The opioid epidemic has escalated with the influx of fentanyl on the streets, but experts have identified an even more alarming trend. According to the New York Times, individuals struggling with drug addiction are now more inclined to use multiple substances, blending a concoction of uppers and downers that pose a challenge for health officials to address. The CDC refers to this as polysubstance use, which has become commonplace for 70-80% of opioid addicts. Dr. Cara Poland, an associate professor at Michigan State University, asserts, “It’s no longer an opioid epidemic. This is an addiction crisis.” Newer stimulants being combined with opioids include the animal tranquilizer xylazine, anti-anxiety medications like Valium, Xanax, and Klonopin, and counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl.
Addiction medicine specialist Dr. Paul Trowbridge has stated to the New York Times that “sloppy” drug dealers contaminate their supply with fentanyl or intentionally mix it with other drugs to hook their customers. “It’s really unpredictable what people are buying, which makes it so dangerous for them,” Trowbridge emphasized. “It’s a killing field out there.” Meanwhile, methamphetamine has made a subtle resurgence since its producers began manufacturing a more potent form of the drug, as reported by the Texas Tribune. According to Peter Stout of the Houston Forensic Science Center, “Meth is eating everybody’s lunch, and nobody’s talking about it.” Meth-related fatalities are on the rise, even in Texas.
Strategies that have proven effective in treating opioid addictions are nearly futile once stimulants like meth are introduced into the mix. “Finding that moment when someone says they’re ready for treatment is hard in all addiction, but meth is making this so much harder,” lamented a harm reduction worker to the New York Times. Stimulants are now detected in 42% of opioid overdoses. The New York Times points out that while a significant amount of resources are being funneled into addressing opioid addiction, policymakers need to acknowledge the emerging issue of multi-drug use. (Read about one woman’s controversial method to combat addiction.)
