Cocaine deaths are rising fast. Main reason is concurrent use with synthetic opioids like #Fentanyl . Speedballs remain popular even as fentanyl 'adulterated' heroin increasingly is fentanyl 'substituted' heroin.
@DanCiccarone@tino_fuentes123@onit4you The Opioid Crisis Is Turning Into A Cocaine Crisis. Here’s How. https://buzzfeed.com/scottpham/cocaine-fentanyl-opioid-overdoses?utm_term=.kaR5W9kqQ… via @buzzfeed
I think that's something that's been left out of the conversation. We're so quick to say that dealers are trying to hook custies that we don't mention the obvious.
Death rate is rising - no doubt at all. What's missing is that with few exceptions no one has analyzed sample data. Here in Philly for instance DEA suspected it is actually dope purposely adulterated w/coke that's causing increase in concurrent deaths. That's not ->
-> showing up in my own testing ... As recently as 2016 the Denise P at NY DOH told me ALL their intel on coke/fent deaths was post mortem tox. I have a few thoughts on what's happening but alas more work to do. Dan, all in all you did a great analysis of limited data. Good work
The gov't is still counting 'bodies as they lie' and inferring what is happening on the street based on what they find in the deceased. A real public health approach would look at the drugs and the poisons in them. "Test the lettuce!"