Here's the article, maybe a mod can move this whole thread to the link I posted in the 2nd post if they feel like it, as it's all about fentanyl and recreational use.
Drug workers demand education campaign amid Fentanyl deaths
Drug and alcohol workers are calling for an education campaign in rural Australia warning about the dangers of the painkiller Fentanyl after a series of deaths.
In the past three months at least three people have died after overdosing on Fentanyl in country towns throughout western New South Wales.
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) says that only a national opiate script tracking system will stop drug users from doctor shopping to get hold of the drug.
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opiode used to treat chronic pain, usually prescribed as a patch for a slow release.
Drug users are known to boil the patches and extract opiates using household chemicals, making a powerful solution that can be injected for an intense hit.
A former drug user living in the central western New South Wales town of Dubbo, who wished to remain anonymous, has told Lateline that Fentanyl deaths are on the rise.
"I know people who have died in Dubbo, Narromine," she said.
"There has been people die in Warren, Bourke, I have known plenty of people who have overdosed in country towns around here."
"I know of four or five if not more over the past year or so... I have a cousin who passed away, I've lost a couple of close friends from Dubbo."
Fentanyl is 100 times more powerful than morphine and far stronger than other pharmaceutical opiate popular with drug users, including oxycontin.
What is Fentanyl?
A commonly used synthetic opioid analgesic
Usually used to treat chronic pain in slow-release patch form
Fentanyl is 100 times more powerful than morphine and stronger than oxycontin
Only available in Australia with a doctor's prescription
Drug users say overdose deaths are taking place when they switch from oxycontin to Fentanyl.
"The ambulance driver was ready to give up on me and gave me one more shot with the Narcan and if he didn't do that I would have been gone," the former drug user said.
"I should have been gone a number of times."
Doctor Deborah Zador, an addiction specialist who regularly visits Dubbo and supervises drug treatment programs throughout the region, says Fentanyl deaths are increasing.
"In the Dubbo area in the past two, three months, anecdotally, we are aware of two or three Fentanyl-related drug deaths," Dr Zador said.
"Unfortunately none of those individuals were in treatment with us, possibly, if they were in treatment we may have been able to help them."
Doctors, former addicts demand action to address Fentanyl use
The former drug user from Dubbo says Fentanyl is being obtained by doctor shopping, both by addicts and others who make prescriptions available to them.
"You have just got to tell the doctor it is for back pain. That's what I used to do," he said.
"After a while you get to pick the doctors surgeries that will write it.
"Most drug users all talk and find out which doctors surgeries do it and which doctor surgeries don't. In country towns I have had six doctors at one stage."
Dr Zador says most doctors in country towns are aware of doctor shopping, but Fentanyl is still being made available to drug addicts.
"Most doctors do their best with patients who have pain," she said.
"Most patients handle their medications responsibly but there is always a small number of doctors and a small number of patients who will fall through the cracks and a lot of this problem can be brought by a even just a small number of prescribers."
Most patients handle their medications responsibly but there is always a small number of doctors and a small number of patients who will fall through the cracks and a lot of this problem can be brought by a even just a small number of prescribers
- Dr Deborah Zador
AMA president Dr Steve Hambleton wants a nationwide opiod script tracking system like the one currently operating in Tasmania, which tracks patients who are doctor shopping for opiod scripts.
"This is the system we have been asking for some time because we do need to help make our prescribers make the right decision," he said.
"If someone before them that they don't know is asking for this product, then we are suspicious that this is not legitimate.
"If we had a system where we could check that, it would make it a lot easier for the doctors and the pharmacists.
"Tasmania does have it... we need to see that rolled out right across the country."
Drug users in Dubbo say that most people who are injecting Fentanyl do not understand the risks they are taking and an education campaign is needed.
"You see pamphlets on marijuana and all other drugs but there are no pamphlets to educate anyone about Fentanyl," the former drug user said.
Dr Zador backed the spread of information about the risks of illegitimate Fentanyl use.
"We need to do more awareness programs around Fentanyl and to warn people how much lethal this drug can be if taken by people who are not used to it," Dr Zador said.
Topics: drug-use, drug-education, drugs-and-substance-abuse, dubbo-2830, nsw, australia
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-...ucation-campaign-amid-fentanyl-deaths/4851748
