Stakeholder perspectives on implementing fentanyl drug checking: Results from a multi-site study

Fentanyl-related overdoses are an urgent public health concern in many communities in the U.S. (Ciccarone, 2017; Frank and Pollack, 2017). Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 50-100 times more potent than morphine, is clinically used in anesthesia and for chronic pain management (Higashikawa and Suzuki, 2008; Volpe et al., 2011). In many cases, people who use drugs (PWUD) are unknowingly ingesting fentanyl. In a study among people who use drugs across British Columbia, Canada, 29% of respondents tested positive for fentanyl, 73% of whom reported not knowingly using fentanyl (Amlani et al., 2015).

Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence - November 13, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Jennifer L. Glick, Tricia Christensen, Ju Nyeong Park, Michelle McKenzie, Traci C. Green, Susan G. Sherman Tags: Full length article Source Type: research