Cocaine on the Rise
Cocaine on the Rise
Newly emerged figures from Public Health England have documented that the UK’s current approach to drug treatment has failed to reduce drug related deaths. With UK drug abuse now at an all-time high, 2017 saw a 23% increase in treatment presentations for crack cocaine use, according to The Conversation. An additional article by the Business Insider UK reported that seizures related to cocaine in Britain are now at their highest since 2008.
Crack cocaine is a powerful stimulant designed to temporarily speed up the mind and body. Freebase cocaine (powder cocaine) and crack cocaine (rock form cocaine) can both be smoked to reach the brain quicker, whilst snorting the substance causes a slower effect. A very addictive substance, cocaine is reported to make a user over confident and careless with risks including, breathing and mental health problems, depression and the risk of an overdose related death. When taken in conjunction with alcohol the dangers of cocaine are increased, as the mixture produces the toxic chemical, cocaethylene.
The Conversation highlighted “Cuts to drug treatment budgets are extremely shortsighted. Not only do effective services save lives, they reduce the spread of blood-borne viruses, including HIV. About half of people who inject drugs have hepatitis C. Getting them into treatment is an essential part of plans to eliminate the disease.” At Randox Toxicology we offer the most comprehensive drugs of abuse test menu across multiple matrices. Our DoA ULTRA panel detects up to 20 targeted drugs, offering the largest cross-reactivity profile of over 240 analytes, including Benzoylecgonine/Cocaine. Benzoylecgonine is the most common metabolite measured in urine drug screens to detect cocaine. Using our revolutionary Biochip Array Technology, Randox Toxicology provide cutting-edge multiplex testing capabilities for rapid and accurate drug detection from a single sample.
The price of cocaine has fallen by 13% since 2007 according to Business Insider UK. Price trends in addition to new and emerging UK supply routes have made the drug more appealing and readily available. Whilst the average age group using cocaine is 35 years old, a 30% increase has been seen in young people under the age of 25 years old. A rise which has not been witnessed in a decade.
The increase of cocaine use has shown how vital drug treatment is in responding to the ever-changing market, with services needing to adapt quickly to the needs of varied groups. Amidst the ongoing cocaine problem, Randox Toxicology are leading the way in developing new tests through significant research and development.
For further information on how Randox Toxicology are fighting drugs of abuse, email info@randoxtoxicology.com
Trace Elements in Urine External Quality Assessment
The RIQAS Trace Elements in Urine EQA programme has been designed to cover the analysis of Trace Elements in clinical laboratories. Used to detect and monitor a mineral deficiency or excess, these tests can sometimes evaluate nutritional status.
- Lyophilised samples
- Monthly reporting
- Testing covers the full range of clinically relevant decision levels
- Submit results and view reports online via RIQAS.net
- 12 month subscription
Not accredited to ISO/IEC 17043
Cat No | Kit Size | Frequency | Cycle Start | Parameters | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
RQ9171 | 12 x 3ml | Monthly | March | 11 | |
Parameters
- Cadmium
- Chromium
- Cobalt
- Copper
- Iodine
- Lead
- Magnesium
- Manganese
- Molybdenum
- Nickel
- Thallium
Please note, product availability may vary country to country.
Trace Elements in Serum External Quality Assessment
The RIQAS Trace Elements in Serum EQA programme has been designed to cover the analysis of Trace Elements in clinical laboratories. Used to detect and monitor a mineral deficiency or excess, these tests can sometimes evaluate nutritional status.
- Lyophilised samples
- Monthly reporting
- Testing covers the full range of clinically relevant decision levels
- Submit results and view reports online via RIQAS.net
- 12 month subscription
Not accredited to ISO/IEC 17043
Cat No | Kit Size | Frequency | Cycle Start | Parameters | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
RQ9170 | 12 x 3ml | Monthly | March | 10 | |
Parameters
- Aluminium
- Chromium
- Cobalt
- Copper
- Iodine
- Lead
- Manganese
- Nickel
- Selenium
- Zinc
Please note, product availability may vary country to country.
Trace Elements in Blood External Quality Assessment
The RIQAS Trace Elements in Blood EQA programme has been designed to cover the analysis of Trace Elements in clinical laboratories. Used to detect and monitor a mineral deficiency or excess, these tests can sometimes evaluate nutritional status.
- Lyophilised samples
- Monthly reporting
- Testing covers the full range of clinically relevant decision levels
- Submit results and view reports online via RIQAS.net
- 12 month subscription
Not accredited to ISO/IEC 17043
Cat No | Kit Size | Frequency | Cycle Start | Parameters | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
RQ9172 | 12 x 3ml | Monthly | March | 7 | |
Parameters
- Copper
- Iodine
- Lead
- Magnesium
- Manganese
- Selenium
- Zinc
Please note, product availability may vary country to country.