Keeping safe from illicit drugs

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the death rate by illicit drugs in BC has reached an all-time high. A nationwide epidemic, the opioid crisis in Canada has been considered a public health emergency since 2016.

The most common drugs implicated in illicit drug-related deaths are fentanyl and its analogues (such as acetylfentanyl and carfentanil). What makes fentanyl so dangerous is that it’s sneaky. Since it is a powerful and inexpensive opioid, some drug dealers will add fentanyl to other drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and MDMA to produce a stronger high for a lower price. As fentanyl can be lethal at much smaller doses than other opioids, these additions can lead to overdose. Cocaine, methamphetamine, codeine and oxycodone are other potentially deadly illicit drugs.

YOUR BRAIN ON DRUGS: BETTER THAN A D.A.R.E VISIT When you take an illicit substance, the real action happens in your brain. Here, the drug binds to receptors that trigger the release of endorphins which make you feel high. Dopamine is also released; this compound is thought to play a role in drug craving and is implicated in addiction. The “brain disease model” of addiction has received increased support in recent years and considers how drug-induced altered brain chemistry can promote addictive behaviours.

Understanding how illicit substances interact with your body is essential in making informed decisions about illicit drugs. If you want to learn more, have a look at the research groups at UBC who study addiction, as well as Vancouver Coastal Health and HealthLink BC. Another option is to take the course PSYC 207, which is all about your brain on drugs. BEING SAFE IN A CRISIS To reduce the risk of consuming drugs that contain dangerous additives like fentanyl, Vancouver Coastal Health offers drug-checking services to screen substances. Individuals can get their drugs tested at overdose prevention and supervised consumption sites or a Get Your Drugs Tested facility. These drug testings are completely free, anonymous and the facilities are open seven days a week. Vancouver Coastal Health also distributes take-home fentanyl testing strips for at-home screening.

When someone takes too much of a drug, it can reach a threshold in the body that is toxic enough to override normal functioning. This process, known as an overdose, can be deadly. Symptoms of an opioid overdose include slow heartbeat, trouble breathing, a clammy complexion and extreme sleepiness. If someone shows symptoms of an overdose, naloxone kits are a literal life-saver. You can find naloxone kits at most pharmacies, in wall-mounted cabinets by the front desk of Student Housing Services and at UBC Student Health Services. To learn how to use a naloxone kit, you can take advantage of the Take Home Naloxone training online.

There are some behaviours that can increase the risk of an overdose. Using alone has been associated with increased illicit drug-related deaths during the pandemic. It is recommended that those looking to use illicit drugs do so with company, while being considerate of social-distancing practices. If using opioids, it is particularly important to take steps to avoid becoming sick with COVID-19; research has speculated that those who regularly use opioids may be worse off in the event of infection with the novel coronavirus. U