Purity, Potency Of Illegal Drugs Have Reached New Levels, Worrying Health Officials
The problem is that users aren't expecting the higher strength drugs and are overdosing because of the increased potency of them. Meanwhile, a study finds that medication-assisted treatment works better than detoxing for those addicted to opioids.
Los Angeles Times:
Drugs Made In Mexican 'Superlabs' Are More Potent Than Ever, Fueling The Addiction Epidemic
Ten years ago, the average gram of meth available in the U.S. was 39% pure. Today, it is being sold in a nearly pure state, manufactured in Mexican "superlabs" and smuggled across the border to feed an epidemic of addiction. The drug is being peddled alongside fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 50 times stronger than heroin, and carfentanil, an elephant tranquilizer that can kill a human with just a speck or two. (Davis, 11/20)
Los Angeles Times:
For Opiate Addiction, Study Finds Drug-Assisted Treatment Is More Effective Than Detox
Say you're a publicly-insured Californian with an addiction to heroin, fentanyl or prescription narcotics, and you want to quit. New research suggests you can do it the way most treatment-seeking addicts in the state do — by undergoing a medically-supervised "detoxification" that's difficult, expensive and highly prone to failure. (Healy, 11/20)