In Pawtucket, Rhode Island, a man known as J.R. demonstrated how he tries to avoid overdosing on crack cocaine while sitting near a storefront offering “free” cell phones. He tested his cocaine supply with a lighter to check for the presence of fentanyl, a potent opioid often mixed with drugs, and relied on the smell to determine safety. However, experts warn that this method is unreliable and dangerous. The opioid epidemic has evolved with a new wave of stimulants mixed with fentanyl, leading to a high risk of overdose. Harm reduction strategies, such as fentanyl test strips, are being promoted to address this growing crisis.
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Stimulant Users Are Caught in Fatal ‘Fourth Wave’ of Opioid Epidemic
