The alarming rise of fentanyl has dominated headlines across Texas, capturing the attention of state leaders who are deeply concerned about the drug’s influx from Mexico and its tragic link to rising overdose fatalities among young individuals. This crisis has prompted urgent discussions on how to effectively address the growing threat posed by this potent synthetic opioid.
However, it is crucial to recognize that fentanyl is merely a facet of a more extensive substance abuse crisis in Texas. This powerful drug is seldom consumed in isolation; rather, healthcare and law enforcement officials are grappling with a multitude of dangerous substances simultaneously, creating a complex landscape of addiction that demands comprehensive solutions.
Since 2015, Texas has witnessed a significant surge in the illicit use of fentanyl, swiftly escalating into a full-blown crisis. While fentanyl can be a highly effective painkiller when prescribed by a healthcare professional, the alarming increase in its illegal usage, coupled with the production of counterfeit prescription medications that contain fentanyl, has raised serious concerns. These imitation drugs are intentionally designed to mimic legitimate medications, leading to addiction and a cycle of dependence among users.
“At this point, fentanyl and the drug supply associated with it pose the greatest dangers,” stated Katharine Neill Harris, a drug policy expert at the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University. Her insights underscore the urgent need for a multi-faceted response to combat this pressing issue.
According to a report by Texas Health and Human Services, opioids—including heroin, prescription pills, and fentanyl—are responsible for the highest number of overdose fatalities in Texas. This alarming trend has been documented through a comprehensive analysis of death certificate data spanning from 2010 to 2019, highlighting the critical need for effective intervention strategies.
Additionally, the rise in polysubstance overdoses, where opioids are often mixed with other drugs, has contributed to the increasing mortality rates. The latest state data indicates that these fatalities reached a concerning rate of 4 per 100,000 individuals in 2019, signifying a growing public health crisis that requires immediate attention.
Common drug combinations typically include prescription medications such as hydrocodone and oxycodone mixed with depressants like benzodiazepines and stimulants such as amphetamine and methamphetamine. These dangerous mixtures complicate the landscape of addiction, making it essential for policymakers to address the issue in a comprehensive manner.
“This is why I strongly advise against focusing solely on one drug,” Neill Harris emphasized. “Fentanyl represents a significant challenge, but it is not the only substance-related crisis we need to address.”
The role of methamphetamine in the illegal drug trade has often been overshadowed by the rising concerns surrounding fentanyl. However, experts warn that meth has made a notable resurgence, with suppliers beginning to produce more potent forms of the drug that pose serious risks to users.
“Meth is increasingly becoming a pervasive issue, and yet it’s not receiving the attention it deserves,” remarked Peter Stout, president and CEO of the Houston Forensic Science Center. “The rise in meth-related fatalities is alarming, as evidenced by the data coming from Texas.”
Experts assert that in order to effectively tackle the ongoing overdose crisis, Texas must confront the broader scope of its drug problem, which extends far beyond fentanyl. Here’s an in-depth examination of the overall drug landscape in Texas.
Identifying Current Drug Trends in Texas
The University of Texas at Austin’s Addiction Research Institute conducted a thorough analysis in 2021, examining calls made to poison control centers, admissions to drug treatment programs, and drug seizures. The researchers found that the most frequently trafficked drugs crossing Texas’ southern border included methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, cannabis, fentanyl, benzodiazepines like Xanax, and synthetic cannabinoids commonly referred to as “spice” or K2.
While cannabis remains popular in Texas, its significance in the illegal drug market has notably diminished as 25 states across the nation have legalized it. The legalization of hemp in Texas in 2019 has further complicated matters, leading to a decrease in the prosecution of low-level cannabis offenses due to the challenges in distinguishing between cannabis and hemp-based products.
Hemp contains less than 0.3% of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component that produces the sensation of being “high.” Any product with less than this amount is classified as hemp.
In stark contrast, synthetic opioids like fentanyl have surged to become one of the leading causes of overdose deaths in the state. Over the past five years, fatalities attributed to synthetic opioids have outpaced those linked to other opioids, heroin, and depressants, signaling an urgent need for intervention.
Understanding the Dangers of Fentanyl
Illegally produced fentanyl represents a dangerous cocktail of synthetic opioids, posing a significant risk to users. Derived from opium, which has been used as a pain reliever and recreational drug for centuries, opioids like fentanyl and oxycodone are engineered to replicate the effects of natural opiates.
Developed in 1960 and approved for medical use in the United States in 1968, fentanyl is primarily administered as a sedative and pain management solution for patients. Legally prescribed fentanyl is typically delivered through tablets, intravenous therapy, skin patches, or nasal sprays, ensuring that patients receive the therapeutic benefits under medical supervision.
However, the drug can also be processed into a fine powder that is easily mixed with other substances, amplifying its potential for abuse. Its potent molecules rapidly penetrate the brain, binding to numerous receptors that relay signals throughout the body. These receptors perform various functions, from regulating organ systems to influencing mood and emotional responses.
Fentanyl effectively attaches to the receptors that convey pain signals, effectively shutting them down. This disruption can lead to catastrophic consequences, including respiratory failure and the shutdown of vital organs, underscoring the drug’s lethal potential.
Fentanyl is estimated to be 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin, making it one of the most formidable threats in the realm of narcotics.
Moreover, fentanyl is not the only substance that raises alarm bells for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The emergence of xylazine as a new danger is starting to infiltrate Texas, further complicating the drug crisis.
Xylazine: The Rising Threat in Drug Abuse
Xylazine is a depressant that operates differently from traditional pain medications, numbing nerves rather than blocking receptors in the brain. It affects the central nervous system, the neural pathways that transmit messages between the brain and the rest of the body.
Developed in 1962, xylazine is primarily used in veterinary medicine to sedate large animals like elephants and horses during examinations. It typically comes in liquid form, sold in vials or preloaded syringes, emphasizing the need for caution in its use.
When depressants are administered, the spinal cord relays signals to the brain, inducing a calming and euphoric sensation. This is why depressants are often prescribed for anxiety, panic disorders, and sleep disturbances.
The DEA first reported instances of xylazine being employed in illicit drug activities in the early 2000s, when drug dealers in Puerto Rico began mixing it with other substances. This trend has since spread across the United States and has recently been detected in Texas, often in combination with fentanyl.
Xylazine has been increasingly identified in overdose fatalities nationwide, frequently found alongside fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and a variety of other drugs, amplifying the complexities of the drug crisis.
Examining the Impact of Methamphetamine Abuse
Methamphetamine is a white, odorless, crystalline powder that emerged in the early 20th century as a derivative of amphetamine. Initially utilized in nasal decongestants and inhalers, it can also be converted into a crystal form by drug traffickers. This highly addictive stimulant has outpaced all others in the 2021 UT study of drug patterns in Texas.
This drug affects both the brain and spinal cord, creating a sensation of euphoria or heightened energy. Users may experience increased talkativeness, decreased appetite, and a general sense of well-being. However, meth also accelerates bodily functions to dangerous levels, leading to heightened blood pressure and increased heart and respiratory rates.
Recently, Texas drug labs have begun reporting cases of meth being disguised as counterfeit Adderall tablets, indicating that some meth users may remain unaware of their addiction to this potent substance.
Heroin and Its Continued Presence in Texas
Heroin is derived from morphine, a natural compound extracted from the seed pod of the opium poppy, commonly cultivated in Asia, Mexico, and Colombia. Often portrayed in media as a drug administered through needles, heroin can also be snorted or smoked. While it was once commonly mixed with crack cocaine, fentanyl has become the primary adulterant introduced to heroin derived from poppy plants. Dealers frequently “cut” heroin with various substances to increase volume and profit margins.
The 2021 UT study on drug patterns indicates that Texas has largely avoided the heroin overdose crises seen in other states, largely due to the prevalence of Mexican black tar heroin. This variant typically contains around 28% purity, making it more challenging to adulterate with fentanyl.
Black tar heroin is often sold in small balloons, with users extracting the sticky substance by mixing it with water and heating it, illustrating the unique methods of consumption associated with this illicit drug.
Cocaine and Crack: Understanding Their Impact
Cocaine, an exceptionally addictive stimulant derived from coca leaves, was historically used to treat various medical conditions and was commonly utilized by early practitioners to alleviate pain before the advent of modern anesthetics. Regular use can lead to alterations in brain structure and function. Users can inject or snort the powdered form of cocaine, while the term “crack” refers to the smokable variant created through processing.
Effective Strategies for Tackling the Drug Crisis
In response to the escalating overdose crisis, Texas lawmakers are taking proactive measures to combat the fentanyl epidemic through enforcement and community education initiatives.
Recently, Governor Greg Abbott signed four significant bills aimed at addressing the growing fentanyl crisis. Among these is House Bill 6, which designates overdoses from this synthetic opioid as “poisonings,” allowing for murder charges against individuals convicted of providing a fatal dose of the drug.
“These four laws will fundamentally change Texas by instituting new protections that will save lives,” he stated in a press release. “In 2022, more than 2,000 people died from fentanyl in Texas — more than five individuals each day. It is the leading cause of death among Americans aged 18-45.”
Additional measures signed by Abbott will establish a Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month in October and require public schools to provide resources for students aimed at preventing fentanyl misuse and raising awareness about drug poisoning. A fourth law will facilitate the distribution of Narcan or other opioid antagonists to educational institutions across Texas.
However, proposals for robust substance abuse policies, such as legalizing testing strips, have once again been dismissed by legislators.
Neill Harris, a drug policy fellow at the Baker Institute for Public Policy, emphasizes that to effectively combat fentanyl and the impending drug crisis, the state must enhance access to medical treatment for substance abuse rather than relying solely on enforcement measures.
“Until we implement policies that address the underlying demand, we will continue to grapple with drug use issues,” she remarked. “Law enforcement has historically struggled to curtail drug supply. Historically, this approach has not proven effective in reducing availability because there is always a persistent demand. This is simply a matter of economics.”
Michele Steeb, a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, views addiction as a complex brain disease. “Well-supported scientific evidence indicates that disruptions in brain function impede decision-making abilities and the regulation of actions, emotions, and impulses,” she stated. “… Diseases require appropriate treatment.”
If Texas is unable to manage the supply of drugs, Neill Harris proposes a shift in focus toward reducing the harm associated with drug use through the legalization of testing strips, increasing the availability of medication-assisted treatment such as methadone, and expanding substance use resources for uninsured individuals.
This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune, a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy.
