America’s drug overdose problem has accelerated in recent years. Drug abuse showed signs of improvement at the end of the 2010s. However, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated addiction and overdoses of many drugs, including cocaine and fentanyl. The latest statistics illuminate this trend: After a slight decrease in 2018, drug overdoses rose to 70,630 in 2019, then skyrocketed to 91,799 in 2020. Final numbers aren’t yet available, but drug overdoses certainly crossed the 100,000 thresholds in 2021. [1]

As Transformations Treatment Center patients can testify, the COVID-19 pandemic was difficult for addicted individuals. There is no question that the pandemic exacerbated existing pressures and led to more deaths by drug overdose.

What is most disturbing about the increase in overdoses is that it has happened with many drugs. Certain classes of drugs have seen particularly sharp increases. This increase includes cocaine overdoses, which comprised at least 20% of all drug overdoses since 2019. [2]

Fentanyl, too, has seen dramatic increases, with more than 150 people dying every day of overdoses of synthetic drugs like fentanyl.[3]

None of these drug increases exist in a vacuum. Indeed, there is extensive interaction between many classes of drugs, including stimulants like cocaine and opioids like heroin and fentanyl. It is crucial to fully understand how these drugs work together to deepen the fentanyl epidemic. At the same time, you should know that treatment for fentanyl addiction and cocaine addiction is possible. Places like Transformations Treatment Center can provide world-class treatment for individuals suffering from an array of addiction-related issues. People addicted to any drug must get the help they need.

How do cocaine and fentanyl interact?

Many drugs — including cocaine — get laced with fentanyl. This addition makes the drugs much more potent and much more deadly. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid. It was initially produced to help people who were in extreme pain. However, people began to abuse it when they discovered that it worked like any other opioid, creating a variety of pleasant feelings. Unfortunately, fentanyl is a potent and addictive substance, with researchers commonly saying that it is 50–100 times more powerful and addictive than morphine. Like any other opioid, fentanyl can overwhelm brain and lung functions, thus resulting in death by overdose. Unfortunately, using both drugs simultaneously increases the odds of someone suffering a cocaine and fentanyl overdose. [4]

The process of mixing fentanyl and cocaine is known as “speedballing.” This is the street name given to mixing stimulants (cocaine) and opioids (fentanyl). Fentanyl is dangerous enough on its own, but mixing fentanyl with a highly dangerous drug like cocaine can be even more hazardous and deadly. There are many reasons that users may knowingly ingest cocaine and fentanyl at the same time. Some users may want to extend their high as much as possible; some may want to intensify the pleasant feelings associated with the use of cocaine and fentanyl. Others will take the two drugs at the same time in an attempt to mitigate the negative feelings caused by each drug. They may also attempt to smooth out the “crash” that occurs when a high wears off. [5]

From a purely chemical perspective, the simultaneous interaction of opioid receptors and cocaine can cause what is known as poly-intoxication. In addition to all of the dangers already noted here, simultaneously taking both drugs  can also extend the duration of cocaine intoxication.[6]

How do you know if cocaine has been laced with fentanyl?

The fentanyl epidemic has been so dangerous because many people use fentanyl without even realizing it. Drugs like cocaine are often laced with fentanyl. It is even more frightening that people may not know that the drugs they are using have been laced with any other substance. Fentanyl is odorless and tasteless. A user won’t know that they have ingested the substance until it is too late. This is dangerous because fentanyl is potent, and this has made the country’s fentanyl epidemic much worse.

The only way to determine if a drug has been laced with fentanyl is to use a fentanyl strip. These relatively inexpensive strips can be used to confirm that a substance is “pure,” meaning it has no fentanyl in it. These strips are not 100% accurate. However, they can alert a user if the drug they want to use has any fentanyl in it. This knowledge can prevent a deadly overdose or stop the beginnings of a fentanyl addiction before it can ever start.[9]

In addition to potentially causing an overdose, one-time use of fentanyl can turn into a lifetime of addiction. Fentanyl addiction can be defeated, but it requires effort and treatment. Thankfully, places like Transitions Treatment Center can provide you with the treatment you need. If you are worried about suffering from a cocaine or fentanyl overdose or need treatment for fentanyl addiction, contact Transformations Treatment Center today.

Why is this an especially bad combination?

Part of the danger of mixing cocaine and fentanyl is that the two substances typically have opposite effects. Cocaine is often associated with a “rush,” meaning that individuals who use it will undergo a burst of energy. Users of opioids are more likely to experience intense euphoria, feelings of happiness, and relaxation. These two experiences can be conflicting, and the biological mechanisms that lead to them occurring can be dangerous. [5] They can also increase the danger of overdose and long-term physical harm.

Simultaneous use of cocaine and fentanyl can increase the odds of additional cognitive impairment and judgment loss. Rats and humans who use both drugs have shown severe cognitive impairment, both while high on the drugs and in the immediate aftermath. This loss of cognitive function is more intense when cocaine and fentanyl are used at the same time. It follows that the use of cocaine and fentanyl can make many of the harmful and dangerous aspects of drug intoxication and addiction much worse. [7]

Finally, it is worth noting that the risks incurred when using cocaine and fentanyl at the same time are also much worse. A cocaine and fentanyl overdose is much harder to counteract than an overdose of just one of these substances, as it will require additional drugs and other treatments to reverse the effects of both drugs. Furthermore, the negative synergy that comes from using both of these drugs at the same time can create extensive physical problems for your body. As such, an overdose may be particularly difficult to overcome. [8]

What is a synthetic drug?

A synthetic drug is a drug that is created using manufactured chemicals, not ones that are “naturally” found. For example, marijuana would be considered a natural drug, as it grows in the wild and is found in nature. By contrast, fentanyl is a synthetic drug. It is made using products and chemicals exclusively designed in laboratory and scientific settings. Since these drugs are manufactured, they are often more potent, as they can be designed for the express purpose of encouraging intoxication. The relatively easy way fentanyl can be produced has led to a deepening fentanyl epidemic. [10]

As you are undoubtedly aware, cocaine and fentanyl can be deadly, whether you use them together or separately. Fortunately, there is good news: Individuals addicted to cocaine or fentanyl can find the treatment they need at Transitions Treatment Center. At Transitions, we can provide you with a range of treatment options and ensure you have access to the high-quality treatment you need and deserve. These various treatment options include traditional therapy, medication-assisted treatment, and alternative therapies.

We have treated people for addictions just like the one you are now suffering from, and we can help you find the hope you need.

Please don’t wait another day: Contact us today, and get the treatment for fentanyl addiction.