Fentanyl in Australia: Killer pain meds in a patch

[InvisibleEye]

On Global Mail, interesting article about the rise in Fentanyl use among opioid users in Australia.
Link: http://www.theglobalmail.org/feature/killer-pain-meds-in-a-patch/469/

The article is too long to be copied in full here, but this graphic is interesting:

Excerpt:
«Fentanyl is relatively new to the streets, and it has become popular with addicts whose tolerance for drugs such as oxycodone has grown. Drug workers say that many addicts are “cocktailing” fentanyl, using it simultaneously with other opioids, and thereby increasing the risk of overdose.
“I think for a lot of injectors the attraction [of fentanyl] is the adrenaline rush, that this could be your last hit. It’s like anything I suppose, if you are taking it for the first time it’s good and then over time you get immune to it, so you take more,” a NSW drug worker told The Global Mail on the condition of anonymity.
“There’s a lack of knowledge about how powerful the drug is. I think over time, the more people that overdose on it, I think it will become a lot less popular. People will learn, unfortunately, from other people’s mistakes.”
New figures released by the National Coroners Information System show the number of deaths related to fentanyl misuse is rising each year. The figures don’t offer a complete picture of the issue, but are indicative of a worrying trend; the NCIS report shows that at least 26 deaths in 2011 were associated with fentanyl, compared with 10 in 2008, and at least 32 deaths related to fentanyl are still under investigation with the coroner.
The majority of these deaths were registered as unintentional, and most occurred after the drug in the fentanyl patch was extracted and injected
“The numbers are still small, I guess that is the key issue,” Dr Batey says. “Now that people are more aware [doctors will] start asking more questions about whether [patients have] been using agents other than the standard opioids and we may get a more systematic collection of accurate data coming in.”
Australia’s growing opioid death toll
In the meantime, prescription-related deaths are becoming more prevalent in rural and regional towns, according to drug workers who spoke with The Global Mail. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the misuse of prescription drugs is more frequent in these areas because access to illicit drugs such as heroin and cocaine is limited.»

 

[Crankinit]

Was surprised to find out the other day that our annual opioid overdoses are reaching late 1990's pre-heroin drought levels. Can only hope that our government eventually catch on and implement better maintenance programs with a look towards legalization, but in the meantime we're probably looking at more and more people dying while the government keep arresting people and restricting medicine distribution then being all surprised when it doesn't have any effect

 

[Doctor_Ew420]

In Canada it is for sure that Fent has really gained some ground. it is just surprising to me that people choose to inject. I am pretty sure the drug needs to be extracted from the patch with an acid such as vinegar or lemon juice. I have been told that this injection is incredibly painful and needs to be repeated dozens of times in an evening.

I am not using opiates anymore, but when I did, smoking fentanyl was the way to go. It hit as hard, it lasted as long and was obviously easier to control and safer than injection. Everyone knows that smoke will hit you faster than an IV injection anyway! Why inject!?

Smoking fentanyl is just so goddamn easy. Stick to foil, run lighter underneath until plastic from patch crumples into a little ball. You will then see your print of fentanyl/adhesive on the foil. Pull off the little plastic bit and discard. Smoke fent stamp the same you would smoke anything off foil. Simple, not painful and almost definitely safer.

 

[opi8]

Everyone knows that smoke will hit you faster than an IV injection anyway! Why inject!?

I'm not so sure about that one. It sounds like you may be misinformed there, possibly for the better though.

It is true that the PH needs to be changed before you can inject the patches. I hear citric acid, easily available as a cooking/flavouring agent is a much safer alternative to lemon juice, and probably better for you than vinegar but I'm no doctor.

I agree that the very short half-life makes this a poor choice for maintaining an opiate habit. However, beggars can't be choosers. If opiod addicts had access to safer alternatives, such as unadulterated heroin or morphine, I am sure they would choose to use them.

 

[Crankinit]

I'm not so sure about that one. It sounds like you may be misinformed there, possibly for the better though.

Yes and no. Technically, a molecule absorbed by the lungs reached the brain faster than one injected into the bloodsteam, but because smoking is generally a more drawn out process (you can't inhale a big hit all at once, and sometimes you have to take a break between tokes) it still tends to provide less of a rush than IV use (where you can press the plunger down quickly and the drugs will slam into effect all at once). It's also usually somewhat wasteful unless you have perfect technique, especially if you're using foil. In terms of BA, I think smoking is usually only slightly behind IV.

 

[Doctor_Ew420]

Well I guess I should be more clear. Smoking fentanyl is certainly faster and comes with a bigger rush than IV. Ask people who have done both. I haven't but a lot of the people I knew said that smoking FENTANYL is the faster and more efficient way. It is a tiny amount of smoke, within 5 seconds of it being in my lungs I start nodding. I have seen people pull out the needle and clean up before it hit them. I do not know about heroin etc. But I am certainly right. Smoking fentanyl is certainly not a drawn out process, from flame to high as shit 5 seconds tops.

 

[Crankinit]

I have seen people pull out the needle and clean up before it hit them

They're doing it wrong then

I suppose the concentration of fentanyl would make a difference, it wouldn't be like meth etc. where you have to take large tokes.