Opioid Overdose Deaths Increase In Boston | Dangers Of Fentanyl & Tranq

While the opioid crisis has impacted all of Massachusetts, it’s hit Boston especially hard. 

Between 2019 and 2022, the city’s opioid-related overdose death rate rose by 36%, compared to a 16% rise statewide. 

Most Boston overdose deaths involve the opioid fentanyl. Many also involve xylazine (“tranq”), an animal tranquilizer that’s grown increasingly common in the city’s drug supply. 

The Increase Of Opioid Overdose Deaths In Boston

The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) recently announced that in 2022, 352 Bostonians died of opioid overdoses, a 7% increase from 2021. Over 90% of those deaths involved fentanyl. 

According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, fentanyl caused a similar death surge for the state as a whole. In 2022, 2,357 Massachusetts residents died of opioid overdoses. This record-high number marks a 2.5% increase from the previous year.

Health officials believe these increases stem largely from xylazine, a drug that many traffickers are now lacing in fentanyl to make it even more potent. 

The Dangers Of Fentanyl & Tranq

By itself, fentanyl poses an extremely high risk of fatal overdose. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it’s up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Just two milligrams (the size of a few grains of sand) could kill someone. 

Each day, over 150 people die of overdoses involving fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.

Accidental Overdose

Like other opioids, fentanyl can cause a fatal overdose by slowing down or stopping your breathing. It’s also highly addictive. 

Unfortunately, many people ingest it on accident. 

Because fentanyl is relatively cheap to manufacture, some drug dealers add it to heroin, Xanax, or other drugs without telling buyers. 

Xylazine-Laced Fentanyl & Other Drugs

In recent years, dealers have also started selling fentanyl and fentanyl-laced drugs that secretly contain xylazine. 

Xylazine (also called “tranq” or “tranq dope”) is a non-opioid tranquilizer. Because it’s extremely powerful, it’s not approved for human use. Instead, veterinarians use it to sedate horses, cattle, and other large animals. 

As with opioids, xylazine is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant, which means it slows down your breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure. 

It can slow your breathing to a life-threatening degree, especially when combined with other CNS depressants, including opioids. Since fentanyl is among the strongest opioids, mixing it with xylazine often leads to death. 

Also, like fentanyl, xylazine poses a high risk of substance use disorder (drug addiction).

Solutions To Boston’s Opioid Crisis

To stop the rise in deaths involving fentanyl and xylazine, BPHC plans to enhance its overdose prevention strategies. In particular, it aims to increase harm reduction efforts and address racial inequalities regarding overdose prevention and addiction treatment. 

Increasing Harm Reduction Efforts

Harm reduction is a public health approach that seeks to reduce drug overdoses and other health problems among people who misuse drugs. BPHC can help fight the deadly effects of fentanyl and xylazine by increasing access to harm reduction services, including naloxone distribution.

Naloxone (brand name Narcan) is a medication that blocks the effects of opioids. It can quickly and safely reverse an opioid overdose in people of all ages. In 2022, BPHC distributed almost 15,000 doses of Narcan to residents and community partners. 

Research shows that Narcan plays an important role in reducing opioid overdose deaths. 

One Narcan distribution program in Massachusetts reduced opioid overdose deaths by 11%. Unfortunately, while Narcan can block the effects of fentanyl, it will not block the effects of xylazine. That’s because Narcan only works on opioids. 

However, it could still save your life if your xylazine overdose also involved fentanyl or another opioid. Thus, you should administer Narcan to anyone showing signs of overdose, even if you don’t know what drugs they used. These signs include:

• drowsiness
• choking or gurgling sounds
• pale, clammy, or bluish skin
• bluish lips and/or fingernails
• limp body
• slowed or stopped breathing
• slowed or stopped heartbeat
• loss of consciousness

Along with Narcan, many harm reduction programs offer fentanyl test strips. These strips can detect the presence of fentanyl in other drugs. Some harm reduction programs also offer xylazine test strips, though they’re relatively new and therefore less accessible for now.

Addressing Racial Inequalities 

According to BPHC, the rise in Boston overdose deaths has disproportionately affected Black and Hispanic people. In 2022, 30% of the city’s fatal opioid overdoses occurred in Black residents, while 21% occurred in Hispanic residents. 

In addition, compared to white residents, the average annual opioid overdose fatality rate between 2020 and 2022 was 66% higher for Black residents and 31% higher for Hispanic residents. 

Also, a 2019 study showed that Black and Hispanic residents were far less likely than white residents to access addiction treatment within 30 days of a non-fatal opioid overdose. 

Without addiction treatment, people who experience a non-fatal overdose face an extremely high risk of fatal overdose in the future.

Equal Access To Addiction Treatment

BPHC aims to fight these disparities by ensuring that all Boston residents have equal access to overdose prevention strategies as well as addiction treatment. 

If you or someone you love struggles with drug use, please reach out to an Ark Behavioral health specialist. Our board-certified healthcare providers offer medical detox, mental health counseling, and other evidence-based services to help you or your loved one stay drug-free.