Not all drugs are created equal in the U.S. drug crisis

Conversation surrounding the drug crisis in the United States tends to focus on OxyContin, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin. They are trouble for sure and are ruining the lives of many. But, as argued by Nicole Fisher in an article in Forbes, the discussion needs to be broadened to consider the purity and potency of the drugs being consumed.

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“At face value, one might think that OxyContin is OxyContin or heroin is heroin. But that couldn’t be further from the truth,” writes Ms. Fisher.

Illicit drugs can contain other compounds, like methamphetamine and other addictive substances, or even rat poison. The result can be a lethal brew. Only a decade ago, when methamphetamine was cooked up in basement labs, the purity was nowhere near that of the nearly pure product made now by drug cartels.

The purity of meth has skyrocketed from 39% in 2008 to more than 93% now.

Just fighting opioid prescription abuse may be a simplistic response to a more complex problem. The variations in the composition and potency of illicit drugs is important but is being overlooked.

“As we craft ways to fight the opioid crisis in the U.S., it is necessary to ensure that we understand exactly what chemical compositions we are battling against,” Ms. Fisher writes.

Recent data on the purity of drugs seized by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency hammer home this point. The data reveal a varied picture across the country. On average, drugs seized west of the Mississippi River are about 40% more pure than those seized east of the river. Whatever the reason – the origin of the product, the distribution network, the dealers involved in the preparation and sale, and more – the result can be a more lethal drug, especially in a user from an area where less pure drugs are the norm.

Click here to read the Forbes article.