Drug abuse trends that contribute to the opioid crisis

Brett Cherrington, MD (photo by Jim Howe) Brett Cherrington, MD
(photo by Jim Howe) Deaths from opioid overdoses outnumber deaths
from gun violence or motor vehicle accidents and have become the
No. 1 cause of death among young, healthy adults, says Deaths from
opioid overdoses outnumber deaths from gun violence or motor
vehicle accidents and have become the No. 1 cause of death among
young, healthy adults, says Brett Cherrington, MD Brett
Cherrington, MD, an assistant professor of emergency medicine and a
senior medical toxicology fellow at Upstate. He discusses the
dangers of fentanyl and how that drug is showing up in heroin and
cocaine, and the practice of "speedballing," in which people take
cocaine and opioids together in an effort to mediate each drug's
side effects. (For questions about drugs, including concern about a
possible drug overdose, contact the, an assistant professor of
emergency medicine and a senior medical toxicology fellow at
Upstate. He discusses the dangers of fentanyl and how that drug is
showing up in heroin and cocaine, and the practice of
"speedballing," in which people take cocaine and opioids together
in an effort to mediate each drug's side effects. (For questions
about drugs, including concern about a possible drug overdose,
contact the Upstate New York Poison Center Upstate New York Poison
Center any time at 800 -222-1222.) any time at 800 -222-1222.)