We all know America has an opioid epidemic. After all, this crisis is the primary reason why our mortality rates are turning the corner- the wrong way.
In 2017, 72K folks died of drug overdoses from a total mortality of some 2.8 million- almost 3% of the numbers. OK, opioids only accounted for 2/3 of the drug total deaths. (Like that’s NOT still a big number.) Fentanyl, the synthetic opioid, is the primary driver of this epidemic.
And, our leaders are extremely capable of providing lip service to the crisis. Hmm. Just like we passed a crisis bill on UN Day (24 October 2018, Support for Patient and Communities Act). But, instead of effecting change, it rearranges the chairs on the deck of the Titanic, our sinking ship of state. No real money is provided, no real new programs were enacted.
Despite the fact that only 1 in 10 drug addicts seek treatment or that 1 in 5 want help with their opioid dependency. So, we need government action- or we can expect those death tolls to climb. (And, uncompensated health care expenses- as well as first responder costs-to explode.)
And, now there’s a new idea. (First, I’ll describe it. Then, I’ll complain about it.)
BTNX, a Canadian firm, has introduced a test strip to see if your (I can guarantee you it will never be mine) dose of drugs has been laced with fentanyl. The test strip, kind of a sophisticated version of the pH strips you all recall from your high school chemistry classes, was originally intended to test urine. But, the off-label (that means the FDA has not approved the product for this) use lets one check to see if fentanyl has been added to the drugs folks take. All it takes is a drop of the drug in water and 1 minute to see the results. (Two lines is safe, 1 line is deadly.)
Dealers use the cheaper fentanyl to cut their drugs- despite the fact that this means they cull their customer base, as folks inject the drugs and succumb to fentanyl poisoning.
Many overdose-prevention organizations (plus cities like Baltimore, Philadelphia, and states like California and Rhode Island) consider these strips vital and hand them out to druggies, hoping they will test before using their stash.
And, of course, the federal government opposes this action (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). It’s even possible that these strips could be construed as illegal drug paraphernalia (since various laws ban the use of testing equipment for illegal drugs).
Note that the BTNX strips are 96% accurate (according to a study done by Drs. Susan Sherman and Traci Green of Johns Hopkins) – and they may even be 100% accurate. (The researchers noted the strips can also detect fentanyl analogues [that means the compounds are similar to fentanyl, kind of siblings].)
But, then there’s real life. Here in the DC area, the opioid epidemic is so wide-spread, the number of drug-overdose deaths among Blacks has exploded. The DC government claims this is because many of these folks have been “hooked” for decades. And, now they are finding that their dealers are adulterating their drugs with fentanyl. To which they succumb.
And, that brings up the real issue. Who will really test their drugs before they use them? Folks who scrounge and steal to garner just enough money to feed their habits? Do you really think they’ll spend a buck (the price of the test strips) more than they have to? Or, wait until the results are obtained? Or, will follow the protocol?
For the sake of their lives, I hope so.
But, hope without a system to engender new habits is false hope.
I couldn’t agree more—we need to step up the effort to provide proper resources to curtail the opioid crisis. close friend of mine lost her son exactly a year ago to an overdose. He had been clean for awhile but caved and bought some street drugs one night—and that was the end for him. Incredibly tragic.
That simply hurts my eyes to read, Marcia.
And, it hurts my American pride to say we are only providing lip service to this problem!
I agree with you! I used to be an addictions therapist and I wish those strips could be used with the regular drug-testing they do for clients, but also handed out free to non-clients.
I still doubt- even if handed out free to the addicts- that they will bother to verify they are not about to commit suicide.
Years ago, I had what turned out to be a herniated disc. I was given a muscle relaxant and an opioid prescription. If the combo hadn’t sickened me… I shudder to think. I do need to tell that story one day. But I never thought of the “will they really test?” Maybe yes. Maybe no. But I tend towards thinking the strips are a good thing, if even one life is saved.
Glad you never developed the problem, Alana!
I think the strips are a great idea- but I doubt the true addicts will be adding that cost to their daily fix.
anyone of those numbers and facts by itself is scary and all of them together – well, there is simply nothing i can think of to describe that feeling.. 🙁
and yes, i agree that those who scrape to feed their drug habits will not be testing for anything ..
It’s a sad state of affairs, Vidya!
Just my thought but if someone doesn’t want to kick the habit, are they going to worry about the strip?
Same thought I have, Martha- and why would they spend an extra buck to do so?
The opoid epidemic is a serious problem. There is also the issue of carfentanil that some people are cutting in with heroin. Just a tiny amount would be deadly to humans. Apparently, addicts like the high. Unfortunately, carfentanil is an elephant traquilizer and a substance that calms down an elephant is likely to cause the accidental death of humans.
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I think carfentanil is one of the analogs this strip test will detect, Alice. And, if this continues, we will have folks hooked on heroin and opioids- now that’s a combination that will be tough to correct!
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