Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Karen Blakey

Grant Hamilton 🐨 @ecologygrant.bsky.social · 2d

My job, and the jobs of 20 of my Faculty of Science colleagues at Queensland University of Technology, are under threat with a proposal to slash staff. Our work to protect #biodiversity is at stake. In Australia and beyond, please sign this petition to support us 🧪

www.change.org/Save-Our-Sci...

Sign the Petition

Stop Forced Redundancies at QUT's Faculty of Science

www.change.org

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Reposted by Karen Blakey

Kykeon Analytics @kykeon.bsky.social · 4d

New study in @jama.com finds that many “magic mushroom” edibles don’t actually contain psilocybin but synthetic or undeclared compounds instead.

Significant public health risks for consumers.

jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

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Karen Blakey @karenblakey.bsky.social · 6d

Novel benzos account for 80% of the novel psychoactive substances found in this Australian emergency department study. Counterfeit benzos still a significant concern. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Novel psychoactive substances in Australian emergency departments: implications for public health practice from multi-centre prospective toxicosurveillance across five states, 2022–2023

Comprehensive toxicology testing of emergency department (ED) presentations has become a prominent data source on novel psychoactive substances (NPS) …

www.sciencedirect.com

Reposted by Karen Blakey

C&EN (Chemical & Engineering News) @cenmag.bsky.social · 9d

In October 2025, we celebrate the 80th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month #NDEAM. Meet the 2025 C&EN Trailblazers, chemists with disabilities who rethink how we do science: cen.acs.org/people/profi...

#DisabledInSTEM #chemsky 🧪

Trailblazers: Chemists with disabilities rethink how we do science

C&EN’s 2025 Trailblazers issue, curated by guest editor Mona Minkara, looks at how chemists can solve problems in new ways

cen.acs.org

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Karen Blakey @karenblakey.bsky.social · 15d

Nitazenes in teddy bear tablets. Third alert of this pill design (different colours) across Australia, this time a mix of protonitazepyne and protonitazene. Two previous alerts from drug checking services were expected to be oxycodone. Alert : share.google/tndeZXHQ31mj...

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Karen Blakey @karenblakey.bsky.social · 25d

New nitazene identified by @cantestcbr.bsky.social Isotocyanozene (5-cyanoisotonitazene). Harm reduction and early warning all wrapped into one.

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Reposted by Karen Blakey

European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) @euda.europa.eu · 29d

🚨 Think you can stay one step ahead of emerging drug threats?

We’re hiring a Scientific analyst (AD 6) to help operate and develop the EU Early Warning System on new psychoactive substances.

📅 Apply by 17 October: euda.europa.eu/calls/2025/ad202506_en

#EUCareers

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Karen Blakey @karenblakey.bsky.social · 29d

Victorian Pill Testing Service in Melbourne finds N-desethyl isotonitazene in M30 tablets. Shift from previous alerts with protonitazene in these tablets. Sign up for drug notifications here: Drug Notifications | Victorian Pill Testing Service — VPTS www.vicpilltesting.org.au/drug-notific...

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Lenore Taylor @lenoret.bsky.social · Sep 15

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Exclusive story from @catiemcleod.bsky.social

Scam weight-loss drops marketed to Australians contain ‘basically salty water’, analysis finds

Exclusive: Scientists from UNSW school of chemistry analyse sample of treatment, bought online and purported to mimic effects of Ozempic, and find nothing more than saline solution

www.theguardian.com

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Dr Alex Wodak AM @alexwodak.bsky.social · Sep 14

Drug harm reduction newsletter from North Carolina with strong pharmacology slant well worth subscribing to. Excellent and free. Lots of data from US re drug overdose & drug tearing.

opioiddatalab.ghost.io/summer-2025-...

Summer 2025 Drug Checking: Stats, Stories & Algorithms That Suck

drug checking, harm reduction, overdose prevention, NarxCare, fentanyl analogs, HALT Fentanyl Act, nitazenes, public health surveillance, Narcan, Overdose Chain of Survival, commercial determinants of...

opioiddatalab.ghost.io

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Reposted by Karen Blakey

Christophe Stove @christophestove.bsky.social · Sep 6

Recently out in #ClinChem & worth a read: Watanabe and colleagues, "In Vitro Metabolic Profiling of 18 Semi-Synthetic Cannabinoids—Hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) and Its Analogs—with Identification in an Authentic Hexahydrocannabiphorol (HHCP) Urine Sample"
academic.oup.com/clinchem/adv...

In Vitro Metabolic Profiling of 18 Semi-Synthetic Cannabinoids—Hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) and Its Analogs—with Identification in an Authentic Hexahydrocannabiphorol (HHCP) Urine Sample

AbstractBackground. Hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) and its analogs are recent additions to semi-synthetic cannabinoids in the recreational drug market. Here, th

academic.oup.com

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Reposted by Karen Blakey

Christophe Stove @christophestove.bsky.social · Sep 6

Following up on a 1st part on China’s new generic ban on nitazene analogues, #TalkingDrugs now has a 2nd part out, exploring what to expect and how this ban may play out in the coming years:
Will China’s Nitazenes Ban Work?
(incl. interview w. Marthe Vandeputte)
www.talkingdrugs.org/will-chinas-...

https://talkingdrugs.org/will-chinas-ni…

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Karen Blakey @karenblakey.bsky.social · Sep 4

Have known so many people opposed to the idea of drug checking who, after learning more about it, see that it's about reducing harm. Listening to experts, learning new things, seeing different perspectives. Brisbane drug checking return paused for now. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...

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Reposted by Karen Blakey

Dr Alex Wodak AM @alexwodak.bsky.social · Aug 31

Oh do look at these absolutely stunning nature photos! Every one of them is a gem!
www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...

Australian Geographic nature photographer of the year 2025 winners – in pictures

A painterly, macro view of a cauliflower soft coral by Ross Gudgeon has taken out top prize

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Karen Blakey

AIVL For PWUD Wellbeing, Health & Human Rights✊️💜 @aivl.bsky.social · Aug 31

For International Overdose Awareness Day, we remember the peers who went before us, the ones we lost, but will never forget 💜 AIVL will keep pushing for better access to naloxone, peer support and equitable drug policies and programs! 💜💊💉✊️☂️ See our #IOAD webinar: aivl.org.au/events/webin...

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C&EN (Chemical & Engineering News) @cenmag.bsky.social · Aug 29

8 chemists with disabilities who left their mark on history

Scientists with disabilities ascended to the forefronts of their fields long before labs were accessible and civil rights were codified: cen.acs.org/careers/dive... #chemsky 🧪

8 chemists with disabilities who left their mark on history

Scientists with disabilities ascended to the forefronts of their fields long before labs were accessible and civil rights were codified

cen.acs.org

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Reposted by Karen Blakey

Laura Tingle @latingle.bsky.social · Aug 29

This week’s column
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...

Journalist who won the prize Trump wants says US democracy 'on the edge of a cliff'

Intentionally attacking civilians like aid and rescue workers, and journalists, is a violation of international humanitarian law and a war crime.

www.abc.net.au

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Reposted by Karen Blakey

Andrew McAuley @arjmcauley.bsky.social · Aug 29

Really important study highlighting the limitations of nitazene testing strips as a harm reduction tool - very topical for Scotland at the moment. harmreductionjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....

Evaluation of nitazene immunoassay test strips for rapid in-situ detection of nitazene and nitazene analogs in illicit drug samples - Harm Reduction Journal

Background The detection of nitazene compounds in the United Kingdom has raised concerns among healthcare professionals, public health authorities, and law enforcement due to the increased risk of fat...

harmreductionjournal.biomedcentral.com

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Karen Blakey @karenblakey.bsky.social · Aug 29

Drug checking to return to Brisbane following philanthropic funding! CheQpoint 2.0 www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...

Drug checking to resume in Queensland months after government axed funding

Funding for the politically controversial services was cut by the state government earlier this year.

www.abc.net.au

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Karen Blakey @karenblakey.bsky.social · Aug 26

Interesting article on the drug checking landscape in Australia, especially the point that it's not new and not controversial from a medical standpoint. au.rollingstone.com/music/music-...

Australia’s Reluctant Embrace of Pill Testing

With pill testing, there’s two opposing factions with one common objective — for people to be safe. Can a positive path forward appear?

au.rollingstone.com

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Reposted by Karen Blakey

KnowYourStuffNZ @knowyourstuffnz.bsky.social · Aug 25

Hi friends! It's Mythbuster Monday 🥳🥳🥳

We’ve explored how fear and misinformation created the myth that touching or inhaling fentanyl can cause an overdose. This week, we’re asking: how do we move beyond fear?

1/n

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Karen Blakey @karenblakey.bsky.social · Aug 24

Watching #Andor with teenage sons and one asked why a senator spoke out against the emperor, knowing the danger. Led to conversations about Trump, Israel and this video : the standard you walk past is the standard you accept. TV as education. youtu.be/s_TfZdIhIgg?...

Lieutenant General David Morrison AO

YouTube video by ICMI Speakers and Entertainers

youtu.be

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Karen Blakey @karenblakey.bsky.social · Aug 23

Exciting news that the Victoria (Australia not Canada) Pill Testing Service has opened! www.vicpilltesting.org.au Have done festivals and now a fixed-site. Fantastic to see a Melbourne service opening. Along with the amazing @cantestcbr.bsky.social hopefully more Aus sites to come.

Victorian Pill Testing Service | Confidential Drug Checking

The Victorian Pill Testing Service is a free, legal and confidential health service that aims to reduce drug-related harm through substance analysis and personalised harm reduction advice.

www.vicpilltesting.org.au

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Reposted by Karen Blakey

The Loop @theloopuk.bsky.social · Jul 22

We have launched Test & Know, our fundraising campaign to help us expand our testing across the UK. We are asking for a donation of £12 - the cost of testing one substance in our mobile labs.

wearetheloop.org/test-and-know

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Reposted by Karen Blakey

Tim Piatkowski @piatkowskitim.bsky.social · Jun 10

New Steroid Testing results are out!

In WAVE 4 (2025) - 91 steroid samples tested in SE QLD
😀89% contained expected substances
🧐71% were underdosed

Full report + support info: hi-ground.org/app/uploads/...

@griffithcmh.bsky.social
@uqchsr.bsky.social

hi-ground.org

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