New York City has a new method of warning people about the dangers of cocaine use: They’re telling them how to use it safely.
The move was prompted after the drug fentanyl was found to be laced in the cocaine supply.
nycHealthy@nycHealthy
ICYMI: We’re warning patrons of bars/nightclubs on the Lower East Side about the dangers of cocaine laced with fentanyl: http://on.nyc.gov/2Lo0M6P #HealingNYC
Fentanyl is an opioid that’s 30-50 times more potent than heroin, according to the Health Department.
“People who may use cocaine occasionally may be at risk of an opioid overdose,” the Health Department said in a press release.
So Health Department officials have been visiting bars and clubs on the Lower East Side to spread the word. They’ve been passing out free coasters warning about fentanyl laced cocaine. The coasters include some safety tips: Those tips include using cocaine with others, so that in the event of an overdose there’s someone who could help. They also urge users to carry naloxone or narcan, which can reverse an overdose.
Users can call 311 to find out where to get naloxone. For treatment, users can call 888-NYC-WELL.
CBS2’s Andrea Grymes asked Mayor Bill de Blasio if he thought this would encourage cocaine use.
He said that people are using cocaine, so the city is doing whatever it can to get the message out.
“The city is not encouraging drug usage, we are encouraging safety,” officials said in a statement. ” We can’t connect New Yorkers to treatment if they are dead.”
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