Impact
Benzo Research Project Updates
5 September 2025
|
This month, the Benzo
Research Project co-signed
an open letter to the
Director-General of the
World Health Organization
(WHO)
titled Urgent Call for
Continued WHO Leadership
on
Harm Reduction for
People who Use
Drugs.
The WHO was the first UN agency to champion a harm reduction approach to drugs through its guidance, policies and programmes. Organised by the International Drug Policy Consortium, Harm Reduction International, and the International Network of People who Use Drugs, this letter calls on the WHO to continue its expert capacity, normative guidance, and diplomacy within the harm reduction, human rights and drug policy spaces. At a time of global funding cuts to public health initiatives, the 177 signatories urge the WHO to ensure that their nominee for the UN CND's 19-person panel review of the implementation of drug policy commitments is an active champion and expert in harm reduction and human rights, with a strong relationship with communities of people who use drugs. Click here to read the full letter. |
30 August 2025
|
On the evening before International
Overdose Awareness
Day 2025, we hosted
a community vigil in Bethnal
Green, East London to honour
our loved ones and community
members pushed into
premature death.
We shared stories, art, and life-saving harm reduction skills, including free naloxone training. We will also discussed what a future community-led overdose prevention site could like which offers safety and protection without coercion and surveillance, set up outdoors adjacent to the venue. This event was organised by the London Harm Reduction Collective (LHRC), a coalition of experts and groups committed to reducing drug-related harm in our communities. Click here to find out more about LHRC. |
27 August 2025
|
As part of the 7th
Contemporary Drug
Problems
Conference held in
Manchester, AJ – our
Co-Project Lead and Head of
Research – presented a talk
titled Using the Freedom
of Information Act
to investigate local
drug education and
support in England and
Wales.
During the Young People 1 session, AJ covered the rationale and key findings from our Research team's upcoming analysis report on the data collected during our FOI Campaign in 2022. We are grateful to everyone who was in attendance, the other fantastic speakers, and for the engaging conversations during and after the Q&A. A huge thank you to the CDP Steering Committee and University of Manchester for being wonderful hosts. Click here to read the conference booklet. |
16 July 2025
|
TalkingDrugs
is a global platform
dedicated to covering the
world of drugs from
intersectional,
geographically diverse, and
evidence-based perspectives.
This month, Tori Rudkowsky interviewed our Co-Project Lead, AJ Martin, as part of their article about the emergence of ethylbromazolam – a novel benzo that has been increasingly sold as diazepam in the UK and internationally. The article explores where ethylbromazolam came from, why it's in our benzo supply, and what can be done to keep our communities safe. Click here to read the full article. |
12 March 2025
|
Crew2000 (Crew)
is a national Scottish
charity providing
essential outreach,
training, and drop-in
support to reduce drug
and sexual
health-related harms and
stigma.
This month, Crew launched their annual Drug Trends report for 2023–24. The report highlights local, national and international drug trends – including young people-focused trends, and those in nightlife settings – alongside drug-related deaths statistics, and several initiatives (including ours!) aiming to reduce drug-related harms. Crew calls for sustainable funding for young people's support, research into young people's drug taking prevalence and related harms, a commitment to lived and living experience-informed policy, and investigation into the feasibility of safer supply initiatives to reduce drug-related harms in Scotland. Click here to read the full report. |
26 February 2025
|
Following the recent
opening of the first
sanctioned safer
consumption site 'The
Thistle' in
the UK, the Benzo
Research Project
joined Release and
RATS in submitting
evidence to the
Scottish Affairs
Committee's inquiry
into Problem
drug use in
Scotland
follow-up:
Glasgow’s
Safer Drug
Consumption
Facility.
The joint submission, led by Release, concerns both the evidence for SDCFs and the legal framework for managing these facilities. Click here to read the full submission. |
16 February 2025
|
In February, our
partners at
Change Grow Live
(CGL) conducted
consultations
for a new
co-produced
alcohol strategy
in Camden. Our
Founder, Monica,
worked alongside
CGL 16-25
Outreach and
Camden Council
to develop and
facilitate a
session with
young people
within the
LGBTQ+
community,
ensuring the
strategy
reflects their
priorities.
Consultation sessions focused on hearing from underrepresented groups in the area, with others focusing on all young adults, and young people of Muslim faith. We were energised by the young people of Camden, who were willing to open up about their experiences of alcohol within their community. We look forward to seeing the final strategy and the impact it will have on the local community. |
28 January
2025
|
Drug and
Alcohol
Impact is a
university
accreditation
programme
run by
SOS-UK. They
work in
partnership
with UK
universities
and student
unions to
embed harm
reduction at
a
whole-campus
level.
In November 2024, BRP alongside 45 other drug and alcohol organisations, universities and student unions pledged to participate in SOS-UK's Student Drug and Alcohol Awareness Week 2024 campaign — their biggest to-date! Campaign activities included Keele University and their Students' Union hosting a DJ event providing harm reduction advice on mixing drugs, UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services hosting an information stall, our guest lecture at the University of Kent and social media post, plus many more. Click here to read the full article. |
15 January
2025
|
The United
Nations
Committee on
Economic,
Social and
Cultural
Rights
(CESCR) is
currently
reviewing
the UK's
compliance
with the
International
Covenant on
Economic,
Social and
Cultural
Rights.
The Benzo Research Project joins RATS, Drug Science, the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC), Release, Safe Only CIC and The Love Tank CIC in submitting a civil society report to the CESCR. This submission, led by RATS (radical acts to survive) focuses on the UK's escalating drug deaths crisis, highlighting its disproportionate effects on marginalised communities, and the crucial role that safer consumptions sites should play in tackling this crisis. Click here to read our submission. |
19 November
2024
|
During #StudentDrugandAlcoholAwarenessWeek,
we were
warmly
invited to
guest
lecture at
the
University
of Kent
Canterbury
Campus.
Joanna and
AJ presented
to 3rd year
Criminology
undergraduate
students as
part of
their module
on Drugs,
Crime,
and the
Criminal
Justice
System.
The lecture explored the history of benzo prescribing and benzo-related deaths, the key findings from our lived experience research, and the importance of harm reduction in drug policy. If you would like to invite the Benzo Research Project to guest lecture at your university/organisation, contact us. |
14 November
2024
|
One of the
key findings
from our
lived
experience
research in
2022 was a
severe lack
of support
for young
people who
use benzos.
Our aim has
always been
to make
actionable
change with
our
research.
This past year, we had the absolute pleasure to work with the Inclusion crew! Together, we developed a new pathway for people who want to change their relationship with benzos. This pathway uses up-to-date evidence-based and person-centred tapering prescribing, alongside a menu of psychosocial and holistic support, plus a workbook to help people on their journey. This is only one part of the wider effort needed to reduce benzo and other drug-related harms, but we hope that this work helps people who use benzos access support that works for them. To find out more about their drug and alcohol services, visit Inclusion's website. |
18–20 September
2024
|
We went to
Birmingham!
AJ and
Joanna
presented a
poster
titled
Benzo
Research
Project:
An
evaluation
of
non-medical
benzodiazepine
use
among UK
young
people
(18-25)
at the Cranstoun
Social
Justice
Conference
2024.
The poster highlights key findings from our report on young people's lived experiences with benzos, including motivations, mental health, polydrug use, and experiences with drug education and support. A huge thank you to Cranstoun, Camurus and Inclusion for making it possible for us to attend. To find out more about the conference, visit Cranstoun's website. |
31 August
2024
|
The Benzo
Research
Project
is proud to
join the
London
Harm
Reduction
Collective
(LHRC)
— a
coalition of
experts and
organisations
committed to
reducing
drug-related
harm
in our
communities.
Our capital city and our country are undergoing a drug-related death crisis. With nitazenes continuing to contaminate the unregulated supply of street benzos and other drugs, a concerted, compassionate, and intersectional effort to reduce harm is paramount to saving lives! To find out more and support, visit the LHRC website. |
3 July 2024
|
Our
Co-Project
Leads, Monica
and
AJ
presented a
spotlight
talk titled
"Benzos,
young
people,
and the
emergence
of
nitazenes"
at the Drug
Education
Forum's
Summer
event
to over 130
attendees.
The DEF is a new UK community of drug education professionals, committed to providing evidence-based and age appropriate drug education. Other speakers included Prof. Fiona Measham (The Loop), Dan Gibbons (Re-Solv), and Helena Conibear (The TALK ABOUT Trust). The recording of the event will be available on DEF's website shortly. |
8 May 2024
|
Joanna
and AJ ran a
workshop
titled
Supporting
Student
Leaders
in Harm
Reduction
at the
annual
National
Student Drug
and Alcohol
Conference,
hosted by SOS
UK.
The workshop was delivered to university staff, student unions, and drug support staff at Middlesex University. We hope that this session provided some inspiration on how best to support developing student-led harm reduction initiatives across the UK. |
11 April
2024
|
Following
the
continued
rise of
nitazenes
found in
illicit
benzo
supply, ITV
News
interviewed
Monica
Richards
(Founder)
about the
realities
faced by
young people
who use
street
benzos.
The video has been viewed over 200,000 times, meeting our aim to increase awareness about counterfeit benzos. Note: The term "study drugs" was incorrectly used by the reporter in this coverage to describe benzos. Study drugs primarily include prescription stimulants such as amphetamine, methylphenidate and modafinil. You can watch the full TikTok here. |
14 March
2024
|
Alongside
numerous
European
civil
society
organisations,
we
have signed
the
manifesto
laid out by
Correlation
–
European
Harm
Reduction
Network
calling for
drug policy
that
is safer,
healthier,
and
more just.
"The 2024 European elections must bring a paradigm shift. This manifesto lays down a vision for a pragmatic, innovative, and human rights-centred European drug policy that will deliver healthier and safer communities." You can read and sign the manifesto here. |
9
February 2024
|
Our
2022
testimony
analysis
report
was
republished
by
Youth
RISE:
a
global
youth-led
network
advocating
for
evidence-based
drug
policies
and
harm
reduction,
centring
young
people
in
the
conversation.
You can see our report on their website here. |
2
February 2024
|
Our
Founder,
Monica
Richards
was
interviewed
as
part
of
an
article
covering
a
counterfeit
benzo
operation
gone
south.
Ben
Bryant's
article The
rise
and
fall
of
the
Benzo
Bros'
fake
Xanax
empire
delves
into
a
large-scale
counterfeit
benzo
operation
in
the
context
of
the
broader
illicit
market,
how
the
pharmaceutical
giant
Pfizer
has
responded,
and
the
negative
impact
this
has
had
on
people
in
the
absence
of
sufficient
education
or
support.
Read the full article here. |
14
December 2023
|
Following
the
identification
of
strong
synthetic
opioids
in
the
UK's
illicit
benzodiazepine
supply,
Sky
News
invited
our
Founder
&
Project
Lead
to
speak
on
behalf
of
the
Benzo
Research
Project. Monica
Richards discusses
the
motivations
behind
young
people's
benzo
use,
the
harms
of
stigma
around
drug
use
when
accessing
support,
and
how
young
people
can
get
help
and
reduce
benzo-related
harms.
To watch the full interview, click here. |
7
December 2023
|
Our
Founder,
Monica
Richards' alma
mater
King's
College
London
reported
on
her
intervention
statement
at
the
United
Nations
Commission
on
Narcotic
Drugs
on
5th
December
2023,
citing
the
Benzo
Research
Project
as
"ground-breaking"!
To read the full article, click here. |
30
November 2023
|
Our
Research
co-leads,
Joanna
and
AJ
were
invited
as
guest
speakers
to
the
London
Harm
Reduction
Reading
Group. The
meeting,
hosted
at
Release,
focused
on
engaging
young
people
who
use
drugs
with
harm
reduction:
beginning
with
a
presentation
from
our
team,
followed
by a
Q&A
discussion.
If you would like to read the paper we discussed, you can find it here. |
14
November 2023
|
Our
testimonies
were
featured
in
the Mental
Health
and
Drug
Use
workshop for
the University
Mental
Health
Charter
(UMHC).
This
insight-sharing
event
–
hosted
by
Student
Minds
–
outlined
the
role
universities
play
in
drug
policy.
The
speakers,
including
our
Research
team
leads
Joanna
and
AJ,
alongside
Hanna
Head
(SSDP),
highlighted
the
need
for
a
compassionate,
evidence-based,
and
intersectional
approach
to
drug
use
on
UK
campuses.
If you would like to watch the full webinar, please contact us. |
13
October 2023
|
Our
Research
team
co-leads,
Joanna
Bright and
AJ
Martin joined
an
incredible
team
of
prescribers
and
psychosocial
practitioners
from
NHS
Inclusion.
Our
representatives
presented
our
2022
report
findings.
Bringing
these
together
with
their
team's
practical
expertise,
we
began
planning
a
comprehensive,
trauma-informed
treatment
pathway
specifically
designed
for
people
struggling
with
benzo
dependence.
|
12
October 2023
|
Our
Co-Head
of
Research,
Joanna
Bright
was
invited
as a
guest
lecturer
by
the
University
of
Manchester,
representing
the
Benzo
Research
Project.
Joanna
gave
a
lecture
to
undergraduate
student
in
the
Department
of
Criminology,
presenting
our
findings
from
our
2022
testimony
analysis
report.
|
29 August
2023
|
The
Benzo
Research
Project
has
become
a
member
of
the
National
Council
for
Voluntary
Organisations
(NCVO).
NCVO
is a
membership
community
of
over
17,000
charities,
voluntary
organisations
and
community
groups
in
England.
Being an NCVO member will allow us to connect with other voluntary organisations, access support and training to continue developing our organisation. |
29 August
2023
|
Our
Co-Head
of
Research,
AJ
Martin,
recently
wrote
an
article
titled
Benzos
are
like
a
box
of
chocolates:
How
tough
drug
laws
lead
to
counterfeit
drugs for
our
partners
at
Volteface.
AJ writes about how novel benzos – often "never marketed for medical use" – have continued circulating in the illicit drug supply after the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 and subsequent 2017 amendment to the Misuse of Drugs Act 2017, signifying that the UK government's approach to drugs is "unfit for purpose". To read the full article, click here. |
31 July
2023
|
Crew,
our
partner
and
Scottish
drug
support
charity,
highlighted
our
work
in
their
2021–22
drug
trend
report.
Their
report
details
drug
trends
and
the
drivers
behind
drug-related
deaths
in
Scotland,
including
the
396%
increase
in
deaths
related
to
'any
benzo'
since
2011.
To read the full report, click here. |
17 July
2023
|
Our
project
lead
Monica
and
Research
team
co-leads,
Joanna
and
AJ,
joined The
News
Movement
and NTIA
(Night
Time
Industry
Association) at
the
House
of
Commons
to
speak
to
MPs
about
drug
policy
and
the
#BringBackDrugTesting
campaign.
The
campaign
calls
on
the
Home
Office
to
restore
life-saving
drugs
testing services
at
festivals
across
the
UK.
|
9 June
2023
|
Hanna
Head
(SSDP
UK)
spoke
to
our
project
lead
Monica
and
Research
team
co-leads,
Joanna
and
AJ,
to
highlight
the
"evidence-based,
life-saving
work
that
students
are
doing"
in
harm
reduction.
The
article
highlights
the
work
of
our
project
alongside
SSDP
Imperial,
the
Help
not
Harm
campaign,
and
more.
To read the full article, click here. |
5 June
2023
|
Our
project
and
work
was
featured
in
an
article
titled Students
present
project
findings
to
policy-makers
and
professionals
by
Kings
College
London's
News
Centre.
|
31 May
2023
|
Following
a
successful
abstract
submission,
Joanna (Co-Head
of
Research) presented
our
report
findings
at
the
16th
Annual
International
Society
for
the
Study
of
Drug
Policy
(ISSDP)
conference,
hosted
by
RAND
Europe
in
Leuven,
Belgium.
Other
speakers
at
ISSDP
2023
included
international
drug
policy
activists
and
scholars,
criminologists,
physicians,
medical
lawyers,
and
police
commissioners.
You can find our abstract here. |
12 May
2023
|
Julie
(Head
of
Outreach)
and
Joanna
(Co-Head
of
Research
&
Outreach)
presented
our
findings
at
the
Substance
Misuse
Best
Practice event
in
Surrey,
hosted
by
Catch22
Hampshire
24/7.
Catch22
is a
charity
that
designed
and
delivers
services
from
children's
social
care
to
health
and
wellbeing,
including
a
holistic
psychosocial,
harm
reduction,
and
family
support
approach
to
youth
substance
use.
|
May
2023
|
Our
research
report
was
featured
by
The
Alliance
for
Benzodiazepine
Best
Practices.
The
group
aim
to
raise
awareness
about
the
dangers
of
benzodiazepine
use
and
to
promote
safe
prescribing
practices.
You
can
find
their
evidence-based
resources
for
prescribers
and
patients,
and
various
scientific
research
studies
and
papers,
on
their
website.
|
3 April
2023
|
Our
Co-Head
of
Research,
AJ
Martin,
wrote
a blog
article
for
Drug
Science's
Science
Beats
Stigma
campaign.
In
the
article,
AJ
writes
about
his
personal
experiences
that
led
to
his
passion
for
harm
reduction.
This
passion
led
him
to
help
create
the
Imperial
chapter
of
SSDP,
and
join
the
Benzo
Research
Project
in
summer
2021.
You can read the full article, click here. |
10 March
2023
|
Our
Research
team
co-leads,
AJ
and
Joanna,
presented
at
the
Drug
Science
Street
Drugs
Discussions
on
Benzodiazepines.
The
event
was
the
biggest
in
the
series,
with
over
700
signups
and
350
attendants
including
psychopharmacologists
and
NGO
leaders.
The
research
team
leaders
went
on
to
present
at
the
Drug
Science
symposium
to
their
independent
committee.
You
can
watch
the
recording
on
YouTube here.
|
28
February 2023
|
Our
founder
and
project
lead
Monica
Richards
presented
at
Imperial
College
London
alongside
our
adviser
Ivan
Ezquerra
Romano
at
the
Young
Leaders
in
Drug
Policy
event,
hosted
by
the
award-winning ICL
SSDP.
You
can
watch
the
recording
on
YouTube
here.
|
February
2023
12 January 2023
|
The
International
Drug
Policy
Consortium
(IDPC)
re-published
our
research
report!
IDPC
is a
global
network
advocating
for
drug
policies
that
advance
social
justice
and
human
rights.
|
31
December 2022
|
The
Benzo
Research
Project
executive
team
were
featured
on
The
News
Movement.
Our
founder
and
several
members
of
the
project
were
interviewed
in
two
videos:
one
on
why
young
people
are
taking
benzos,
and
another
on our
efforts
to
change
attitudes
towards
drug
policy
in
the
UK.
|
23
December 2022
|
Our
project
was
spotlighted
in
the
Drug
Science
Student
Society
Network
(SSN)
newsletter,
sharing
some
important
findings
from
our
report
with
students
across
the
UK.
|
December
2022
|
Drugs
and
Alcohol
Ireland
re-published
our
research
report
in
the
Health
Research
Board
(HRB)
National
Drugs
Library.
This
will
ensure
our
report
and
the
stories
shared
will
be
brought
to
the
attention
of
practitioners
and
researchers
across
Ireland.
The
report
also
featured
in
the
HRB
National
Drugs
Library
e-newsletter
volume
18,
issue
12.
|
9
December 2022
|
The
blog
post
authored
by
Joanna
Bright
(Co-Head
of
Research)
and
Zara
Nelson
(Outreach
Officer) was
shared
by
Dovetail.
Dovetail
is
an
organisation
that
provides
training
to
drug
and
alcohol
services
in
Queensland,
Australia
with
a
specific
focus
on
young
peoples'
services.
|
28
November 2022
|
Our
Report
Launch
and
Drug
Policy
event
was
shared
on
the
DrugWise
Daily
newsletter:
a
news
service
providing
coverage
of
all
things
related
to
the
drugs
and
alcohol
sector.
|
1
November 2022
|
The
Benzo
Research
Project
was
featured
on
ITV!
Check
out George
Hancorn's
article
on
us,
titled
Psychoactive
drugs
being
'sold'
to
children
as
young
as
15
on
Instagram
for
as
little
as
£1.
It's
also
available
in
video
form
on
their
Instagram,
YouTube,
and
website.
|
8 July
2022
20 May
2022
|
Our
project
was
featured
in
the
UK
Drug
Testing
Newsletter
by
Zoom
Testing.
Zoom
Testing
are
a
small
company
that
supply
drug
testing
kits
to
the
UK.
|
3 May
2022
|
Monica
Richards
(Founder,
Project
Lead)
was
featured
in a
news
article
about
the
Benzo
Research
Project
titled
The
student-led
project
aiming
to
shape
national
drug
policy by
King's
College
London,
alongside
our
King's
student
members.
|
12 April
2022
|
The
Students'
Union
at
UWE
Bristol
featured
the
Benzo
Research
Project
on
their
page
about Mixing
Drugs
and
Alcohol,
encouraging
students
with
lived
experience
of
benzo
use
to
share
their
stories.
|
Disclaimer: The
inclusion of an
organisation on this page (Impact) does
not equate
to endorsement by the Benzo Research Project.