Warning to Motorists Over New Drug Law

From 2^nd March 2015 there will be a new drug driving law in England and wales, it will be an offence to drive while your ability is impaired by illegal drugs or certain medications.

Why do we need a new law?

The law is designed to deter or catch drivers who risk other people’s lives by getting behind the wheel after taking illegal drugs or abusing medication.

What Drugs are covered by the change?

The new law sets very low limits for 8 illegal drugs

Cannabis (THC)

 Cocaine (and a cocaine metabolite, BZE)

MDMA (Ecstasy)

Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD)

Ketamine

 Heroin/diamorphine metabolite (6-MAM)

MethylamphetamineIt

What Medications are covered by the change?

The new law also covers some licensed medicines that are commonly abused. However the legal limits for these medications are set above the legally prescribed dosages for legitimate users.

Clonazepam

Flunitrazepam (No longer licenced in the UK.)

Oxazepam

 Diazepam

Lorazepam

Temazepam

Methadone

Morphine*

*This includes opiate and opioid-based drugs  such as Dihydrocodeine,Codeine phosphate, Codeine Linctus and Nurofen Plus.

If I take this medication will I be breaking the law if I drive?

It is a driver’s responsibility to decide whether they consider their driving is, or they believe might be, impaired on any given occasion.

Robert Goodwill MP, Road Safety Minister, says as long as they stay within prescribed levels, most people will still be able to get behind the wheel of a car.

"If you are taking your medicine as directed and your driving is not impaired, then you are not breaking the law and there is no need to worry," he said.

"We advise anyone who is unsure about the effects of their medication or how the new legislation may affect them, to seek the advice of their doctor or pharmacist.

What happens if I am stopped and tested?

"There will also be a medical defence if a driver has been taking medication as directed and is found to be over the limit but not impaired.”

"Drivers who are taking prescribed medication at high doses [are advised] to carry evidence with them, such as prescriptions slips, when driving in order to minimise any inconvenience should they be asked to take a test by the police."

What should I do if I’m not sure?

Professor David Taylor, Royal Pharmaceutical Society spokesperson and member of the Department for Transport advisory panel on drug driving said:

Don’t stop taking your medicines, prescribed or otherwise, if you are worried about this new law. Instead, talk to your doctor or pharmacist for information about how your medicines might affect your ability to drive. They’ll be happy to give you the advice you need to stay safe.

What if I don’t live in England and wales?

This law doesn’t cover Northern Ireland and Scotland but you could still be arrested if you’re unfit to drive.

Contact us

If you have any questions on this subject you can contact Clear Chemist for advice from one of our pharmacists.

 pharmacists@clearchemist.co.uk

http://www.clearchemist.co.uk/contact-us

Further Information

v.uk/government/news/drug-drive-legislation-am-i-fit-to-drive

http://think.direct.gov.uk/drug-driving.html

Winter brings plenty of joy to our hearts. Sure, it might not have the beach time memories that summer has, and it might not bring to mind the rebirth of all natural things that spring does, but it still holds a special place in the hearts of many. It’s the time for Christmas, for wrapping up warm and staying in on an evening with the family around the fire, passing the time together. It’s also the time, charmingly enough, when we all get a little bit sick, and start feeling sorry for ourselves. Well, sadly, life has an awful habit of going on around us and sometimes we’ve got to be ready to face the world, so what’s the best way of dealing with those seasonal sniffles? Many some would say hot medicine drinks like Lemsip, but why?

Not everybody has the time or the money to go to the gym. But those clever folks over at NHS choices have published a series of gym-free workouts that anyone can try at home. So no more excuses, grab your pillow and have a go! 

 (Image source NHS Choices)

Created with busy people in mind, these routines from fitness expert Neila Rey can be done anywhere, at any time.

For more information check out the NHS choices website 

Metanium Nappy Rash Ointment

Nappy rash is very common in babies under 18 months old. It can be caused by sensitive skin, prolonged contact with human waste, chafing, soap, detergent or even illness. When your baby has nappy rash their skin may look pink or red and there may be spots or pimples in the nappy area. But don’t worry most cases are mild and can be easily treated with Metanium Nappy Rash Ointment.

The ointment is specially formulated to treat and soothe your baby’s nappy rash. The product is a protective ointment which rubs easily into your baby’s skin and can be used at every nappy change. Metanium rubs easily into the skin and creates a barrier between baby’s delicate skin and any potential  irritants, helping to treat and prevent nappy rash

For further information please do not hesitate to call us at Clear Chemist on 0151 203 6535 or email us at info@clearchemist.co.uk one of our Pharmacists or Doctors will be happy to help advise you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntBH6xZ43aA

To view our Metanium Nappy Rash Ointment  product page follow this link. 

Hedrin Treat & Go

Hedrin Treat & Go is a very popular product used for treating headlice effectively with minimum discomfort.

It is a fuss-free solution, and when dry it remains on the child's hair while they play, go to school or sleep. Water-based this treatment rinses out of hair easily, without any greasy residue. It requires two applications eight hours or overnight, seven days apart. It is available as a lotion, spray and mousse.

In addition to Hedrin Treat & Go we also stock other Hedrin products such as Hedrin Once, Hedrin 4% Lotion, Hedrin Protect & Go as well as a wide range of other head lice treatments.

For further information please do not hesitate to call us at Clear Chemist on 0151 203 6535 or email us at info@clearchemist.co.uk - one of our pharmacists or doctors will be happy to help advise you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyRO5iHN4w0

To view our Hedrin Treat & Go product page follow this link. 

The recent spell of sunshine is welcomed by most of us in the UK. Many people have seized the opportunity to do a bit of sunbathing. However recent news reports have suggested that sunbathing may have an addictive quality. The article below from NHS Choices looks into the facts behind the headlines.

 (Image source NHS Choices)

Sun tanning 'addictive' suggests study

“Sunbathing 'may be addictive' warning,” BBC News reports.

Researchers have investigated why, despite all the evidence of the harm it can cause (namely increased skin cancer risk), people continue to want a tan. Is it purely for aesthetic purposes, or is it due to one of the leading reasons people persist in self-destructive behaviour, addiction?

Researchers exposed shaven mice to UV light five days a week for six weeks. These mice had increased levels of chemicals that can trigger a feeling of euphoria – similar to an opiate-like high – as well as increased tolerance to pain.

At the end of six weeks the mice had withdrawal symptoms and increased tolerance to morphine injections. Repeat experiments in mice genetically engineered so that they could not produce beta endorphins, removed all of these effects.

This suggests that it was these naturally occurring endorphins, driven by UV exposure, that were having the effects in the first group of mice.

An obvious limitation of the study is that mice are nocturnal animals. So the effects of UV exposure, especially on shaven mice, may have a dramatic effect on the mice’s endorphin pathways that may not correspond to humans.

Where did the story come from?

The study was carried out by researchers from Harvard Medical School and was funded by the National Institutes of Health, Melanoma Research Alliance, the US-Israel Binational Science Foundation and the Dr Miriam and Sheldon G Adelson Medical Research Foundation.

The study was published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Cell and has been released on an open-access basis so it is free to read online.

The media is generally representative of this research, though the BBC’s modest headline that “Sunbathing may be addictive” is probably most appropriate. The Daily Mail’s alternative that “Sunbathing … is like heroin use” is a little over-the top, to put it mildly. And only very far into their coverage does the Mail reveal that the study was in mice.

Both the BBC and the Mail do include useful quotes from independent experts, who make the case that the findings of the study may not be applicable to humans.

What kind of research was this?

This was an animal study aiming to see how beta endorphins could be involved in an addiction to ultraviolet (UV) light.

UV light is a well-established risk factor for skin cancers, including malignant melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer.

Excess exposure to UV light through sunbathing or the use of sunbeds has long being recognised to increase risk of skin cancer, but despite the health warnings, these activities remain popular. This has led to speculation about whether it is simply an aesthetic preference for tanned skin, or an actual biological addiction. The researchers say the previous studies have suggested there could be an addictive process involved.

When skin is exposed to UV light, a particular protein called pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) is broken down into smaller pieces called peptides. One of these is a hormone called a-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (a-MSH), which mediates the tanning process by stimulating pigment cells to produce a brown/black pigment. Another is a beta endorphin, which is one of the body’s naturally occurring opioids. Opioids bind to opioid receptors, resulting in pain relief.

Synthetic opioid medications include the drugs morphine and diamorphine (heroin), which are not only very powerful painkillers, but are known to be associated with tolerance (where increasing doses are required to give the same effect) and dependence (withdrawal symptoms when the medication is removed).

Therefore, naturally occurring beta endorphins are believed to play a role in both pain relief and also the reinforcement and reward system that underlies addiction. This study aimed to see whether exposing mice to UV light may cause changes in beta endorphin levels that result in opioid-related effects. These include increase in pain threshold, tolerance to synthetic opioids and symptoms of dependence.

What did the research involve?

Mice had their backs shaved and were then exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) light five days a week, for six weeks. UVB is thought to be one of the most dangerous wavelengths of light produced by the sun as it can penetrate the skin to a deeper level (this is not to say that other wavelengths are safe).

This model of exposure was said to be approximately equivalent to 20-30 minutes of ambient midday sun exposure in Florida during the summer for a fair-skinned person. A control group was given mock UVB exposure. Blood samples were taken once a week to measure beta endorphin levels. They also had weekly measurements of tail elevation (Straub testing), which is an indicator of the activity of the opioid system in rodents.

Mice also received tests to measure their mechanical and thermal pain thresholds. One test involved poking the paws with fibres of increasing strength to see at what point the paw was withdrawn. Another involved similarly testing paw response (such as jumping or licking) when exposed to a hot plate.

The researchers tested whether any of these effects could be reversed by injecting the mice with naloxone, which is a drug used in medicine to block the actions of opioids (it is used to treat people who have had an opioid overdose).

After the full six weeks of UVB exposure or mock exposure the mice again received injections of naloxone to see if they demonstrated opioid withdrawal symptoms (such as shaking, teeth chattering, rearing up, diarrhoea).

After the full six weeks of UVB exposure or mock exposure, the researchers also tested the tolerance of mice to the synthetic opioid morphine. Increasing doses of morphine were given to see at what dose they could tolerate exposure to the hot plate.

As a final part to the study the researchers repeated the tests in a group of mice that had been genetically engineered so they lacked the POMC gene that enables them to produce beta endorphins.

What were the basic results?

The researchers found that blood levels of beta endorphins started to increase after only one week of UVB exposure. Levels remained elevated for the full six weeks of exposure, returning to normal levels one week after the exposure had stopped. There was no increase in the mock-UV-treated mice.

The mice exposed to UVB also demonstrated increased thresholds to mechanical and heat pain, which corresponded with the elevated beta endorphins levels. No change in threshold was seen in the mock-exposed mice. The painkilling effect was reversed by giving the UV-exposed mice naloxone.

By the second week of UVB exposure, mice also demonstrated increase in tail rigidity and elevation (as would be seen if the mice had been given an opioid drug), which remained for the six weeks of exposure. This effect diminished two weeks after UVB exposure had stopped. The effect was also reversed by giving the UV-exposed mice naloxone.

After the six weeks of exposure to UVB light, administration of naloxone caused several of the classic withdrawal symptoms, though these symptoms were lower in magnitude than has been observed in previous studies where mice have been treated with synthetic opioids.

The researchers also found that the mice exposed to six weeks of UVB demonstrated increased opioid tolerance, requiring significantly higher doses of morphine than the mock-exposed mice in order to tolerate the hot plate.

When repeating the tests in mice genetically engineered so that they could not produce beta endorphins, none of the effects were seen. When these mice were exposed to UVB light for six weeks they did not have increased pain thresholds and did not show signs of opioid withdrawal or opioid tolerance. This suggested, as expected, that it was the naturally occurring beta endorphins opioids that were having the effects.

How did the researchers interpret the results?

The researchers conclude that their findings show that chronic UV exposure stimulates the production of enough of the naturally occurring beta endorphin to cause opioid effects, and allowed the mice to develop both opioid tolerance and physical dependence.

Conclusion

This animal study demonstrates how continuous exposure to UV light leads to an increase in the skin’s production of beta endorphins, which are naturally occurring opioids. In mice, this resulted in increased pain thresholds and signs of opioid dependence and tolerance.

It is not known whether this mouse model could indicate an identical biological response when humans are exposed to UV light, but it may give us an idea.

The researchers suggest that the “hedonic action” of beta endorphins may have increased human liking for sun exposure, and so may contribute to the ongoing increase in the number of new cases of skin cancer.

However, it could be the case that the popularity of sun tanning is mainly due to cultural reasons: current thinking is that tanned skin is (incorrectly) seen to be healthier. In previous cultures and in previous times, such as pre-revolutionary 18th century France, having very pale skin was seen as the ideal.

Sun exposure among regular sunbathers could be a true biological addiction or an aesthetic liking for tanned skinned, or possibly a combination of the two.

Leaving this question aside, common sense should tell us of the known harms of excessive UV light exposure. UV light exposure is a well-established risk factor for skin cancers.

Take care to avoid excessive exposure of the skin to UV light, particularly in hot summer months, including use of an appropriate sunscreen, covering up with hat and sunglasses and avoiding exposure during hot times of the day.

(Source Analysis by Bazian. Edited by NHS Choices.) 

Clear Chemist offer a range of sun protection products.

http://www.clearchemist.co.uk/travel/sun-tan-cream.html

(Image Source: Met Office Pollen Forecast) 

Bad news for hay fever sufferers, the Met Office Forecast shows that the high pollen count will continue. But what exactly is Hay Fever and what is the best way to treat it?

The NHS Choices website offers this advice about hay fever:

Hay Fever is a common allergic condition that affects up to one in five people at some point in their life.

Symptoms of hay fever include:

• sneezing
• a runny nose
• itchy eyes.

The symptoms of hay fever are caused when a person has an allergic reaction to pollen.

Pollen is a fine powder released by plants as part of their reproductive cycle. Pollen contains proteins that can cause the nose, eyes, throat and sinuses (small air-filled cavities behind your cheekbones and forehead) to become swollen, irritated and inflamed.

You can have an allergy to:

• tree pollen, released during spring
• grass pollen, released during the end of spring and beginning of summer
• weed pollen, released any time from early spring to late autumn

Many people find that their symptoms improve as they get older. Around half of people report some improvement in symptoms after several years. In around 10%-20% of people symptoms go away completely.

Treatment

There is currently no cure for hay fever but most people are able to relieve symptoms with treatment, at least to a certain extent.

In an ideal world, the most effective way to control hay fever would be to avoid exposure to pollen. However, it's very difficult to avoid pollen, particularly during the summer months when you want to spend more time outdoors.

Treatment options for hay fever include antihistamines, which can help prevent an allergic reaction from happening and corticosteroids (steroids), which help reduce levels of inflammation and swelling.

Many cases of hay fever can be controlled using over-the-counter medication available from your pharmacist. But if your symptoms are more troublesome it’s worth speaking to your GP as you may require prescription medication.

For persistent and severe hay fever there is also a type of treatment called immunotherapy where you are exposed to small amounts of pollen over time to build up a resistance to its allergic effects. However, this can take many months or even years to be effective.

Who is affected

Hay fever is one of the most common allergic conditions. It is estimated that there are more than 10 million people with hay fever in England.

Hay fever usually begins in childhood or during the teenage years, but you can get it at any age.

The condition is more common in boys than in girls. In adults, men and women are equally affected.

Hay fever is more likely if there is a family history of allergies, particularly asthma or eczema.

Self-help tips

It is sometimes possible to prevent the symptoms of hay fever by taking some basic precautions, such as:

• wearing wraparound sunglasses to stop pollen getting in your eyes when you are outdoors
• change your clothes and take a shower after being outdoors to remove the pollen on your body
• try to stay indoors when the pollen count is high (over 50).

Complications

Hay fever does not pose a serious threat to health but it can have a negative impact on your quality of life. People with very bad hay fever often find that it can disrupt their productivity at school or work.

Another common complication of hay fever is inflammation of the sinuses (sinusitis). Children in particular may also develop a middle ear infection (otitis media) as a result of hay fever.

(Source http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Hay-fever/Pages/Introduction.aspx)

If you Suffer from Hay fever Clear Chemist offers a range of remedies that can help to alleviate your problem. Just follow the link below to view our range of Hay Fever products. 

 http://www.clearchemist.co.uk/medicines/hay-fever.html