On 29 December 2025 the Department of Health and Social Care announced a 10‑week consultation to expand the supply of naloxone, the medication that reverses opioid overdoses. The proposal would allow naloxone to be distributed to hostels, day centres, outreach services for people who are rough sleeping or homeless, and to emergency staff at organisations such as the Border Force and the National Crime Agency. It also proposes publicly accessible emergency boxes, similar to defibrillator cabinets, in high‑risk locations. The changes would amend the Human Medicines Regulations 2012. The consultation is part of a £3.4 billion investment over three years in drug and alcohol services, following a rise in drug‑related deaths – 5,448 in England and Wales last year, with deaths involving nitazenes increasing from 52 in 2023 to 180 in 2024. Minister Karin Smyth said the government aims to save nearly 1,000 drug‑related deaths in England by 2025.
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https://www.gov.uk/government/news/lives-to-be-saved-by-boosting-access-to-drug-overdose-medication
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