Seeking safety in a dangerous drug supply
Why is the unregulated drug supply dangerous?
Illegal drugs are not regulated, meaning there are no rules or standards for what is in them or how strong they are. Here’s why that makes the drug supply dangerous:
- Unknown and unpredictable contents: You can’t tell what’s in the drugs. They might contain substances you didn’t mean to use, which can lead to overdose, infections or other unintended effects.
- Unknown and unpredictable strength: You can’t tell how strong the drugs are. They might be too strong and cause an overdose.
Contents and drug strength can vary significantly between doses, between batches or over time — and even between different communities.
Unexpected benzos and withdrawal
Drugs can contain benzodiazepines, a type of sedative, without you knowing. If your body gets used to these drugs, it can become dependent on them. This means if you stop taking them, you could go into withdrawal.
Withdrawal from benzodiazepines can be life-threatening but hard to spot. If you experience unexpected symptoms like paranoia, hallucinations or seizures, seek medical attention.
Safety planning
Here are some ways to try to stay as safe as possible:
- Use at a supervised consumption site, if possible.
- Use with a trusted person: Try not to use alone. Take turns so one person can help if an overdose happens.
- Have someone check on you: If using alone, call someone or use a spotting service that can check on you.
- Carry naloxone: Keep naloxone with you and know how to use it. Always give rescue breaths!
- Start low and go slow: Always begin with a small amount to see how strong the drug is.
- Be aware of unknown ingredients: Drugs may contain unexpected substances. If possible, get drugs checked and talk to a local harm reduction service about how to stay informed about the local drug supply.
Taking these steps can make a big difference. Stay safe. Take care of each other.
Check out the poster Seeking safety
Acknowledgements
CATIE thanks the pan-Canadian group of community experts and the other community and medical reviewers who contributed their expertise to this resource.
Production of this publication has been made possible through a financial contribution from the Ontario Ministry of Health, the Public Health Agency of Canada and Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of our funders.