It is both potent and deadly, the opioid class called nitazenes has been found in syringes after people have overdosed. Though it is surfacing in the current drug crisis, the medication is actually over 60 years old and was created as a strong form of pain-relief medication, according to the World Health Organisation.
Nitazene is often cited by professionals as being 20 times more powerful than fentanyl, “a drug that is already 50 times more powerful than heroin and 80 to 100 times more potent than morphine,” according to a Healthline article. It seems the opioid epidemic is worsening in spite of, and in light of, the global pandemic. “In areas throughout the United States, a highly potent new synthetic opioid is starting to show up on the streets and is having devastating effects on its users,” according to the article. The potent opioid found in syringes after overdose deaths have been examined by scientists throughout the U.S. Synthetic Opioid Dangers The first wave of the epidemic was met with a surge in prescription pain medication abuse. This was later replaced by heroin in opioid-related deaths. Now, the synthetics are on the rise, according to the article. Nitazenes are the most popular subclass of the new synthetic opioids, according to Alex Krotulski, PhD, associate director at The Center for Forensic Science Research & Education. People’s preferences for opioids change the longer they are addicted to them. As a result, anytime something cheaper and stronger surfaces, the numbers of overdoses surge, according to Dr. Rebecca Donald, assistant professor of anesthesiology and pain medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee. “Synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, overtook heroin, and in the past year our country saw more opioid overdose deaths than ever before,” she Donald. What are nitazenes The nitazene class of medication Initially believed to be a powerful pain medication that did not have the dependency-related effects of other opioids, the drugs were still never approved for clinical uses in the United States. “However, in recent months, synthetic pain medications have started to crop up throughout the world including Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and domestically in the United States,” according to the article. The use of nitazenes are still not fully understood, but deaths have been increasing and any kinds of drug mixing can produce much more lethal results in light of their presence. The harm reduction approach to addiction and substance use disorders is client-centred and functions with the goal of reducing the health and social harms associated with substance use and addiction.
Harm Reduction is an evidence-based, client-centred approach that seeks to reduce the health and social harms associated with addiction and substance use, without automatically requiring that users of substances abstain or stop. There are programs, services and practices in place that aid the harm reduction approach to substance use, according to the Canadian Mental Health Association. The approach arms people who use substances with options of how to minimise harm with non-judgemental and non-coercive strategies to further skills and knowledge for healthier and safer lives. This approach understands that many people coping with substance use and addiction may not be in a position to abstain from their substances of choice. “The harm reduction approach provides an option for users to engage with peers, medical and social services in a non-judgemental way that will ‘meet them where they are,’” according to the article. “This allows for a health oriented response to substance use, and it has been proven that those who engage in harm reduction services are more likely to engage in ongoing treatment as a result of accessing these services.” Harm reduction initiatives have shown a reduction in blood borne illnesses like HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C, and have also decreased the rates of fatality from drug overdoses. Examples of harm reduction practices include the nicotine patch in lieu of smoking, drinking water while drinking alcohol, using substances in a safe environment with people they trust, and needle exchange initiatives for those who inject drugs. Harm reduction applies to everyday life and not just to the use of substances, it means wearing a seatbelt when driving and wearing a helmet when riding a bicycle. Overdose Prevention Sites Otherwise known as safe consumption sites or supervised injection services, these facilities further harm reduction strategies. “These facilities are health services that provide a hygienic environment for people to consume substances under the supervision of medical professionals,” according to the article. Individuals are also given sterile supplies, overdose prevention, intervention, and education on safer consumption as well as counselling and medical services. They are also given referrals to services like housing, drug treatment and income support. Overdose prevention sites have been shown to reduce costs for the healthcare system and prevent the spread of blood borne illnesses as well as help individuals find support services and prevent overdose deaths. Further, research shows that the presence of an overdose prevention site in a community does not lead to increased crime, and actually works to decrease public substance consumption. “These facilities are helpful in reducing the harms related to substances, particularly opioids. Overdose prevention sites are an evidence-based component to a comprehensive treatment response,” according to the article. |
AuthorDr. Angela Carol MD,CCFP,FCFP is a family physician focused on treating chronic illnesses. Archives
May 2022
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