Syringe services program staff and participant perspectives on changing drug consumption behaviors in response to xylazine adulteration
Xylazine's emergence characterizes the current era of unprecedented shifts in the unregulated drug supply. We found that xylazine spurred important behavioral changes among people who use drugs (e.g., transitioning from injecting to smoking). Incorporating these experiences into early drug warning surveillance systems and scaling up drug-checking services and safer smoking supply distribution could help mitigate significant health harms caused by xylazine and other emergent adulterants.
Authors
- Marina Plesons (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3224-618X)
- Tyler S. Bartholomew (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9384-0812)
- William H. Eger (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4775-7313)
- Maia Hauschild (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8453-2588)
- Angela R. Bazzi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6828-1919)
- Erika L. Crable (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2605-5339)
- Hansel Tookes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2369-360X)
- David W. Forrest (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6052-7179)
- Corbin C. McElrath
- Cyrus Owens
Institutions
- Boston University (US)
- University of Miami (US)
- San Diego State University (US)
- UC San Diego Health System (US)
- University of California San Diego (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Harm Reduction Journal
- Published
- 2024-08-29
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-024-01082-y
- Citations
- 9
- Primary Topic
- Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 3.16
Funders
- National Institute on Drug Abuse