In Washington State, as across the country, fentanyl has rapidly become a primary opioid in the illicit drug supply. Fentanyl, especially in its pill form, is most often smoked rather than injected, both by individuals who are new to opioid use and by those experienced in injecting black tar heroin. Along with a parallel increase in the use of methamphetamine, which is also commonly smoked, the prevalence of opioid and stimulant smoking is quickly overtaking injection as a primary and frequent route of administration. This brief describes the current landscape of safer smoking equipment distribution in Washington State and nationally, the evidence supporting this intervention, legal issues, and areas for further research.
Type: Advocacy
Distribution of Safer Drug Smoking Supplies as a Public Health Strategy
The utilization and delivery of safer smoking practices and services: a narrative synthesis of the literature
This global review found that safer smoking practices are essential forms of harm reduction. People who use drugs in several studies reported that pipe sharing occurred for multiple reasons, including wanting to accumulate crack resin and protect themselves from social harms, such as police harassment. Across studies, smoking drugs, as opposed to injecting drugs, were described as a crucial method to reduce the risk of overdose, disease acquisition, and societal harms such as police violence.
Lessons Learned During the Launch of Syringe Services Programs in Michigan
The rapidity with which syringe services programs were scaled up across Michigan is a noteworthy public health achievement; however, it also underscores the scale of the modern addiction and overdose crisis and the need for evidence-based services. This report aims to “tell the story” of syringe services program implementation in communities throughout Michigan and describe the lessons learned by program operators.
WA DOH compilation of peer-reviewed research
A compilation of research covering topics including: cost effectiveness, expert guidance, healthcare access point, infectious disease prevention, injecting risk, SSP operations considerations, and syringe disposal outcomes
CDC – Safety and Effectiveness of Syringe Services Programs (2024)
Syringe services programs (SSPs) are proven and effective community-based prevention programs that can provide a range of services. SSPs protect the public and first responders by facilitating the safe disposal of used needles and syringes.
Using Timely Overdose Data to Address a Spike in Nonfatal Overdoses and Inform a Coordinated Community-Level Response in Rhode Island
This case study provides an example of how timely opioid overdose data can be effectively used to detect a spike in nonfatal opioid overdoses and inform a strategic, community-level response.
Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP)
ODMAP provides near real-time suspected overdose data across jurisdictions to support public safety and public health efforts to mobilize an immediate response to a sudden increase, or spike, in overdose events. ODMAP links first responders and relevant record management systems to a mapping tool to track overdoses to stimulate real-time response and strategic analysis across jurisdictions.
The British Columbia Drug Overdose and Alert Partnership: Interpreting and sharing timely illicit drug information to reduce harms
We describe the British Columbia Drug Overdose and Alert Partnership, an innovative collaborative model of stakeholders who work in prevention, harm reduction, treatment and enforcement related to psychoactive substance use. We describe the formation, purpose, stakeholders, and operation of the partnership and resultant public health surveillance system.
Narcotica Podcast – Episode 87: Drug Testing Equals Empowerment with Dr. Nabarun Dasgupta and Charlton Roverson
Narcotica co-hosts Aaron Ferguson and Troy Farah spoke with Charlton Roverson, the Eastern Regional Coordinator with the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition in Fayetteville and Dr. Nabarun Dasgupta, a pharmaco-epidemiologist and scientist at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who helps run the UNC Street Drug Analysis Lab.
