The opioid epidemic is an American tragedy that is not slowing down. Rather, it is steam-rolling its way through every type of community in every state. In years gone by, opioid overdoses weren’t commonly discussed in places such as college campuses and the suburbs. It’s not that people weren’t dying from opioids, it’s that people were dying in lower-income areas. Drugs such as heroin weren’t commonplace in the common American suburb until prescription drug addiction began affecting people from all walks of life. Those who couldn’t afford their prescription opioid medication addiction any longer, often began using heroin.
Drug dealers and cartels have been cutting heroin with a synthetic opiate called fentanyl to cut down on costs and increase potency; they have also begun doing the same thing to cocaine and methamphetamine. Fentanyl is roughly 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine, and is showing up in cocaine batches across the country. In 2016, over 4,000 people in Ohio died from drug overdoses; roughly 1,000 of those were overdoses from cocaine mixed with fentanyl. That means 1 in every 4 overdose deaths is cocaine and fentanyl-related.
Since cocaine is largely considered a party or social drug, most users have no idea of the risks involved with its use. The conversation about fentanyl is mostly centered on heroin addiction; it isn’t talked about in conjunction with cocaine. People generally know that using any type of illicit substance carries a certain level of risk, but in 2018, that level of risk is through the roof. For fentanyl, the equivalent of a few grains of salt is enough to kill a human being. Anyone buying any amount of cocaine would be clueless as to the potential overdose waiting in the small plastic bag. Roughly 11,000 people died in 2017 from cocaine overdoses, up from 6,700 in 2015. It would be a fairly safe assumption to surmise that most of them had no idea what they were putting up their nose or on their gums. Awareness is a critical part of starting to save lives. If you are currently abusing cocaine, the time is now to call for help and learn how to live a life that inspires you to leave cocaine behind.
If you are battling addiction, call The Lakehouse Recovery Center. Don’t become a statistic, become a success story. You are worth recovery. Give us a call, we are available 24/7, toll-free at (877) 762-3707. You are not alone in this. Your life can change, and you can recover. Call us today.