Laced drugs are a combination of two or more addictive substances.
Lacing illicit substances with bulking agents, also known as cutting agents, means the product becomes even more profitable. In most cases, drugs are laced by the manufacturer or trafficker of the product.
The adulterants used as cutting agents can take the form of common household agents such as:
- Boric acid
- Baking soda
- Rat poison
- Baby powder
- Laundry detergent
Additionally, drugs are often laced with other addictive substances. The most common examples are:
- Caffeine
- Fentanyl
- PCP
In most cases, ingesting laced drugs will trigger negative outcomes. Not only can they lead to dangerous consequences and effects, but it can also cause people to build up addictions to drugs they had no desire to use. Luckily, there area treatment options, such as our Newport Beach rehab to help.
While the concept of laced drugs to maximize profits is not new, it is becoming a growing concern in the United States, primarily due to the rise of fentanyl as a cutting agent.
Fentanyl is a deadly synthetic opioid up to 100 times more potent than morphine, according to the CDC. Just a few grains of this substance is enough to produce a fatal overdose.
Fentanyl Laced Drugs
According to CDC reports, the number of deaths involved synthetic opioids is rising. In 2019, over 36,000 fatal overdoses involved synthetic opioids other than methadone, representing a 15% increase over the previous year and accounting for over 70% of all deaths involving opioids that year.
The same data shows that overdose deaths involving fentanyl or fentanyl analogs increased by a factor of 13 between 2007 and 2017, primarily driven by drugs like heroin and prescription painkillers laced with fentanyl.
Many drugs are laced with fentanyl, including:
- Heroin
- Oxycodone
- Meth
- Cocaine
- Xanax
According to NVSS (National Vital Statistics Reports), 2 of every 5 cocaine overdoses in 2016 involved fentanyl.
Music iconPrince died after taking a Vicodin pill laced with fentanyl. Tom Petty died of an accidental overdose involving fentanyl. When rapper Mac Miller overdosed on fentanyl,the dealer who supplied the laced drug was sentenced to eleven years in prison.
In addition to these high-profile deaths at the hands of laced drugs, tens of thousands of regular citizens are also falling foul of the fentanyl menace.
Why are Drugs Laced with Fentanyl?
Fentanyl is frequently used as a bulking agent for lacing drugs as it is cheap and easy top make. Beyond this, fentanyl is extremely potent. Adding even small doses of fentanyl to large batches of heroin dramatically increases the potency of the drug while at the same time maximizing profits.
Due to the highly addictive potential of fentanyl, the laced drugs will also increase the chances of buyers returning for more of the substance.
Regrettably, the potency of fentanyl means it can lead to serious adverse outcomes – including fatal overdose – even in very small quantities. 3mg of fentanyl is enough to kill an adult male. This amounts to just a few grains of the substance. When someone purchases what they believe to be heroin or cocaine, taking the same amount as normal can lead to a lethal overdose if the batch has been laced with fentanyl.
When stimulants like cocaine are laced with fentanyl (a depressant), your body will encounter conflicting reactions.
Laced drugs can also mask certain overdose symptoms, further increasing the chance of complications and fatalities.
It is challenging to detect laced drugs. Laced heroin or cocaine, for example, will typically look no different to the regular substances. Laced pills marketed as Xanax, Vicodin, or OxyContin but containing fentanyl are especially deadly and equally tough to spot.
Can Marijuana Be Laced With Other Drugs?
Marijuana is less likely than most drugs to be intentionally laced with other psychoactive substances. That said, marijuana can be laced, typically to increase profits.
Most laced marijuana is the result of very low-quality cannabis being laced with a synthetic cannabis product like spice to intensify the effects of a sub-standard product.
There is little hard data available concerning marijuana lacing. With many states now legalizing the medical and recreational use of marijuana, laced weed is much more likely when obtained on the black market.
There are reports of marijuana being laced with the following agents:
- Fungus
- Bacteria
- Glass
- Lead
- Other heavy metals
- Meth
- Ketamine
- Laundry detergent
- Embalming fluid
The effects of consuming laced marijuana could include any of the following:
- Sudden insomnia, irritability, nervousness, and decreased appetite
- No psychoactive effects from marijuana
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Breathing problems
- Dizziness
- Lightheadedness
- Feelings of unreality
- Changes to heart rate and blood pressure
- Psychotic effects ( delusions, hallucinations, confusion, disorientation)
Overcome Addiction at The District Recovery
Here at TDRC, we provide gender-specific rehab all of these conditions:
- Substance use disorder
- Alcohol use disorder
- Co-occurring disorder
- Mental health disorder
Our men’s rehab and women’s rehab programs offer the support and structure you need to fight back against addiction to drink or drugs. If you need more time commitment than a regular outpatient program provides, you can engage with an IOP (intensive outpatient program) or PHP (partial hospitalization program) instead.
At The District, you’ll have access to a combination of evidence-based treatments and holistic therapies for a whole-body approach to recovery. These include:
- MAT (medication-assisted treatment)
- Psychotherapy like CBT and DBT
- Counseling (individual and group)
- Family therapy
- Adventure therapy
- Vocational development
You will complete your program with a robust relapse management and aftercare strategy in place. You will then either step down to a less intensive level of care or transition back into sober living.
To start your journey to sustained sobriety today, reach out to the friendly team at 844.287.8506.
