Fentanyl is used in Mexico's northern border: current challenges for drug health policies
Por:
Fleiz, Clara, Arredondo, Jaime, Chavez, Alfonso, Pacheco, Lilia, Segovia, Luis A., Villatoro, Jorge A., Cruz, Silvia L., Medina-Mora, Maria E., de la Fuente, Juan R.
Publicada:
1 abr 2020
Resumen:
Background and Aims Results from a recent study among 750 heroin users
in three Mexico's northern border cities revealed an increase in white
powder availability (also known as China white) and preference for this
product among heroin users, as well as a general perception of increased
overdose cases among this population. Here, we questioned whether those
findings reflect an increased presence of heroin laced with fentanyl,
which is associated with greater risks of overdose but that, until now,
has not been described in Mexico. Design We tested fentanyl using highly
sensitive test strips in syringe plungers, metal cookers and drug
wrappings associated with heroin use. Setting Three injection sites in
Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. Participants Eighty-nine heroin users
who interchanged paraphernalia for new syringes. Measurements We tested
59 residues of `pure' white powder. The rest were white powder with
black tar (n = 5) or white powder with crystal meth (n = 9), black tar
with crystal meth (n = 1), black tar only (n = 13) and crystal meth only
(n = 2). Findings Users believed that they consumed either white powder
heroin, white powder heroin with crystal meth, white powder with black
tar heroin or black tar heroin only. Analyses revealed that 93% (n =
55) of the `pure' white powder samples had fentanyl. All (n = 9) the
white powder samples mixed with crystal meth and 40% (n = 2) of the
white powder with black tar were also laced with fentanyl. Conclusions
In a sample of 89 heroin users in Mexico, most white powder heroin users
were unknowingly exposed to fentanyl, with fentanyl detected in 93% of
white powder samples.
Filiaciones:
Fleiz, Clara:
Natl Inst Psychiat Ramon de la Fuente Muniz INPRM, Mexico City, DF, Mexico
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Fac Med, Global Studies Seminar, Mexico City, DF, Mexico
National Institute of Psychiatry, Ramon de la Fuente Muñiz (INPRM), Mexico City, Mexico
Members of the Global Studies Seminar, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, UNAM, Fac Med, Global Studies Seminar, Mexico City, DF, Mexico
Arredondo, Jaime:
Prevencasa AC, Tijuana, Mexico
Ctr Res & Econ Teaching CIDE, Drug Policy Program PPD, Aguascalientes, Mexico
Prevencasa A.C. Tijuana, Tijuana, Mexico
Drug Policy Program (PPD), Center for Research and Economic Teaching (CIDE), Aguascalientes, Mexico
Prevencasa AC Tijuana, Tijuana, Mexico
Ctr Res & Econ Teaching CIDE, Drug Policy Program PPD, Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, Mexico
Chavez, Alfonso:
Prevencasa AC, Tijuana, Mexico
Prevencasa A.C. Tijuana, Tijuana, Mexico
Prevencasa AC Tijuana, Tijuana, Mexico
Pacheco, Lilia:
Prevencasa AC, Tijuana, Mexico
Prevencasa A.C. Tijuana, Tijuana, Mexico
Prevencasa AC Tijuana, Tijuana, Mexico
Segovia, Luis A.:
Prevencasa AC, Tijuana, Mexico
Prevencasa A.C. Tijuana, Tijuana, Mexico
Prevencasa AC Tijuana, Tijuana, Mexico
Villatoro, Jorge A.:
Natl Inst Psychiat Ramon de la Fuente Muniz INPRM, Mexico City, DF, Mexico
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Fac Med, Global Studies Seminar, Mexico City, DF, Mexico
National Institute of Psychiatry, Ramon de la Fuente Muñiz (INPRM), Mexico City, Mexico
Members of the Global Studies Seminar, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, UNAM, Fac Med, Global Studies Seminar, Mexico City, DF, Mexico
Cruz, Silvia L.:
Natl Polytech Inst Cinvestav, Ctr Res & Adv Studies, Dept Pharmacobiol, Ciudad De Mexico, Mexico
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Fac Med, Global Studies Seminar, Mexico City, DF, Mexico
Department of Pharmacobiology, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (Cinvestav), Sede Sur, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
Members of the Global Studies Seminar, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
Natl Polytech Inst Cinvesta, Dept Pharmacobiol, Ctr Res & Adv Studies, Sede Sur, Ciudad De Mexico, Mexico
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, UNAM, Fac Med, Global Studies Seminar, Mexico City, DF, Mexico
Medina-Mora, Maria E.:
Natl Inst Psychiat Ramon de la Fuente Muniz INPRM, Mexico City, DF, Mexico
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Fac Med, Global Studies Seminar, Mexico City, DF, Mexico
National Institute of Psychiatry, Ramon de la Fuente Muñiz (INPRM), Mexico City, Mexico
Members of the Global Studies Seminar, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, UNAM, Fac Med, Global Studies Seminar, Mexico City, DF, Mexico
de la Fuente, Juan R.:
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Fac Med, Global Studies Seminar, Mexico City, DF, Mexico
United Nations Org, New York, NY USA
Members of the Global Studies Seminar, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
Ambassador of Mexico, United Nations Organization, New York, NY, United States
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