Philadelphia’s street opioid supply – or “dope” market – is constantly changing. As health care workers and researchers who care for people who use drugs in our community, we have…
Tag: Fentanyl
Fewer deaths, new substances and evolving treatments in Philly’s opioid epidemic − 4 essential reads
In Philadelphia, fatal overdoses are the No. 3 cause of death after heart disease and cancer. That’s been the case each year since 2016, except in 2020 and 2021 when…
Philly’s street fentanyl contains an industrial chemical called BTMPS that’s an ingredient in plastic
As much as half of the fentanyl sold on Philly’s streets contains an industrial chemical used in plastics manufacturing. That’s according to our November 2024 testing of fentanyl samples collected…
How opioid deaths tripled in Philly over a decade − and what may be behind a recent downturn
After nearly a decade of almost year-over-year increases in overdose deaths, the tide may finally be turning in Philadelphia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced in May 2024…
Philly hospitals test new strategy for ‘tranq dope’ withdrawal – and it keeps patients from walking out before their treatment is done
Unimaginable pain and restlessness. Vomiting so frequent and forceful that it can perforate the esophagus. Blood pressure and heart rate so high that they damage the heart. Sweating that drenches…
DEA could reclassify marijuana to a less restrictive category – a drug policy expert weighs the pros and cons
The Drug Enforcement Administration announced in early 2024 that it would act on President Joe Biden’s call to reclassify marijuana, moving it from the tightly controlled Schedule I category that…
Xylazine wounds are a growing crisis among drug users in Philly − a nurse explains potential causes and proper treatment
Warning: This article contains graphic images. Xylazine or “tranq” wounds – characterized by deep pockets of dead tissue – have become increasingly visible in Philadelphia among people who use drugs.…
New research suggests estrogen and progesterone could play role in opioid addiction and relapse
As opioid overdose deaths in the U.S. rose dramatically from 2014 to today, both Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Camden, New Jersey, cemented reputations as hotspots of the crisis. In Philadelphia, over…
Nitazenes found in 5 overdose deaths in Philly – here’s what they are and why they’re so deadly
The Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office found that nitazenes, a synthetic opioid up to 40 times more powerful than fentanyl, were connected to at least five overdose deaths in Philadelphia in…
Nitazenes are a powerful class of street drugs emerging across the US
Two deaths in Boulder County, Colorado, in 2023 are the latest in the U.S. to be blamed on the powerful class of synthetic opioids called nitazenes. Most health systems cannot…
