09/26/2022
As board-certified psychiatrist and addiction medicine physician, I’d like to take a quick moment to counter the rampant misinformation in both news media and on social media, and even misinformation coming from the DEA, regarding “rainbow” (dyed) fentanyl. The propaganda being spread is more of the same from the “war on drugs” contingency, a failed policy plan that is causing significant harm. This is blatantly irresponsible for news outlets and government agencies to spread such false information, which merely spreads panic and consequently impacts the development of evidence based drug policies and may prevent someone from rendering aid to someone who may have overdosed.
So, here’s some actual info:
- No one, and I mean absolutely no one, is trying to sell rainbow fentanyl to your elementary school child. That’s just bad business - these kids don’t have money, certainly not enough to sustain an opioid addiction, and killing your future potential customer isn’t a wise strategy. Similarly, no one is handing it out for halloween, either. Just like ”there’s no such thing as free lunch,” there is also “no such thing as free drugs.”
- Colored drugs actually make drug use safer, meaning people who use can survive and ultimately can receive treatment in the future when it is either available and/or they choose to access care. How does it make it safer, you might ask. Well, fentanyl is a potent opioid, and both drug dealers and those who use drugs don’t want to confuse one white substance for another (say fentanyl for m**hamphetamine). It’s a great way to differentiate drugs. Similarly, blatantly fake (I.e. not pharmaceutical grade oxycodone) or colored pills provide another way to easily identify what someone is purchasing. The reality is the drug dealers and manufacturers are keeping their consumers safe (again, good business practice), and are doing more than the DEA to keep those who use drugs safe.
- And, if you haven’t heard me say it before, you cannot and will not overdose by passively touching fentanyl, and you’ll never be in a situation wherein there is adequate amounts to overdose from aerosolized fentanyl. So, don’t let these false narratives prevent you from providing narcan to someone who may have overdosed on fentanyl or another opioid.
- Please, make sure you carry a narcan kit. You can save a life and give someone another chance at life. These are available for free in many communities.
- If you use, please use harm reduction strategies:
— use fentanyl test strips (even for m**h);
— don’t use alone if possible and don’t lock your door as it impairs rescue;
— use clean needles AND equipment (ties, spoons, sets, points);
— use a new set each time you inject or at a minimum bleach your set
— clean your skin with an alcohol wipe before injecting
— dispose of needles safely like at a needle exchange or in a biohazard container;
— prepare drugs on a clean surface and if needed use sterile water (boiling works);
— use PReP for HIV prevention;
— get tested for HIV and HCV regularly.
- I am happy to connect you to resources if you need help with any of the above or want information about low barrier treatment.
