Why add even more potent synthetic opioids to existing ones? Elizabeth Tracey reportsWhy add even more potent synthetic opioids to existing ones? Elizabeth Tracey reports
Alcohol And Drug Abuse – Johns Hopkins Medicine Podcasts
Adding the potent opioid nitazine to heroin or fentanyl is hard to understand, since it ups the likelihood you’ll kill your clientele. Eric Strain, a substance use disorder expert at Johns Hopkins, is nonplussed. Strain: Why?
1:11•23 Sept 2024
The Perplexing Addition of Potent Opioids: Why Risk It?
Episode Overview
- Adding nitazine to heroin or fentanyl increases the risk of death.
- Xylazine contamination leads to severe skin lesions.
- Reversing nitazine overdoses is extremely difficult.
- Precipitated withdrawal is a harsh but sometimes necessary intervention.
- Understanding these dangers is crucial for combating opioid addiction.
“Why are you contaminating supply with something that produces bad effects?”
Ever wondered why some people mix even more dangerous opioids into already lethal drugs? This episode of 'Alcohol And Drug Abuse – Johns Hopkins Medicine Podcasts' tackles this perplexing issue head-on. Elizabeth Tracey sits down with Eric Strain, a substance use disorder expert at Johns Hopkins, to dissect the baffling addition of nitazine to heroin or fentanyl.
Strain is as puzzled as you might be, questioning why anyone would contaminate a drug supply with substances like xylazine that cause severe side effects, including significant skin lesions. He points out the grim reality: reversing an overdose involving nitazine is incredibly challenging and can lead to precipitated withdrawal, which is not only uncomfortable but can also be life-threatening. Yet, as Strain notes, this harsh intervention can sometimes be the only way to save a life.
The episode is a sobering look at the complexities of substance abuse and the desperate measures taken by those entangled in its grip. If you're curious about the darker side of opioid abuse and the inexplicable decisions made in this harrowing landscape, this episode offers crucial insights. It's a must-listen for anyone seeking to understand the high stakes involved in combating opioid addiction.
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