The CDC's report reveals a 1.1 percent rise in drug overdose deaths in the US between October 2022 and October 2023, with 21 states experiencing a surge in fatalities. Oregon saw the largest increase at 44 percent, while Indiana experienced the sharpest decline at 17 percent. Fentanyl continues to drive the overdose epidemic, with newer drugs like 'tranq' further complicating the crisis. The US is currently in the "fourth wave" of the drug epidemic, and health experts are concerned about the potential for further increases in overdose deaths due to the presence of deadly sedatives like tranq in illicit drug supplies.
Over 260 people in Florida died from accidental overdoses involving xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer used to sedate horses, often mixed with fentanyl and cocaine. Xylazine complicates opioid overdoses, making it harder to save people as it doesn't respond to the overdose reversal drug naloxone. Lawmakers have taken action to classify xylazine as a scheduled substance, and the White House designated the combination of fentanyl and xylazine as an emerging drug threat. The spread of xylazine into the illicit drug supply remains a mystery, and health officials are also grappling with the link between chronic xylazine use and mysterious open wounds.
A new CDC report reveals that for the first time, more fatal drug overdoses in the US come from smoking drugs than injecting them, with smoking overdose deaths surging 74% while injection overdose deaths fell 29% from early 2020 to late 2022. The shift to smoking fentanyl may be due to the perception of better intake control, as well as the physical toll on veins from frequent injections. Over 70% of the 2022 drug overdose deaths were linked to synthetic opioids, including illegally manufactured fentanyl.
A new CDC study suggests that smoking has become the most common method of taking drugs in U.S. overdose deaths, surpassing injecting. The study found that smoking fentanyl is on the rise and may be somewhat less deadly than injecting it, but both methods carry a substantial overdose risk. Illicit fentanyl, often cut into heroin or other drugs, has been a primary driver of the U.S. overdose epidemic. The study, based on data from 2020 to 2022, revealed a 74% increase in smoking-related deaths and a 29% decrease in injection-related deaths. However, accurately determining the method of drug intake in overdose deaths can be challenging.
A new CDC study suggests that smoking has become the most common method of taking drugs in U.S. overdose deaths, surpassing injecting. The study found that the percentage of overdose deaths with evidence of smoking rose 74% while the percentage of deaths with evidence of injection fell 29% between early 2020 and late 2022. Illicit fentanyl, often cut into heroin or other drugs, has been a primary driver of the U.S. overdose epidemic, with smoked fentanyl becoming increasingly common. While some early research suggests that smoking fentanyl may be somewhat less deadly than injecting it, both methods carry a substantial overdose risk.
A report by the CDC shows a significant increase in drug overdose deaths involving smoking and a decrease in deaths involving injection from January 2020 to December 2022, with smoking becoming the most common route of drug use. This shift is observed across all U.S. regions and is particularly pronounced in deaths involving illegally manufactured fentanyls (IMFs). The findings highlight the need to strengthen public health and harm reduction services to address overdose risk associated with diverse routes of drug use, including smoking, in order to reduce drug overdose deaths.
In Sierra Leone, the synthetic drug kush, a potent and unpredictable form of synthetic cannabinoid, has become widespread, particularly among unemployed youth seeking an escape from poverty. The drug, often cut with harmful additives, is easily accessible and cheap, leading to devastating consequences such as addiction, health issues, and social disintegration. The country's limited resources and infrastructure for drug enforcement and rehabilitation are struggling to address the crisis, with concerns that the epidemic may spread to neighboring countries.
The use of xylazine, also known as "tranq," is increasing in Connecticut, with the tranquilizer being mixed into drugs like fentanyl and heroin, leading to a rise in overdose deaths. At least 260 overdose deaths in the state involved xylazine, and its presence has been found in more than half of the drugs tested at the Connecticut Harm Reduction Alliance. The drug's non-opioid nature makes it difficult to reverse its effects with Narcan, posing challenges for treating opioid use disorder. The harm reduction community emphasizes the availability of help for those in need.
