Emerging Drug Trends in the UK: Testing for new substances in the family courts

According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS) there were “5,448 deaths related to drug poisoning registered in England and Wales in 2023 – the highest number since records began in 1993 and 11.0% higher than in 2022 (4,907 registered deaths).”

This rise places the UK among the countries with the highest rates of drug-related deaths in Europe, according to the National Crime Agency (NCA). NCA Director-General Graeme Biggar warns, ‘There has never been a more dangerous time to take drugs.’

What drugs are now commonly being used?

The spike in deaths is partly caused by novel psychoactive substances (NPS), a catch-all term for a diverse range of synthetic drugs which are on the rise across the UK. These include opioids, cannabinoids, benzodiazepines, stimulants and hallucinogens that are designed to mimic the effects of traditional illicit drugs and are often significantly more potent.

Nitazenes are just one of these. They are often mixed with party drugs or street drugs such as cocaine, synthetic cannabis or heroin, which has become both much more scarce and more expensive in the UK due to a crackdown in opium production in Afghanistan.

Their high potency (up to 300 times stronger than heroin), low manufacture cost and ability to evade detection using standard analytical methods have contributed to a marked increase in the use of NPS as consumers either knowingly switch over or unknowingly purchase drugs that have been adulterated or substituted for NPS.

In October 2024, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities reported that nitazenes were responsible for 179 deaths in the UK between 1 June 2023 and 31 May 2024. However, the true figure is likely to be significantly higher, as these substances continue to evolve, and individuals are often unaware of the exact drugs they are consuming.

The recent detection of synthetic cannabinoids in vapes marketed as containing THC (the psychoactive component of cannabis) meanwhile highlights a worrying trend in the adulteration or substitution of THC products for synthetic cannabinoids, leading to consumers unwittingly taking novel drugs.

Many toxicology labs cannot test for novel drugs

Due to the rapid emergence of new psychoactive substances in the market, there is often a delay in identifying them and developing reliable testing methods. As a result, many labs may still be testing for outdated compounds while drug use patterns have already shifted. The ONS has highlighted this issue, noting that the proportion of drug-related deaths where no specific substances are identified has been increasing over time.

In family court proceedings where drug testing is required, this lag presents a significant challenge. Some substances used by a parent may go undetected and unreported. This also creates difficulties for local authorities and the courts, as they may be unaware of which substances to request testing for, further complicating case assessments.

How can FTS help with testing for novel or illicit drugs?

FTS has one of the most comprehensive accredited drug panels in the UK market, able to test for:

• 42+ compounds initial testing*
• 32 different synthetic cannabinoids
• 15 stimulates/hallucinogens
• 2000+ addition compounds, as required
• FTS leads the way on testing synthetic cannabinoids like spice and is the only company in the UK currently testing for the synthetic cannabinoid ADB Butinaca, currently one of the most used in the UK
• FTS is also one of the only providers testing for MDPHP, the active ingredient in the drug more commonly known as Monkey Dust, which has been responsible for several deaths in the Midlands
• FTS does all its testing in-house at its own laboratory in Yorkshire, which is accredited by UKAS to ISO17025 and Lab51 standards
• FTS has a programme of continual development to address the UK’s changing drug usage patterns and is the only laboratory working in this sector that can offer reliable detection of these compounds as they change and re-appear on the street

How to instruct FTS to test for novel drugs:

Using FTS, you can be assured that relevant and current compounds will be detected, ensuring novel drug misuse is not missed and children are not exposed to unnecessary risk.

Importantly, this eliminates wasted public funding currently spent on testing for outdated synthetics that won’t be detected.

FTS offer a service called “Notify”, whereby clients can request FTS search for a wider panel of drugs (42+). This service is free of charge – clients only need to instruct FTS for one or two drugs of suspicion.

Clients can choose to be notified if any other drugs are detected beyond what they requested. Any additional reporting on this would incur a nominal fee.

By providing accurate, comprehensive forensic toxicology and expert interpretation, FTS helps ensure that decisions are made in the best interests of children and their families.

These services are Legal Aid Authority (LAA) compliant, and we offer a LAA Indemnity Guarantee should there be any shortfall in reimbursement.

FTS experts provide reports within 8 days from the sample arriving at our lab.

Instruct an Expert at FTS

For information on how FTS can support your testing for novel drugs including nitazenes or monkey dust, contact us on 01924 480272 or email expert@forensic-testing.co.uk

* not all 42 from the DOA panel are UKAS accredited 

Our latest article is also available to read in the Liverpool Law Society Magazine – Liverpool Law March 2025