A deadly mix including Xanax is being sold as heroin in the UK

A report from an NHS Foundation Trust concerning contaminated drugs in the London area has come to our attention concerning the benzodiazepine, alprazolam. The batch was bought under the pretence that it was heroin but was later confirmed as a mixture of alprazolam, caffeine and paracetamol that, if injected, presents a significant risk of death.

The incident happened in the Slough and Guilford areas. The side effects reported are extreme drowsiness, flu-like symptoms and vomiting, although the vomiting is more likely to be a result of heroin withdrawal. Reports say the powder may have an orange tinge and has the appearance of foundation make up. There are differing reports to the colour of the powder when cooked; some are saying almost black, others are saying dark green or dark red. The number of incidents are unconfirmed at this time and the source unknown.

However, this is not the first time Alprazolam, a powerful sedative, has been unknowingly bought by heroin users. Earlier this month, more than ten people were treated after injecting the substance. There have been cases where not only was there Alprazolam in the batch but there was no trace of heroin.

Originally made to supplant barbiturates, benzodiazepines (Benzos) are a Class C drug used for many conditions including anxiety and panic disorders, insomnia and alcohol withdrawal. They are commonly used in the medical profession as a premedication for medical procedures. For most the conditions they can treat, it is usually only prescribed for short periods of time.

Common short-term side effects include drowsiness, decreased alertness and lack of concentration, longer term effect can include general deterioration in mental and physical health. Other reactions to Benzos include irrational aggression, violence and suicidal behaviour although these are rare.

Because of its widespread availability, benzodiazepines- alprazolam in particular- is the most commonly misused drug. Many benzos are used to alleviate the “come down” effect of speed ecstasy or cocaine. It cannot be dissolved fully in water and as a result, this can result in serious damage to the arteries if taken intravenously. A study in USA by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that if mixed with alcohol it could have severe and even fatal consequences.

We ask that people be aware and exercise caution. If any of the potential symptoms are displayed it is strongly advised to get to the nearest Accident and Emergency room to get treated, especially if you are in the Slough and Guilford area. Once again the symptoms are Drowsiness, flu-like symptoms and vomiting. If you come across any substance similar to the description above then do not use it.

Submitted by ciaran418 on Fri, 12/11/2010 - 17:14

Original Link via talkingdrugs.org

UK - Study: Alcohol is the most lethal drug, outranking heroin, crack cocaine, marijuana

LONDON — Alcohol is more dangerous than illegal drugs like heroin and crack cocaine, according to a new study.

British experts evaluated substances including alcohol, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and marijuana, ranking them based on how destructive they are to the individual who takes them and to society as a whole.

Researchers analyzed how addictive a drug is and how it harms the human body, in addition to other criteria like environmental damage caused by the drug, its role in breaking up families and its economic costs, such as health care, social services, and prison.

Heroin, crack cocaine and metamfetamines, or crystal meth, were the most lethal to individuals. When considering their wider social effects, alcohol, heroin and crack cocaine were the deadliest. But overall, alcohol outranked all other substances, followed by heroin and crack cocaine. Marijuana, ecstasy and LSD scored far lower.

The study was paid for by Britain's Centre for Crime and Justice Studies and was published online Monday in the medical journal, Lancet.

Experts said alcohol scored so high because it is so widely used and has devastating consequences not only for drinkers but for those around them.

"Just think about what happens (with alcohol) at every football game," said Wim van den Brink, a professor of psychiatry and addiction at the University of Amsterdam. He was not linked to the study and co-authored a commentary in the Lancet.

When drunk in excess, alcohol damages nearly all organ systems. It is also connected to higher death rates and is involved in a greater percentage of crime than most other drugs, including heroin.

But experts said it would be impractical and incorrect to outlaw alcohol.

"We cannot return to the days of prohibition," said Leslie King, an adviser to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and one of the study's authors. "Alcohol is too embedded in our culture and it won't go away."

King said countries should target problem drinkers, not the vast majority of people who indulge in a drink or two. He said governments should consider more education programs and raising the price of alcohol so it isn't as widely available.

Experts said the study should prompt countries to reconsider how they classify drugs. For example, last year in Britain, the government increased its penalties for the possession of marijuana. One of its senior advisers, David Nutt — the lead author on the Lancet study — was fired after he criticized the British decision.

"What governments decide is illegal is not always based on science," said van den Brink. He said considerations about revenue and taxation, like those garnered from the alcohol and tobacco industries, may influence decisions about which substances to regulate or outlaw.

"Drugs that are legal cause at least as much damage, if not more, than drugs that are illicit," he said.


By Maria Cheng (CP)
October 31, 2010