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Articles on Illicit drug use

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Although xylazine is not an opioid, naloxone can reverse the effects of the fentanyl and heroin it is often mixed with. AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

What is xylazine? A medical toxicologist explains how it increases overdose risk, and why Narcan can still save a life

Xylazine, or tranq, is increasingly being mixed with drugs like fentanyl or heroin and can be difficult to detect. Most people who use drugs are unable to tell if they have been exposed to it.
“Just say no” messages are ignored because young people want to have fun. Marvin Meyer

In debates about drug use, fun is important

People who use party drugs say it gives them energy to dance and socialise, reduces their inhibitions and enhances their feelings of connection to others.
Generally, people under 40 have reported a decrease in recent illicit drug usage since 2001, while people 40 or older have reported an increase in recent years. AAP Image/Paul Miller

Three charts on: Australia’s changing drug and alcohol habits

The proportion of population who use legal and illegal drugs has remained stable or trended down. Fewer young people are using, but the proportion of older people using drugs and alcohol has grown.
The not-for-profit UK group The Loop said it tested the drug ecstasy with ‘loop lasers’ at a festival in July 2016. The Loop UK/Facebook

Yes, we can do on-the-spot drug testing quickly and safely

Victorian Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said conducting on-site drug tests at public events “safely and quickly is not really a practical option”. But the technology is available.
Since 2009 an increasing number of drugs have emerged that are designed to circumvent the law and are cheap to produce. Photographee.eu/Shutterstock

Is Australia really being flooded by new killer drugs?

There is a potential for significant harm in Australia if we don’t have adequate systems in place to monitor our drug markets and respond rapidly when specific dangers are detected.
There has been particular concern about methamphetamine use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. Matthew/flickr

How big a problem is ice use among Indigenous Australians?

Around 2.3% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians 15 years and over report using speed or amphetamine in the past year. This is similar to the general population.
While Sydney’s medically supervised injecting centre has had positive results, we need drug consumption rooms all over the country. AAP/Paul Miller

Why Australia needs drug consumption rooms

With use of drugs such as ice on the rise, drug consumption rooms are now being set up in Europe to provide supervised inhalation.

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