Medetomidine: the dangerous animal sedative turning up in Scotland’s street drugs

By Colin Davidson, Professor of Neuropharmacology, University of Lancashire

A sedative developed for cats and dogs is turning up in Scotland’s illicit drug supply. Medetomidine has been found in a fifth of heroin samples in Scotland, and there is no proven antidote if someone overdoses.

Often called a new street drug, medetomidine was actually first developed as a sedative more than 50 years ago. It was patented in 1981 and introduced in Europe in 1987 under the name Domitor – a sedative for use in veterinary…

Read complete article

~	Eat well to age better at a biological level – new research

~	Too young to run, old enough to protest: West Africa’s unfinished democratic bargain

~	Brazil elections 2026: First-round victories demand a commitment to democracy by the far-right that has not yet been made

~	Brazil’s “New Republic” is dead, and what comes next has not yet been born

~	Iraq: Dire Prospects for Alleged ISIS-Linked Men, Boys

~	Breaking up NZ’s power gentailers sounds appealing. The consequences may not be

~	Your say: week beginning October 5

~	Here’s how scientists aim to speed up drug development for treating new viruses

~	The ‘dream job’ myth: Why a fulfilling career does not have to define your life

~	Protecting endangered species must include supporting habitats and nearby human settlements