Original research
by
Larnder, Ashley et al
Release Date
2022
Geography
Canada
Language of Resource
English
Full Text Available
Yes
Open Access / OK to Reproduce
Yes
Peer Reviewed
Yes
Objective
In the context of an overdose crisis linked to fentanyl, we used drug checking data to examine variability within the illicit opioid supply.
Findings/Key points
A high level of variability in drug composition and concentration was found when analyzing samples over time. The opioid crisis was found to be more attributable to the constant risk of variability within drugs than to the occasional bad batch.
Design/methods
Time-series analysis using samples from a drug-checking service in Victoria
Keywords
Overdose
Evidence base
Drug checking
Illegal drugs