Yarrr! Avast ye! A study from the land of US reveals: ye be likelier to meet Davy Jones after smokin' drugs like fentanyl than injectin' 'em, mateys!
2024-02-15
Arr, me hearties! A fearsome epidemic be sweepin' the land o' the brave! A study from the government tells us that smokin' be now the most popular way to indulge in drugs, beatin' those scurvy injections. Avast! Times be changin' indeed!
A new government study suggests that smoking has become the most common way of taking drugs in overdose deaths in the United States. The study, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is the largest to examine how Americans take drugs that lead to fatal overdoses. The decision to study this topic came after reports from California indicated that smoking fentanyl had become more prevalent than injecting it. Illicit versions of the painkiller fentanyl are responsible for more overdose deaths in the US than any other drug.Early research suggests that smoking fentanyl may be somewhat less deadly than injecting it, but both methods still carry a significant overdose risk. It remains unclear whether the shift towards smoking fentanyl will reduce overdose deaths in the US. Fentanyl, a powerful drug that has been a primary driver of the US overdose epidemic, has traditionally been injected. However, drug users have increasingly turned to smoking it by placing the powder on tin foil or in a glass pipe and inhaling the vapor.
The CDC study analyzed a national database comprising death certificates, toxicology reports, and reports from coroners and medical examiners. The researchers found that between early 2020 and late 2022, the percentage of overdose deaths with evidence of smoking rose by 74% while the percentage of deaths with evidence of injection decreased by 29%. The study also found that the number and percentage of deaths with evidence of snorting drugs increased.
While the study has limitations, such as the difficulty of determining the exact method of drug use in some cases, it provides valuable insights into the changing drug-taking behaviors in overdose deaths in the US. Smoking fentanyl is seen by some drug users as a preferable alternative to injecting due to the absence of visible injection marks and the associated risk of infections. However, it is essential to continue monitoring these trends and their impact on overdose deaths.