The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) recently issued a public apology after they mistakenly referred to pharmacy technicians as 'pharmacist technicians'
in a council paper.
It has also written a letter of apology to the President of the Association of Pharmacy Technicians (APTUK) for the error they made.
Meanwhile, the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has raised concern about an equally worrying trend in which pharmacists are being referred to by the GPhC and
others as 'pharmacy professionals', a term that is also used for pharmacy technicians.
The association said this creates confusion in the minds of the public about the two roles and responsibilities, which are very different, as well as have impact
upon the workplace.
A new bill was introduced to Parliament on Wednesday (20 March) to prohibit the sale of tobacco to children under the age of 15, delivering on the
Prime Minister's commitment to create a smokefree generation.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill aims to protect future generations from the harmful impacts of smoking, thereby saving thousands of lives and billions of pounds
for the NHS.
The bill will also introduce new powers to restrict vape flavours and packaging deliberately targeted towards children, as well as allow the government to
change how they are displayed in shops, moving them out of sight of children and away from products that appeal to them, like sweets.
Additionally, enforcement officers' powers will be strengthened with 'on the spot fines' of £100 to ensure compliance with the new laws. This complements
the existing maximum fine of £2,500 that local authorities can already impose. It will also become illegal to provide free samples of vapes to children under
the age of 18.
Recently, Australia introduced a new law that restricts the sale of all types of vapes exclusively to pharmacies, as part of an effort to eliminate
recreational vaping nationwide.
Controversially, pharmacies will soon be permitted to sell nicotine vapes without requiring a prescription under this law.
Although this initiative aims to improve national health, it has angered pharmacists, who fear it will ultimately turn their premises into modern-day tobacconists.
"This is just going to create more hassle for me," a senior pharmacist told The Times.
In response to mounting concerns about a new generation becoming addicted to nicotine, the Labor government last Monday implemented a ban on the sale of all vapes,
whether they contain nicotine or not, outside of pharmacies.
Australia has become the first country in the world to enact such a measure.
We've all heard of Dry January, but that doesn't mean that the first month of the year is the only one where you can quit the booze for an intermittent period.
No, you can do it anytime and often it can be just the push you need to review your relationship with the hard stuff.
More and more of us are developing problematic relationships with alcohol, and the likes of addiction are on the rise. Attempting an alcohol detox can be a good way
to understand your relationship, although if you are heavily reliant on the substance, it is worth doing it in a controlled and safe environment with professional
care.
That said, for many of us that isn't the case and giving up for a month can see a wealth of changes in your life. So, what can you expect exactly?
Improved Physical Health
First and foremost, your physical health will improve as a result. Alcohol is known for its empty calories and sugar. It's why many of us develop beer bellys and
gain weight when we drink regularly.
Ultimately, by cutting those calories, you'll find it much easier to shed weight and the results can happen relatively quickly. What's more, as alcohol slows down
metabolism and can often lead to poor food choices like takeaways, eliminating it makes it much easier to manage your weight.
