You’ve been short on your finances this week and decided to contact a dealer you heard of who has low prices for marijuana. Your friend told you he had the strongest substances for the lowest prices in town. So you meet with him. After receiving your marijuana, two people around the corner talk about feeling shaky after smoking. One of the guys throws out the word “fentanyl,” and you begin to wonder if the marijuana you purchased is what you think it is. Would you be able to tell? You might decide to take your chances and then worry about it later.
When you get marijuana off the streets, it might be laced with fentanyl. This is sometimes done to cut the costs of marijuana while still allowing it to have a similar effect. It is nearly impossible to tell if your drugs have been laced with fentanyl. This is because you won’t be able to smell, see, or taste it. For those who purposely consume the substances together, fentanyl in weed might strengthen weed’s potency. It’s dangerous because it can lead to addiction or even overdose. There are several signs of fentanyl addiction, such as an irregular heartbeat, cravings, and impaired memory.
In Maricopa County, most overdose deaths involve more than one substance. This can happen both intentionally and unintentionally. At Pinnacle Peak Recovery in Scottsdale, AZ, we understand how concerning this can be. If you regularly buy weed from street dealers, you may wonder how often this can happen. Are you safe? Will this happen to you? Read on to find out.
How are Drugs Mixed?
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) says that mixing drugs can be risky because they are made from chemicals. When different chemicals are combined, they can produce unpredictable effects – sometimes even coma or death.
There are two main types of drugs: stimulants and depressants. Depressants slow your body’s breathing rate and nervous system, while stimulants speed everything up. Combined stimulants and depressants don’t cancel each other out, and it’s one of the worst things you can do.
NIDA also says the same applies to all drugs, not just illicit ones. Taking cold medicine a few hours before drinking alcohol at an outing with friends, for example, can also result in dangerous effects. Just because you were able to do it once before does not mean that it will have the same effect the next time you do it.
How to Tell if Marijuana Has Been Laced With Fentanyl
It is possible to determine if marijuana has been laced with fentanyl through test strips. These test strips are inexpensive and can be found at your local pharmacy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) outlines how to use the strips in five easy steps but warns that these strips are not 100% accurate.
- Place a small amount of marijuana in a clean and dry bowl. The amount you would need to use is about the size of a penny.
- Add ½ teaspoon of water and stir.
- Place the wavy end into the water and wait 15 seconds.
- Take the strip out and let it sit for 2 to 5 minutes.
- Look at the results.
Three possible results can come from these test strips: positive, negative, or invalid. A positive reading is a single line on the right side. A negative reading is 2 lines. An invalid reading is a single line on the left side or no lines at all. Because the readings are not 100% accurate, the CDC still recommends that you use them with caution if you get a negative reading and test again if you get an invalid one.
What Are the Effects of Smoking Fentanyl-Laced Weed
Because fentanyl creates euphoria and decreases feelings of pain, it’s an effective treatment for chronic pain. To do this, fentanyl attaches itself to the part of the brain that controls pain and emotion. Eventually, the body becomes tolerant of the fentanyl, encouraging the person to increase their usage to have the same effects. When fentanyl is combined with other substances, such as weed, it gets stronger, which increases the potential for overdose.
The Dangers of Smoking Weed Laced With Fentanyl
Smoking weed laced with fentanyl intentionally can create problems and dangers in your life. While you might enjoy getting high, its impact on your mental, social, educational, and occupational lives can be detrimental.
- Fentanyl’s mental effects include depression, anxiety, and confusion. You might become numb to your emotions and lose interest in things that you once enjoyed doing. You might find that you need fentanyl-laced weed no matter how often you tell yourself you will stop using, increasing your chances of overdose. You might even have long-term memory loss.
- Fentanyl’s social effects include watching those around you overdose or die. Your friend who also uses, and may have even given you weed laced with fentanyl in the first place, might overdose one day around you. Your family might become hurt or disappointed and want to limit contact with you because you use fentanyl and weed together. They don’t want to do it, and it will be one of the hardest things for them to do. They will limit contact because they don’t want to encourage the use of fentanyl and weed together. When it comes to your relationships, it could end in being broken up, either a separation of your relationship or a divorce. Your family cares about you, but they don’t understand how to help you recover.
- Fentanyl’s work and school life effects include missing work and school. You might be one of the top employees at your place of employment, but using fentanyl-laced weed might cause you to call in more often due to the physical and mental effects of consuming fentanyl. If your workplace or school has random drug testing, you could be fired or suspended from activities you enjoy, especially if the workplace or school has a zero-tolerance policy.
Combining two depressants, such as fentanyl and marijuana, could increase the risk of all of these things happening. It can also increase your risk of overdose.
The Risk of Fentanyl Overdose
NIDA says that overdosing on fentanyl causes the slowing or stopping of breathing, which can lead to a condition known as hypoxia. Hypoxia is when there is less oxygen in the brain. This can lead to a coma, brain damage, or even death. Overdosing on fentanyl can also put you at a higher risk for suicide, amnesia, and seizures. The signs of a fentanyl overdose include:
- changes in pupil size
- cold, clammy skin
- brain injury
- coma
- respiratory failure
- blue skin
If you notice any of these signs in yourself or a loved one, call 911 immediately. Fentanyl overdose is reversible if caught in time.
Getting Treatment in Scottsdale for Marijuana and Fentanyl Addiction
Treatment for fentanyl and marijuana addiction in Scottsdale, AZ is possible. Recovery from fentanyl starts with detox. During detox, your body will remove fentanyl from your system, and you will begin withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms include:
- shaking
- dehydration
- sweating
- increased cravings
- mood changes
- depression
- agitation
Fentanyl detox, in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical therapy, can help you manage withdrawal symptoms while learning new skills and behaviors that will help you post-recovery prevent relapse and live a sober life.
Watching someone you love or even yourself struggle with addiction can be difficult, but at Pinnacle Peak Recovery in Scottsdale, AZ, we know that recovery is a continuous experience. We will be with you every step of the way from detox to outpatient treatment. We know that the longer you stay in recovery, the better your chances are. For more information, call us at 480-787-2409.
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FAQs
What effects are caused by smoking weed laced with fentanyl?
When you smoke fentanyl-laced weed, you might experience a stronger effect since you consume two depressants. Side effects of these two depressants interacting with each other include slow breathing, weak pulse, and altered mental state. This stronger effect can also lead to overdose. The overdose symptoms include pupil size changes, blue skin, cold, clammy skin, coma, and death.
What are the dangers of smoking weed laced with fentanyl?
The dangers of smoking fentanyl-laced weed are overdose and death. The signs to look for when it comes to overdose are blue skin, cold, clammy skin, pupil size change, and coma. You might also experience side effects such as slow breathing, weak pulse, and altered mental state. Combining these drugs often leads to unpredictable experiences that can be different each time they are consumed together, even if you have done it before.