A wave of homemade, synthetic drugs sweeps US and deepens crisis
Summary
There is a rise in dangerous synthetic drugs being made in the U.S., especially in places like Columbus, Ohio. These drugs, like fentanyl mixed with animal tranquilizers, are more powerful and harder to treat in overdoses. Recovery groups are working to help people affected by this crisis.Key Facts
- Fentanyl is a man-made opioid 50 to 100 times stronger than heroin.
- Synthetic drugs are often mixed with animal tranquilizers such as xylazine and medetomidine.
- These tranquilizers make overdoses harder to reverse because the usual antidote, naloxone (Narcan), does not work on them.
- Xylazine can cause severe skin wounds that are hard to heal.
- Overdose deaths peaked at 110,000 in 2022 but have decreased to about 70,000 recently.
- People using these drugs often face long-term health problems and addiction.
- Recovery groups like Hope Dealer Community provide support and share stories to help survivors of drug addiction.
- Naloxone is widely used and has saved many lives from opioid overdoses.
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