Overdoses in the Industry: Reducing the Risks

Background

Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Mac Miller, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Lil Peep, Prince, Tom Petty, and Amy Winehouse. The list of musicians who have died due to overdose goes on. 

According to data listed on the CDC’s website, the number of national drug overdose deaths has increased every year since 1999; with over 70,000 drug-induced deaths in the U.S. in 2017 alone.

In recent years, opioids have been the main driver of overdose, accounting for about 69.5% of all overdoses in 2018. And two out of three of these opioid-related deaths are due to synthetic opioids (namely fentanyl, tramadol, etc.) being laced into other drugs bought illicitly on “the streets.”

Our industry is riddled with drug-induced deaths and these tragic losses to overdose don’t just happen to the artists, they happen to the fans as well, so it’s a topic that the music community needs to confront and spread awareness about.  

Being Safe at the Party

It’s like in high school sex-ed class when you were likely taught that “abstinence is the safest choice” so, of course, refraining to partake in any drug is the safest choice as well… That being said, recreational drug use probably won’t end any time soon — especially in the event scene — so it’s important to educate how to ‘be smart’ if using drugs in order to have greater harm reduction. Here are just a few tips to reduce the risks of drug use:

1. Buy a reagent test kit - so you know exactly how pure your drugs are/if there are potentially dangerous substances cut into them (i.e. fentanyl). You can find videos of how to do these tests on YouTube. The first test kits that appeared on a google search can be found and purchased here. 

2. Start with a low dose - If you don’t know how potent your drug of choice is, just remember that you can always take more, but you can’t go back in time and take less once it’s already in your system. Slowly increase the dose until you get your desired effect.

3. Have Narcan/Naloxone on hand in case of an accidental overdose - This is a nasal spray capable of reversing an opioid overdose. No matter how much Narcan is given to someone, it cannot hurt them. It is advised to administer Narcan if you have it, just in case an opioid, such as fentanyl, is unknowingly laced into the drug someone took (opioids laced into drugs is responsible for a majority of overdoses in the US). 

You can get Narcan at most major pharmacies (i.e. CVS, Walgreens, etc.) without a prescription and for about $10 with insurance! Bring this document to your pharmacist to purchase Narcan.

Note: Narcan/Naloxone will only temporarily reverse an overdose (~30 minutes) so you must call an ambulance if you are witnessing an overdose.

4. Do NOT mix drugs - Often, when a doctor prescribes you medication, they may ask what prescriptions you’re currently taking and advise you not to consume something such as alcohol while taking the prescribed drug. Similarly, with illegal drugs, some combinations have negative and potentially deadly effects. TripSit, a website that focuses on harm reduction through education, has a helpful chart to visualize the different effects of combining many popular drugs on the streets today. For full zooming abilities, you can look at the chart in higher quality here or toggle and have more in-depth explanations here.

Please note that these safety steps are just a guide, and you MUST always do additional research. Additionally, you will never know what potentially deadly effects drugs may play on underlying or undiagnosed health conditions that you may have (i.e. heart conditions, mental health condistions, etc.).

What to do When Witnessing a Drug Overdose

(Information from International Overdose Awareness Day’s website)

1. Call an ambulance - tell the operator your location, the symptoms they have, and stay on the line DO NOT BE AFRAID TO CALL 911 - The Good Samaritan Law protects you from being arrested, charged, or prosecuted for saving someone's life. No matter what/how many drugs or drug paraphernalia you have in your possession.

2. If you HAVE narcan/naloxone, administer it - Whether they have taken an Opioid knowingly or any other drug off the street that may be cut with one such as Fentanyl (i.e. Xanax, Oxy, Percs, Molly, Cocaine, etc) 

3. If you DO NOT HAVE narcan/naloxone - If the person is breathing, leave in the recovery position, and monitor breathing. If the person is NOT breathing, apply rescue breathing and continue until the person starts to breathe on their own, or until paramedics arrive

4. If their breathing stops, perform CPR/rescue breathing till the ambulance arrives. Trained medics can help restart a heart. The biggest danger is loss of oxygen to the brain while the paramedics are on the way. It can lead to permanent brain damage or even a coma that they’ll never wake up from. 

5. Wait for the ambulance to arrive, try to keep their airways open and breathing stable

What NOT to do When Witnessing a Drug Overdose

1. Do NOT leave the person alone

2. Do NOT try to make them eat or drink

3. Do NOT try to induce vomiting

4. Do NOT ignore snoring or gurgling, this could mean they are having trouble breathing