To comprehend the pervasiveness of fentanyl usage in New York City, McKnight, and her associates conducted surveys and extensive interviews in 2021 and 2022 with individuals who inject drugs. In the 313 studies and 162 interviews, individuals were asked about their drug usage, including whether they used fentanyl purposefully in the last month, and their experience with overdoses. All study participants underwent drug testing for fentanyl, heroin, other opioids, and stimulants so that researchers could compare toxicology results with self-reported drug use.
The toxicology results exposed prevalent usage of fentanyl among people who inject drugs in New York City. Fentanyl was the most common recently used drug, with 83% of individuals testing positive for it (including 46% who evaluated positive for both fentanyl and heroin and 54% who evaluated favorable for fentanyl without heroin).
New research study exposes that over 80% of New Yorkers who inject drugs have evaluated favorable for the opioid fentanyl, in spite of just 18% reporting intentional use, suggesting extensive unknowing usage which could raise overdose risks. With drug overdoses tripling in New York City given that 2013, mostly due to fentanyls increasing existence, the studys lead author stresses the requirement to monitor exposure rates, modifications in user choice, and to implement unique techniques for reducing overdoses such as increasing assistance for overdose avoidance centers and research study.
Research reveals prevalent fentanyl usage amongst New York Citys intravenous drug users, in spite of a strong preference for heroin.
A recent research study conducted by the NYU School of Global Public Health exposed that over 80% of New York-based people who use injectable drugs are checking favorable for the opioid fentanyl, although just 18% of them report using it intentionally.
The research, released in the International Journal of Drug Policy, shows that a significant variety of individuals injecting drugs might be inadvertently utilizing fentanyl. This unwitting usage could increase their probability of overdosing and potentially raise their fentanyl tolerance if constantly taken in.
In 2021, more than 100,000 people passed away of a drug overdose in the United States, with 66% of these deaths including illegal fentanyl– a synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine.
In New York City, drug overdose deaths have more than tripled considering that 2013 when fentanyl began to routinely appear in the illicit drug supply. Considering that 2017, fentanyl has been the most common drug included in overdose deaths in New York City.
Research study shows that people who take drugs might utilize fentanyl accidentally, thinking that they are rather using heroin or another drug. More recent research studies show that some people are conscious of their fentanyl usage and might look for out fentanyl or heroin blended with fentanyl.
” As the proportion of drug overdose deaths including fentanyl continues to increase, its essential to keep an eye on how typically individuals are exposed to fentanyl and any modifications in choice for fentanyl among people who utilize drugs,” stated Courtney McKnight, scientific assistant teacher of public health at NYU School of Global Public Health and the studys lead author.
To understand the pervasiveness of fentanyl use in New York City, McKnight, and her colleagues performed studies and thorough interviews in 2021 and 2022 with individuals who inject drugs. In the 313 surveys and 162 interviews, individuals were asked about their drug use, including whether they utilized fentanyl intentionally in the last month, and their experience with overdoses. All study individuals underwent drug screening for fentanyl, heroin, other opioids, and stimulants so that researchers could compare toxicology results with self-reported substance abuse.
The toxicology results exposed extensive use of fentanyl amongst people who inject drugs in New York City. Fentanyl was the most typical recently used drug, with 83% of individuals evaluating positive for it (including 46% who evaluated favorable for both fentanyl and heroin and 54% who evaluated positive for fentanyl without heroin). Just 18% reported just recently utilizing fentanyl purposefully; most reported using heroin instead.
” The frustrating majority of people in this study– despite the intentionality of recent fentanyl use– reported heroin as their main drug, suggesting a strong choice for heroin over fentanyl. Yet, as our urine toxicology information indicate, individuals who inject drugs seem to have little company in avoiding fentanyl,” said McKnight, who is also a researcher with the Center for Drug Use at HIV/HCV Research at NYU School of Global Public Health.
Nearly one-quarter of individuals had overdosed at least as soon as in the previous 6 months, with 36% of those who deliberately utilized fentanyl experiencing a recent overdose, compared to 21% of those who reported no recent fentanyl usage but evaluated favorable for it, and 19% who reported no recent fentanyl usage and tested negative for it. People who deliberately utilized fentanyl were likewise more most likely to be more youthful, white, use drugs regularly, and test favorable for stimulants, to name a few attributes.
In both the surveys and interviews, issues about overdosing prevailed, with almost all individuals using strategies to prevent overdose, including keeping naloxone (a drug that can reverse an opioid overdose) close by, using smaller sized amounts of drugs, using drugs around others, and having actually a trusted dealer.
” Nearly everyone talked about the increased frequency of overdoses– a consistent tip of the lethality of the drug supply. A couple of said that the consistency with which overdoses were occurring in New York City resembled nothing they had actually ever experienced,” stated McKnight.
The interviews also revealed that individuals who inject drugs might be developing an increased tolerance to fentanyl, which may be driving a higher preference for the more powerful drug. A number of people spoke with reported that the strength of heroin has decreased, which may indicate an establishing however unintended tolerance to fentanyl that heroin can no longer address.
The scientists state the findings point to the need for scaling up existing evidence-based techniques to avoid overdose deaths, such as naloxone distribution and increased access to medication for opioid usage disorder. Provided the occurrence and deadliness of fentanyl, they worry that novel strategies to reduce overdoses must be considered, including increased assistance for and research on overdose prevention centers, and other forms of opioid maintenance treatments in which individuals who utilize drugs are prescribed opioids to avoid drugs tainted with fentanyl.
” New York City is home to the nations first 2 lawfully approved overdose prevention centers, which opened in 2021 and have actually currently conserved numerous lives, but more support and access to these programs are needed to further minimize overdose death,” stated McKnight.
Referral: “Understanding intentionality of fentanyl use and drug overdose risk: Findings from a mixed approaches research study of people who inject drugs in New York City” by Courtney McKnight, Chenziheng Allen Weng, Marley Reynoso, Sarah Kimball, Lily M. Thompson and Don Des Jarlais, 2 June 2023, International Journal of Drug Policy.DOI: 10.1016/ j.drugpo.2023.104063.
The study was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Additional study authors include Allen Weng, Marley Reynoso, Sarah Kimball, Lily M. Thompson, and Don Des Jarlais of NYU School of Global Public Health.
