Fentanyl and the Addiction Economy: Unpacking the Shifting Crisis

Addiction Economy Thought For Today - Fentanyl deaths have reduced total US male life expectancy by one year, but they are going down significantly, now 20% below their 2023 peak. Good article by John Burn-Murdoch. Reasons unclear, but interesting Addiction Economy contributions in the understanding of why it is happening:

1. A large Mexican cartel has banned production in a bid to ease pressure from law enforcement - less availability, less death.

2. Or, they are cutting it with horse tranquilliser xylazine, which alters the high, but also postpones withdrawal, so you don't have as much which reduces overdose. Making addictive product design less addictive.

3. Xylazine is thought to be behind users smoking it instead of injecting it, reducing lethality. Addictive product design again. Interesting to ponder Joe Woof's point on a recent post where inhalation, with modified vapes which is as quick into the blood stream as injection, might be an innovation for these drugs. What will that do - worse or better?

4. Much like an infectious disease, it has worked its way through the vulnerable population and people have figured out how to use it more safely. I don't have a box for that!

Nothing about whether government interventions, which are rather piecemeal, or people not starting it in the first place because it's so well known to be so scary are an option. 'Policy is probably playing a smaller role than assumed."

Interesting, wonder what happens when the cartels want their market back. Let's hope support for enforcement on supply which has pushed them into this is kept up under Trump.