Health officials warn of party drug risk

Wicomico County, Md. – September marks recovery and opioid awareness month, and health officials in Wicomico County are doing their part to highlight the dangers of illicit drugs.

We sat down with Jessica Taylor of the Wicomico County Health Department who tells us that it’s not just hard dugs like heroin that people should be concerned about. Uppers and downers and party drugs also pose their own risk as these drugs are almost always impure.

Officials tell 47 ABC that these drugs are often times cut with substances such as baby powder, Vitamin E, and even laxatives.

However Jessica Taylor says that fentanyl is also being added to some of these drugs in order to increase their potency, which can make some of these substances fatal upon use: “it’s being mixed. It’s the potency, its the cost because its cheaper, the intensity of the euphoria, so they are being laced and mixed.”

Taylor went on to explain how the powerful feeling of euphoria one gets from using these drugs can quickly lead to a dependency: “our brain attaches to a certain substance depending on what it likes.”

This dependency is even possible to develop after a first time use, and Taylor says that family or friend of the user may have no idea that their loved ones are actively suffering from addiction.

Nurse practitioner and Director of Salisbury University’s Health Services Lindsey Parker says when it comes to addiction, especially for young people, its always better to get help sooner rather than later.

“Its important that a student seek resources early and not to be afraid of any punitive measures,” Parker explained. “We would be here to help any students that need help and we would encourage them to come to us for resources.”

With the ongoing opioid epidemic across Delmarva, and the nation for that matter, both Salisbury University health services and local police have been equipped and trained with Narcan, the live-saving opioid overdose reversal medication, for the unfortunate possibility that they encounter an overdose.