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What Is Fentanyl? Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid drug that is prescribed to treat severe pain, such as advanced cancer pain or chronic pain in patients who are tolerant to other, less potent opioids. 2 It is approximately 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine.1 Pharmaceutical fentanyl is available in several forms, including transdermal patch, […]

Codeine is an opioid analgesic that is also used as a cough suppressant medication. It is a commonly abused drug and can lead to tolerance, physical dependence, and addiction. Possible long-term consequences of codeine misuse include frequent oversedation, a risk of overdose, chronic constipation, sexual dysfunction, low sex drive, and disrupted menstrual cycles. What Is […]

They’re called supervised injection sites (SIS). You may know them by other terms too. These include drug consumption facilities (DCF), fix rooms, medically supervised injection centers (MSIC), safe injection sites, safer injection facilities (SIF), and overdose prevention sites.  Although their names may differ, they function the same way. They provide a service – actually, a […]

The opioid epidemic is perhaps the worst public health crisis the U.S. has ever endured. Each year, tens of thousands of individuals die of opioid-related overdoses, while millions more suffer from addiction. To win the war against opioids, the country needs every weapon in its arsenal. Unfortunately, one of the most effective weapons in that […]

Alternative approaches to thinking about and treating substance abuse—such as anti-stigma campaigns, treatment instead of punishment, harm reduction programs, and legalization or decriminalization of drugs—may help people feel comfortable about seeking help, address some of the problems with current drug policy, and reduce the negative effects of drug abuse. Combating the Stigma of Addiction Addiction […]

What Is Hepatitis? The increase is attributed mainly to white adults in their 20s and 30s who live in non-urban areas. In many cases, these people were addicted to prescription drugs but then switched to intravenous opioid abuse, which has a much higher risk of infection.5 Transmission From Drug Use Symptoms Treatment Treating Addiction In […]

Evidence suggests that these programs do not encourage drug use or lead to more crime or used needles on the street. Sites such as the North American Syringe Exchange Network feature directories where users can search for programs in their area. Heroin. Meth. Cocaine. Injecting these into your system comes with any number of immediate […]

Sharing needles, syringes, or other drug equipment can expose people to HIV.2 However, certain types of substance use are also linked to risky sexual behavior, such as having impulsive sexual encounters or not using condoms—which can also increase the risk of exposure to HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.3 People who are both HIV positive […]

Members of the gay community who use drugs can lower their risk of infection by practicing safe sex, using clean needles, getting vaccinated, and avoiding drugs and alcohol in association with sexual activity. Risks for Contracting Diseases Members of the LGBT community use substances at higher rates than the heterosexual population. Higher rates of substance […]

What Is Harm Reduction? Harm reduction is a set of policies and practices intended to reduce the negative effects of drug and alcohol use. Harm reduction programs exist for several types of drugs, including opioids, alcohol, stimulants, Ecstasy, and marijuana. They range from needle exchange sites to managed alcohol programs to drug-testing kits at music […]