Crystal Meth, Benzos Complicate Drug Crisis

(Spring 2018) Crystal meth’s popularity is growing across the country — and striking close to home. In addition to Cincinnati’s serious opioid problems, crystal meth use has been gaining traction in the region for several years. A member of the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force said that over 50% of the agency’s active cases now involve meth trafficking. This illicit, man-made substance is a powerful stimulant that affects the central nervous system and leads to the production of significant quantities of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that stimulates reward-seeking behavior.

Benzodiazepine use is on the rise as well. Also known as benzos, these prescription sedatives are often written for patients suffering from sleeplessness or anxiety. Common benzodiazepines include Valium, Xanax, and Klonopin. Benzos were associated with approximately one-third of overdoses across the country between 1996 and 2013. During that time span, prescriptions for these drugs also rose by the same amount, and well over two million more patients were written prescriptions for both a benzodiazepine and an opioid in 2014 than in 2002. During the same time frame, opioid overdose fatalities that involved a benzo jumped from 18% to 31% in the United States.

It’s important to note that the combination of opioids and benzodiazepines can impair overdose rescue attempts because they both slow the central nervous system and can significantly hinder or completely stop lung and heart functions. The overdose-reversal drug Narcan will assist with the effects of opioids but will not affect benzos in the system. Therefore, Narcan may not revive an individual who has stopped breathing in an overdose situation in which the two drugs are mixed.

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