth. The Fashion Central · Oct 14, 2025
Border Barriers to Harm Reduction Growing security deployments pose unique challenges for harm reduction groups. Texas Observer · Oct 14, 2025
The Lemonheads’ Evan Dando: ‘Some people were supposed to take drugs – and one of them was me’ He was the darling of early-90s alt rock, but success came with the kind of rock’n’roll excess that many of his peers did not survive. Now, having finally quit heroin, he’s back with a new album, a memoir – and no regrets The Guardian - UK · Oct 6, 2025
Singapore to hang man as activists press for a halt to the death penalty Datchinamurthy Kataiah was convicted of trafficking about 45 grams (1.6 ounces) of heroin into Singapore The Independent UK · Sep 22, 2025
U.S. Announces Indictment, $5 Million Reward for Sinaloa Cartel Leader 'El Ruso' In a statement, the DEA said El Ruso's organization is responsible for trafficking millions of dollars' worth of narcotics into the United States, including cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin. Latin Times · Sep 16, 2025
The Conversation · Sep 15, 2025 What correctional officers think about harm-reduction services for incarcerated people with drug addictions Opioids, including the best known — morphine, heroin and fentanyl — have been gaining popularity over the last few decades. Although officially banned, these painkillers still find their way into prisons either via drones or with visitors. The result is that more and more prisoners are using opioids.
The Conversation · Sep 10, 2025 40 years ago, the first AIDS movies forced Americans to confront a disease they didn’t want to see First it was referred to as a “mysterious illness.” Later it was called “gay cancer,” “gay plague” and “GRID,” an acronym for gay-related immune deficiency. Most egregiously, some called it “4H disease” – shorthand for “homosexuals, heroin addicts, hemophiliacs and Haitians,” the populations most afflicted in the early days.
The Independent UK · Sep 9, 2025 What is medetomidine? The animal sedative turning up in opioid deaths The veterinary sedative, normally used to sedate pets, is increasingly being mixed with heroin and fentanyl
The Conversation · Sep 5, 2025 An animal sedative keeps turning up in opioid deaths – what you need to know about medetomidine A dangerous new drug adulterant is spreading through America’s illicit opioid supply, and it’s making overdoses significantly harder to reverse. Medetomidine, a veterinary sedative normally used to sedate pets, is increasingly being mixed with heroin and fentanyl, creating a cocktail that experts warn could be far deadlier than previous street…
The Guardian - UK · Sep 4, 2025 From bank robber to scholar: the Knoxville dropout fighting to change how we see addiction Kirsten Smith was 19 when she first tried heroin; within a few years she was in prison. She says she willingly made those choices and wants society to stop treating addiction as a disease
The Guardian - UK · Aug 28, 2025 Mother Vera review – luminous portrait of a horse-wrangling ex-heroin addict nun A nun in a remote Orthodox monastery in Belarus invites us into her world in this beautiful black and white documentary
The Independent UK · Aug 25, 2025 Mexican drug lord Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada to plead guilty to federal charges Former Mexican cartel kingpin Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada is expected to plead guilty to federal charges related to his role in the violent drug trade that for years flooded the U.S. with cocaine, heroin and other illicit substances
Al Jazeera · Aug 15, 2025 Australia finds record meth, cocaine, heroin use in wastewater analysis Australians consumed drugs with a street value of about $7.5bn, representing a 34 percent rise in annual consumption.
AAP · Aug 14, 2025 War on drugs a 'costly failure' amid record consumption An analysis of Australia's sewers shows record consumption of meth, cocaine and heroin, triggering a call to abandon the "failing" war on drugs.
The Independent UK · Aug 1, 2025 ‘I was a shoplifter and heroin addict – now I help others like me’ LIFE STORIES: After 32 years of drugs, abuse and petty crime – as well as numerous spells in prison – Charlie pledged to turn her life around. She tells Maira Butt about finally hitting her rock bottom, and why today she is proud to serve as an inspiration to people…
AAP · Jul 24, 2025 Accused heroin-smuggling grandad refused bail again A man who allegedly smuggled about 5kg of heroin in a camping stretcher and used the excuse of being scammed by criminal syndicates has been refused bail again.