“Gear Has Changed” Public Health Campaign Raises Awareness of Drug Supply Contamination
Ethypharm has recently launched the “Gear has changed” public health campaign in April, calling for greater awareness around accidental overdoses caused by street drugs adulterated with lethal illicit substances such as nitazenes.
The campaign involved several public health adverts published across Birmingham, Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Glasgow and Blackpool – the five UK cities with the highest drug-related deaths per capita. These posters are targeting people actively consuming substances, new and experienced, and their friends, family and surrounding communities.
The UK drug supply has fundamentally changed over recent years with the introduction of high-potency opioids, including nitazenes – which are capable of causing fatal overdose at very low doses.
Peter Furlong, Harm Reduction Lead Change Grow Live (CGL) commented:
“People who use recreational drugs can no longer assume they know what they’re taking or how strong it is. Highly adulterated substances are appearing in recreational drugs sold as something else entirely, significantly increasing the risk of accidental overdose.”
“Nitazenes can be up to 500 times stronger than heroin and can suppress the respiratory system. This overdose risk is as severe amongst new, less experienced users, as it is amongst the more experienced who believe they are taking a familiar substance at a familiar dose, possibly from a dealer they believe they can trust.”
