Drug Abuse Issues Coalition C.C. TX

02/18/2023

Harm reduction approaches help reduce certain health and safety issues associated with drug use.1 As a model of substance use care distinct from treatment or recovery support,2 harm reduction was created by and for people who use drugs3 to improve health and wellbeing, including during active drug use. Well-studied harm reduction strategies include syringe services and naloxone distribution programs.

NIDA's mission is to advance science on the causes and consequences of drug use and addiction and to apply that knowledge to improve individual and public health. NIDA is one of the National Institutes of Health.

02/03/2023

New synthetic opioid complicates public health response to overdoses

A synthetic opioid up to 40 times more powerful than fentanyl is scrambling the public health response to the addiction crisis in a growing number of U.S. cities.

08/31/2022

https://www.dea.gov/press-releases/2022/08/30/federal-law-enforcement-officials-warn-rainbow-fentanyl-appearing-oregon fentanyl has appeared recently in several forms in cities across the country. A version seized recently in the Portland area resembles thick pieces of brightly-colored sidewalk chalk. Some versions seized elsewhere in pill or tablet form resemble candy.

“Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat we face today,” said DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Jacob D. Galvan from the Seattle Field Division. “It doesn’t matter what color, shape or form it comes in; just two milligrams of fentanyl – the equivalent of 10 to 15 grains of salt - is enough to kill someone. DEA’s Portland Office is seizing record amounts of fentanyl and we will continue this important work because we know American lives are at stake.”

08/19/2022

https://loom.ly/YRR3ELQ NIDA has resources available for parents and educators on drugs and their effect on the body. Find the latest science-based information about drug use, health, and the developing brain by visiting

Find science-based education materials and conversation starters to educate young people about drug use and health.

08/10/2022

Naloxone works to reverse opioid overdose in the body for only 30 to 90 minutes. But many opioids remain in the body longer than that. Because of this, it is possible for a person to still experience the effects of an overdose after a dose of naloxone wears off. Also, some opioids are stronger and might require multiple doses of naloxone. Therefore, one of the most important steps to take is to call 911 so the individual can receive immediate medical attention. NIDA is supporting research for stronger formulations for use with potent opioids like fentanyl.

Naloxone can quickly restore normal breathing to a person during an opioid overdose.

08/10/2022

Empowering Recovery and Well-Being for All

We see the light in your eyes. We hear the yearning in your voice. We feel the hurt of your struggles and we know there is hope, there is healing, there is a...

07/31/2022

Corpus Christi TX. On April 22, authorities executed a search warrant at a residence. Authorities discovered approximately 11.2 kilograms of co***ne, 1.5 kilograms of m**h, 3 kilograms of ma*****na, "They also found other controlled substances such as psilocybin mushrooms, crack co***ne, synthetic cannabinoid, and M**A," said investigators. A Snap Shot of what illicit substances are in our community.

07/27/2022

Alert shared by Drug Abuse Issues Coalition C.C.TX. .... The Canadian Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (CCENDU) and U.S. National Drug Early Warning System (NDEWS) have identified an increase in xylazine, a non-opioid sedative and muscle relaxant, prompting an alert released today. Highlights:

In 2021, 31% of 398 opioid samples tested statewide contained
xylazine. As of June 15, xylazine was detected in 28% of 263 opioid samples
tested in 2022.
Use experiences noted “made me sleep weird”; “put me out for 6 hours”;
“very strong”; “made me pass out and I woke with vomit on me”, “skin on
fire, teeth felt like they were going to fall out”, and “causing holes
(ulcers) where injected”.
We see an increased prevalence of xylazine in the western part of the
state vs. the eastern part of the state. WBUR, a local public radio
station, aired this piece
https://www.wbur.org/news/2022/07/15/xylazine-an-animal-tranquilizer-compounds-overdose-crisisthat
covers both one of our MADDS sites and some of the experiences of people
and programs in beautiful Greeenfield, Massachusetts in the western part of
the state
All alerts contain resources and suggestions from the
Massachusetts Department of Health Bureau of Substance Addiction Services,
our scientific advisors, and our community consumer advisory board, which
include* increasing awareness, reducing harm, and facilitating care* for
the broad range of xylazine-related health and safety challenges that
people may experience with increasing xylazine presence in the drug supply. https://network.cesaresearch.org/t/ccendu-alert-xylazine-heightens-overdose-risk/9363?u=akt56turner

Center for Substance Abuse Research (CESAR), University of Maryland, College Park

07/24/2022

Texans Connecting Overdose Prevention Efforts https://network.cesaresearch.org/t/texans-connecting-overdose-prevention-efforts/9441 Texans Connecting Overdose Prevention Efforts (TxCOPE) is a new initial that pools crowdsourced overdose data from harm reduction communities in Texas. The goal of TxCOPE is to “develop and implement a generalizable and sustainable digital system to improve overdose reporting and prevention across Texas.” During the project’s first year, information was collected from a variety of stakeholder groups to develop, test, pilot, and launch the Harm Reduction version of
an application- and web-based digital platform to collect data including demographics, overdose event details, and naloxone administration. Modules for other stakeholder groups will be developed in the coming years

Center for Substance Abuse Research (CESAR), University of Maryland, College Park

07/24/2022

https://media-exp1.licdn.com/dms/image/C5622AQFno4289ZxcyQ/feedshare-shrink_800/0/1657810141568?e=1661385600&v=beta&t=s_49m6_s3eSEJc6XrIKT7vCh9YX42N9fzEmw0PfyRzg Medications for opioid overdose, withdrawal, and addiction are safe, effective, and save lives. One example is naloxone, an emergency medicine that reverses opioid overdose by blocking receptors in the brain. Learn about more medications:

07/24/2022

https://harmreductionhelp.cdc.gov/s/ The National Harm Reduction Technical Assistance Center (NHRTAC) provides free help to anyone in the country providing (or planning to provide) harm reduction services to their community. This may include syringe services programs, health departments, programs providing treatment for substance use disorder, as well as prevention and recovery programs

07/23/2022

It's a synthetic opioid that medical experts say is killing Texans at an alarming rate. Anthony Turner leads of a support house for those recovering from drug addiction. He said people come there to recover from their problems with addiction and that synthetics like Fentanyl are everywhere. “They all pretty much say the same thing, it was horrible, horrible," Turner said. "But I had to have more.” It is a synthetic opioid killing Texans at an alarming rate. Dr. Onufrak, clinical director for the Corpus Christi-Nueces County Public Health District, said Fentanyl is about 50-to-100 times stronger than morphine. She said there was a 50% increase in synthetic opioid deaths in 2020; the data is trending in the same direction for 2021.

It's a synthetic opioid that medical experts say is killing Texans at an alarming rate.