A higher dose version of naloxone, the nasal spray used to reverse opioid-induced overdoses, did not lead to more saved lives, according to a new study published earlier this month.

The findings, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, indicated that “no significant differences were found in the survival of aided persons” in the new eight-milligram naloxone.

According to the study, there were likewise no significant differences in “the number of doses administered by law enforcement by formulation, suggesting that, in this field test, the increased dosage did not provide added benefit, even in light of the increased prevalence of synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, in the drug supply.”

“Other studies have also found that [the] number of naloxone doses administered in response to overdose has not changed over time, even with 4-mg and other lower-potency formulations,” the study said. 

“In this study, persons who received the 8-mg product were more than twice as likely to experience postnaloxone opioid withdrawal signs and symptoms including vomiting, compared with those who received the 4-mg intranasal naloxone product. When vomiting was analyzed as an isolated sign, no significant differences between formulations were found. However, the high prevalence of vomiting as an isolated sign in both groups is concerning because of the risk of aspiration in sedated persons.”

Dr. Michael Dailey, one of the authors of the study, told the Associated Press that what “was really remarkable was the survival was the same, but the amount of withdrawal symptoms was significantly larger in the people that got the 8-milligram dose.”

The study was conducted between March 2022–August 2023, when the  “New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) supplied some New York State Police (NYSP) troops with 8-mg intranasal naloxone” and “other troops continued to receive 4-mg intranasal naloxone to treat suspected opioid overdose,” the authors explained in the study’s abstract. 

“NYSP submitted detailed reports to NYSDOH when naloxone was administered. No significant differences were observed in survival, mean number of naloxone doses administered, prevalence of most postnaloxone signs and symptoms, postnaloxone anger or combativeness, or hospital transport refusal among 4-mg and 8-mg intranasal naloxone recipients; however, persons who received the 8-mg intranasal naloxone product had 2.51 times the risk for opioid withdrawal signs and symptoms, including vomiting, than did those who received the 4-mg intranasal naloxone product (95% CI = 1.51–4.18),” they explained. 

“This initial study suggests no benefits to law enforcement administration of higher-dose naloxone were identified; more research is needed to guide public health agencies in considering whether 8-mg intranasal naloxone confers additional benefits for community organizations.”

The authors noted that although the 8-mg naloxone was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use in 2021, “no real-world data on use of the 8-mg product are available.”

“Harm reduction advocates and medical professionals have noted potential harms of higher-dose naloxone, including severe withdrawal signs and symptoms, which can result in refusal of medical care, rapid reuse of opioids, reluctance to use naloxone if witnessing an overdose, and respiratory complications, including pulmonary edema and consequences of aspiration of vomitus,” they said. 

“To evaluate this potential risk, in 2022, NYSDOH partnered with NYSP to field test 8-mg intranasal naloxone use by some NYSP troops. The aims of the study were to conduct real-world comparisons of survival, the average number of doses administered, presence of postnaloxone signs and symptoms, and hospital transport refusal among persons receiving the 8-mg or the 4-mg intranasal naloxone products.”

According to the Associated Press, “Dailey said the study did not lead him to endorse one product over another,” but he added that it is “important for us to recognize that the potential for increased side effects is real.”

The authors of the study also pointed out that their research was “subject to at least four limitations.” 

“First, responding law enforcement personnel are not medical providers, and inconsistencies in their classification of postnaloxone symptoms or behaviors might have occurred. However, NYSP personnel have been reporting using a similar form for several years and are experienced in assessing symptoms and behaviors. Second, the number of 8-mg intranasal naloxone administration reports included was limited because only three of 11 NYSP troops received this formulation. With an increased sample size, additional differences in outcomes between groups might have been observed,” they explained. “Third, no information could be compared about differences between groups on the type or dose of substance used before suspected overdose, vital signs, or demographics. Finally, because the data were gathered from New York State only, the opioid potency might not reflect that in other areas.”

Although the “study suggests that there are no benefits to law enforcement administration of higher-dose naloxone,” the authors said that “additional data are needed to guide public health agencies in considering whether the 8-mg intranasal naloxone product provides benefits compared with the usual 4-mg intranasal naloxone product among community organizations, including law enforcement, given the lack of difference in survival rates or number of naloxone doses administered and the increased prevalence of opioid withdrawal signs and symptoms, including vomiting, in 8-mg recipients, when compared with recipients of 4-mg intranasal naloxone.”

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More Americans are overdosing and dying by smoking illegal drugs as opposed to injecting them.

Of the 109,000 recorded overdose deaths which occurred in 2022, almost 70 percent involved fentanyl and a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that fentanyl users are beginning to favor smoking as their preferred method of ingestion, surpassing those who favor injection. 

“From January–June 2020 to July–December 2022, the percentage of overdose deaths with evidence of smoking increased 73.7%, and the percentage with evidence of injection decreased 29.1%; similar changes were observed in all U.S. regions. Changes were most pronounced in deaths with [illegally manufactured fentanyls] detected, with or without stimulant detection,” the CDC study said.

The study was performed using CDC data taken from death certificates, postmortem toxicology testing, and medical examiner or coroner reports over 28 different police jurisdictions. This collection of data showed that as fentanyl has infiltrated the American drug supply, opiate users have made a distinct and notable transition from primarily injecting heroin to primarily smoking fentanyl. The method of ingestion was determined using information from police investigations, witness reports, and autopsy data.

This data collected from the CDC revealed notable trends. From January 2020 to December 2022, the 28 jurisdictions surveyed recorded 139,740 overdose deaths. Deaths increased 20.2%, from January–June 2020 to July–December 2022 with 21,046 deaths and 25,301 deaths respectively recorded. Deaths involving fentanyl increased by 8.4% over the same time periods from 71.4% to 77.4%. 

The kicker here is overdose deaths with evidence that the user smoked fentanyl increased 109.1% when comparing the two time periods with 2,794 deaths recorded in the first half of 2020 and 5,843 in the second half of 2022. Overdose deaths with evidence of fentanyl injection decreased by 14.6% with 4,780 recorded in the first half of 2020 and 4,080 in the second half of 2022.

“The leading route of use in drug overdose deaths changed from injection during January–June 2020 (22.7% of deaths) compared with ingestion (15.2%), snorting (13.6%), and smoking (13.3%) to smoking during July–December 2022 (23.1% of deaths) compared with snorting (16.2%), injection (16.1%), and ingestion (14.5%),” the CDC study said. “During July–December 2022, most deaths with evidence of smoking (79.7%), snorting (84.5%), or ingestion (86.5%) had no evidence of injection; among deaths with information on route of use, 81.9% had evidence of a noninjection route.”

Contrary to what most current or former drug users may believe from anecdotal data, smoking actually presents a greater addiction potential than injection for most drugs because of the way smoking delivers psychoactive compounds to the bloodstream and subsequently the brain. As such, it can also make it easier to overdose when smoking. As the following language from the University of Utah illustrates, the faster psychoactive compounds make it to the brain the more addictive they are and smoking is the fastest known method of ingestion.

“The fastest way to get a drug to the brain is by smoking it. When a drug like tobacco smoke is taken into the lungs, nicotine (the addictive chemical in tobacco) seeps into lung blood where it can quickly travel to the brain. This fast delivery is one reason smoking cigarettes is so addicting,” the University of Utah said.

The same information from the University of Utah went on to explain that injection is the second fastest way of delivering drugs to the brain, which could at least partially explain why fentanyl users have largely transitioned to smoking in lieu of injecting.

“Injecting a drug directly into a blood vessel is the second fastest way to get a drug to the brain, followed by snorting or sniffing it through the nose. A slow mode of delivery is ingestion, such as drinking alcohol. The effects of alcohol take many minutes rather than a few seconds to cause behavioral and biological changes in the brain,” the University of Utah said.

The CDC said that while injection poses many potential risks in terms of complications from improper injection techniques, infectious disease transmission from dirty needles etc, smoking fentanyl may present an increased risk for overdose. They stressed the nationwide need for education and harm reduction programs to help curb the dramatic increase in overdose deaths America has seen since fentanyl reared its ugly head. 

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A particular strain of cannabis flower literally named “Grim Reefer” has been recalled from Arizona dispensaries due to potential mold contamination. 

The Arizona Department of Health Services issued a recall Monday for certain cannabis products that may have been contaminated with aspergillus mold.

“An Arizona marijuana establishment has voluntarily recalled specific products due to possible contamination with Aspergillus, a fungus that can cause allergic reactions or infection, usually in people already sick with something else,” said a written press release from the ADHS. “The products being voluntarily recalled is the Nirvana Center’s Grim Reefer, Batch number PHX1091-GR.”

The ADHS said that the cause of the possible contamination was due to laboratory testing that did not follow state guidelines, though the press release did not say exactly how the labs were skirting guidelines, only that whatever was being done elicited the possibility of false negative results for certain contaminants. 

“ADHS Laboratory auditors discovered discrepancies during a routine inspection, potentially leading to false negative results for contaminants being reported,” the press release said. “Once ADHS discovered the potential contamination, they contacted the facility that produced the products. The licensee took immediate action to work with all distribution and retail partners to remove any potentially impacted products from store shelves.”

There has not yet been any issues reported with people who have consumed the Grim Reefer, nor with any of the other cannabis product recalls from aspergillus in Arizona. The Nirvana Center voluntarily recalled all the potentially contaminated products, presumably before they could make anybody sick. 

“To date, no illnesses have been reported. This announcement is being made out of an abundance of caution,” the press release said. “Patients who have purchased potentially contaminated products should not ingest, inhale, or otherwise consume them and should dispose of them. If you have already consumed any of the products and have any of the symptoms described below, please contact your healthcare provider or seek care in the event of an emergency.”

According to the Center for Disease Control, aspergillus is a type of fungus with over 180 known species, about 40 of which have been known to cause unpleasant or harmful reactions in humans. Aspergillus fumigatus is the most common “strain,” if you will, of the fungus. People with healthy immune systems typically don’t experience a reaction to aspergillus, but people with weakened immune systems have been known to have reactions to it in the form of ailments like lung or sinus infections which can spread to the rest of the body. 

Most people breathe aspergillus every day without getting sick, but in those it does affect the fungus can cause an illness known as aspergillosis. Most of the symptoms of aspergillosis can be likened to a combination of asthma and allergy attacks, according to the CDC. 

Aspergillus recalls in cannabis products have actually been happening with some form of regularity as more states legalize and enact different standards of lab testing. In Oregon, for instance, there was a big problem with products testing positive for aspergillus beyond the allowed levels but the laws ended up getting repealed and recalled products were eventually sold after local cannabis farmers appealed to the state legislature that some level of aspergillus is near-impossible to avoid when growing cannabis. 

“The industry was concerned that that was not a workable standard that could be met, particularly for growers who are growing directly in soil,” said attorney Kevin Jacoby to KLCC. Jacoby represented the Cannabis Industry Alliance of Oregon in a legal challenge to the state’s aspergillus laws with regard to cannabis. 

Oregon’s change of heart has not stopped the ADHS from recalling the Grim Reefer, however. Nor has it stopped the state health authority from recalling nine other batches of potentially contaminated cannabis just this year. Almost all the batches recalled were due to possible aspergillus contamination, though some were for salmonella as well. Several of the past incidents of aspergillus contamination also cited poor lab etiquette or improperly reported lab results. 

Interestingly enough, two of those product recalls were ultimately – recalled – because there’s a law in Arizona with regard to cannabis testing facilities that if a product fails testing it can be sent to a second lab. If it passes testing at the second lab, the product is sent to a third lab and the third lab’s result is the final one. Three of the ten batches recalled in 2023 for aspergillus in Arizona met this standard, had their recalls lifted, and were ultimately sold to the general public. 

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 240,000 women and 2,100 men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. Of that number, an estimated 42,000 women and 500 men lose their lives to the disease.

There are many factors that contribute to a person’s diagnosis, including older age, genetic mutations, or having a family history of breast cancer. In order to treat the condition, patients can undergo surgery, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, and more, but it depends on the type of treatment and the stage of cancer.

Like with other cancers, people with breast cancer have often found relief from their symptoms by using cannabis. So as Breast Cancer Awareness Month kicks off, we’re bringing attention to the fact that cannabis can help.

There are many organizations that are helping people get through their breast cancer diagnoses and treatment. While cannabis in itself is not a treatment for the disease, it has been known to help many patients manage their symptoms.

According to Breastcancer.org, a survey they collected showed that 42% of people diagnosed with breast cancer were using medical cannabis to treat the side effects of their treatments. Most participants ranged in age, cancer stages, and treatment phases, and 75% of them said it was “very” or “extremely” helpful.

Cannabis Helping Patients

To help support breast cancer patients, there are many worthwhile organizations to donate money to the cause. Additionally, each year many cannabis businesses are partnering up with these organizations to support these patients and research efforts.

In August, Mint Cannabis in Tempe, Arizona partnered with Check for a Lump to offer free mammograms to locals. During the pandemic, many cancer screenings were canceled and delayed, which caused more than 80,000 people to miss their cancer diagnoses. 

This year, Clovr Cannabis in Missouri recently began a “Bonbons for Boobies” campaign, featuring limited time pink raspberry caramel chocolates. “Satisfy your sweet tooth while making a difference! Benefits go toward Breast Cancer Patients and will be donated to @BraCoutureKC. Our Bonbons for Boobies are Raspberry Caramel in White Chocolate and here to spread love and support during #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth!” the brand wrote on social media.

Verano is a multi-state operator spread across Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. On Sept. 29, the company announced the launch of its 3rd annual breast cancer support campaign as well, which benefits the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation. Throughout the entire month of October, the company will hold numerous fundraising opportunities to collect funds for patients. “As one of the leading organizations in its field, Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation conducts critical research, education and prevention, and we’re thrilled to offer our support for a third year in a row,” Verano Founder and Chief Executive Officer, George Archos, said. “We are proud to once again demonstrate the power of the cannabis community as a catalyst for positive change by uniting our team, patients and customers together to continue the fight against breast cancer throughout October and beyond.”

Tilt Holdings, which owns the Jupiter vape brand, also announced its partnership with the PA Breast Cancer Coalition for the month of October. Its subsidiary, Standard Farms, is offering a $5 donation for every Jupiter Pink Ceramic Mouth Tip  cartridge sold. “Patient-centered care is paramount at Standard Farms,” said TILT CEO Tim Conder. “We know so many medical cannabis patients bravely battling this disease with the support of their families, friends and communities, and we are proud to be part of a larger support network in the state by helping to raise money for PA Breast Cancer Coalition.”

The Florida-based CBD company, Sunmed, also announced a partnership with the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. (NBCF). They’ve pledged to donate 3% of online product sales between Oct. 1-31 to NBCF, which will be used for early detection services, education, and support. They are also donating $1 for specific products purchased in-store as well. “We are incredibly proud to stand alongside the National Breast Cancer Foundation in the fight against breast cancer,” said Sunmed CEO Marcus Quinn. “This partnership represents a milestone for not only Sunmed but the entire CBD industry. By combining our community resources, expertise, and passion, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of those affected by breast cancer.”

The respected Rhode Island-based cultivator and solventless extraction artist CMS Gardens just announced a “Doobies For Boobies” campaign in partnership with Advanced Nutrients and Hangar 420. This month, they will be donating a percentage of proceeds to the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation, a nonprofit that provides free programs and support services to breast cancer patients, survivors and their families.

These are just a few companies making moves to help patients, but there are many more who will announce their promotions and partnerships with other breast cancer organizations as the month progresses.

It’s All About the Evidence

Breastcancer.org founder and chief medical officer, Marisa C. Weiss, spoke about how cannabis works for patients back in a 2020 interview with Healio. “People who receive cancer treatment, especially people with breast cancer, end up going through a variety of treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapies and estrogen therapies, which can all go on for years,” Weiss said, noting that common symptoms include pain, anxiety, insomnia, nausea, and vomiting. 

“A common symptom people struggle with is peripheral neuropathy after chemotherapy,” Weiss explained. “In some patients, the pain and discomfort from this means they can’t even wear a regular shoe or stand on their feet for extended periods of time. Or, for those whose hands were affected, they cannot button a shirt or open a jar of peanut butter to make sandwiches for their kid’s lunch. The throbbing ‘pins and needles’ pain make each day a struggle and can also wake people up in the night.”

Weiss mentioned a relative study that was ongoing at the time, but results were published in October 2021. It found that many people were using cannabis to treat breast cancer specifically, but many participants did not feel comfortable telling their doctor about their cannabis consumption.

In May this year, researchers published a study in the journal BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care that showed evidence of pain reduction in patients of genitourinary, breast, and bowel cancer.

Research on the benefits of medical cannabis use during breast cancer treatments has continued to increase. Just recently on Sept. 27, researchers at the UF Health Center and University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center received a five-year, $3.2 million U01 award from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to study medical cannabis benefits and harms.

According to Dejana Braithwaite, associate director for cancer population sciences at the UF Health Cancer Center, this could lead to a better understanding of patient’s use of medical cannabis. “As many as 40% of U.S. cancer patients use medical marijuana to manage cancer-related symptoms, yet we know very little about its effects during and after cancer treatments,” Braithwaite said. “This innovative study is an ambitious effort to provide answers to pressing questions about medical marijuana and cancer. It will help doctors address questions about the effects of medical marijuana among cancer patients of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, as well as shed light on the benefits and harms of medical marijuana.”

The research team will analyze 600 breast cancer patients before and after their treatment, and hypothesize that medical cannabis can help patients “by targeting and modulating the inflammasome/inflammatory pathway.”

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Brightly colored fentanyl pressed into pills or in a chalky form—called rainbow fentanyl—was found in 18 states, a press release from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) warns, and drug dealers getting “kids and young adults” hooked early on.

It was only a matter of time until fentanyl and other deadly drugs were marketed the way designer drugs are, as colorfully branded pills and in other forms.

“Rainbow fentanyl—fentanyl pills and powder that come in a variety of bright colors, shapes, and sizes—is a deliberate effort by drug traffickers to drive addiction amongst kids and young adults,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “The men and women of the DEA are relentlessly working to stop the trafficking of rainbow fentanyl and defeat the Mexican drug cartels that are responsible for the vast majority of the fentanyl that is being trafficked in the United States.”

While even the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) admits there has never been a fatal overdose recorded from cannabis alone—fentanyl is a completely different story, as it has a knack for stopping breathing.

There’s no other way to look at what’s happening in the United States with opioids as anything other than an epidemic. In fact, according to NIDA’s data, deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone—primarily fentanyl—continued their steady death march with 56,516 overdose deaths reported in 2020.

That number, 56,526 deaths, is in the ballpark of total U.S. military casualties during the Vietnam War recorded in the Defense Casualty Analysis System. Similarly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recorded 107,622 total drug overdoses in 2021, and say that the majority, or 66% of those deaths, are related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl. (The CDC also says an overdose from cannabis is “unlikely.”)

An overdose from accidentally taking a bit too much fentanyl, however, is likely. The DEA’s announcement reminds us that fentanyl is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. In other words, 2 mg of fentanyl, equal to 10-15 grains of table salt, can kill you. Obviously, street drugs don’t provide lab testing results—and the margin for error is as slim as 2 mg.

The opioid epidemic is a multifaceted problem, however. On the flip side of the opioid epidemic, there are also people with high-level pain who complain that they are denied opioids and falsely labeled addicts.

The DEA announcement blames cartels for the rise in rainbow fentanyl, explaining that the fentanyl available in the United States is primarily supplied by two criminal drug networks: the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

Uttam Dhillon, former acting administrator of the DEA, told Yahoo! News on September 1 that the Sinaloa cartel has ramped up pill production big time, and that DEA agents are now seizing millions of fentanyl pills in places such as Los Angeles.

“Even seeing just one lab in Mexico pressing pills was something unique that we were seeing. And this was only a few years ago,” Dhillon told Yahoo! News. “Now we’re seeing literally a million pills being seized in Los Angeles, for example, just a few months ago. So the growth has been massive.”

The DEA is fighting back with public awareness campaigns and FAQ sheets.

Launched in September 2021, the ”One Pill Can Kill” Public Awareness Campaign was launched by the DEA with a goal to educate Americans about the dangers of fake pills, which can be disguised as a less dangerous pill or in other ways. The DEA also provides more resources for parents that can be found on DEA’s Fentanyl Awareness page.

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The tainted drug supply in the United States continues to exact a grim toll as overdose deaths exceeded 107,000 in 2021, according to an estimate released on Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, said in a statement that the most recent overdose numbers are “truly staggering.”

The CDC estimate exceeds the previous record for the number of overdose deaths set in 2020 by 15% and represents the equivalent of a death caused by drug overdose in the United States approximately every five seconds. The new record continues a trend of an increasing number of overdose deaths that has plagued the nation for more than twenty years, largely fueled by the nationwide opioid epidemic.

Deaths Involving Synthetic Opioids Also Up

Last year, the number of overdose deaths involving fentanyl and other synthetic opioids surpassed 71,000, a 23% increase over 2020. Deaths involving cocaine also increased by 23%, while deaths involving methamphetamine and other stimulants rose by 34%.

Fentanyl is often used by illicit manufacturers in counterfeit prescription opioids, making the drugs’ dosage and risk of overdose uncertain. CDC officials also noted that other drugs are often cut with fentanyl by unscrupulous dealers, who often leave their customers unaware of the danger.

“The net effect is that we have many more people, including those who use drugs occasionally and even adolescents, exposed to these potent substances that can cause someone to overdose even with a relatively small exposure,” Volkow said, as quoted by the Los Angeles Times.

The nation’s epidemic of overdose deaths continued to rise last year as the coronavirus pandemic isolated those with drug problems and made effective substance misuse treatment and mental health services more difficult to access. Keith Humphreys, an addiction and drug policy researcher at Stanford University, believes that the deadly trend is likely to continue.

“2022 will probably be as horrible as 2021 was, quite possibly worse,” Humphreys told the Washington Post.

The rise in overdose deaths last year varied geographically. Alaska saw the biggest jump in deaths with an increase of 75%, while Hawaii saw a 2% reduction in deaths caused by drug overdoses.

Humphreys said that the United States is likely to see more than a million overdose deaths in the span of a decade without substantive public policy changes. He also noted that the rise of synthetic opioids such as fentanyl will also continue because they can be produced in a lab more easily than traditional plant-based drugs can be grown. The ramifications of the readily available drugs, which can easily be bought through social media apps and other online platforms, remain to be seen.

“There may not be much heroin around in 10 years because everything is fentanyl,” Humphreys said. “What do you do in a world where no one needs a farm anymore to make drugs?”

Harm Reduction Saves Lives

Humphreys said that a single solution will not be the answer to the nation’s epidemic of drug overdoses. But harm reduction measures including increasing access to the drug naloxone, which can reverse the effects of an overdose, can help reduce the death toll.

“I think of naloxone like I do fire extinguishers,” he said. “Generally, they sit on a wall and they’re not needed. But when there’s a fire, there’s nothing like a fire extinguisher.”

Drug policy advocates including Sheila Vakharia, deputy director of research and academic engagement at the Drug Policy Alliance, expressed dismay at Wednesday’s news from the CDC.

“It’s absolutely devastating and heartbreaking that we continue to remain in this position,” Vakharia told NPR. “We are over 20 years in this overdose crisis and there’s no sign of any kind of slowing down of deaths. If anything, things have only seemed to have gotten more dire.”

Last month, the Biden administration announced a plan to address the rising number of overdose deaths, which includes support for harm reduction methods including increased access to naloxone. The new funding is a positive sign from the federal government, according to Vakharia.

“Harm reduction has historically been incredibly underfunded and has been relegated to state and local funding or private funding to sustain itself,” she said.

Vakharia noted that much more can be done to increase harm reduction programs, including support for overdose prevention centers like the one that opened in New York City late last year. Despite the success of the centers internationally, there are only “two legally operating above-the-ground harm reduction overdose prevention centers in the country,” when they could be saving lives across the nation with more support.

“And so I think that all of our efforts moving forward can definitely be further enhanced, can be further amplified and further ramped up,” Vakharia added.

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Calm down. You’re not poisoned. You’re high. This is what happens when people can’t buy safe, regulated products.

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The agency used to be the USA’s global health leader. Then came Trump’s appointees and their deadly arrogance.

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