The International journal on drug policy
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Int. J. Drug Policy · Aug 2018
Going knock-Recurrent comatose GHB intoxication in the Netherlands & Flanders (Belgium).
Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) overdose is an important concern in the Netherlands and Flanders, Belgium and accounts for most overdoses reported by emergency services. Few stu dies have focused on GHB overdose. Appropriate public health responses have yet to be developed. We report an explorative survey of people who use GHB and their experience with GHB overdose, aiming to identify risk and protective factors associated with comatose intoxication after GHB ingestion. ⋯ We found extremely high rates of comatose intoxication after GHB use and the strongest association with GHB overdose concerned the lifetime number of GHB consumption episodes. Poly-drug consumption appears to be the norm in our entire sample, but does not necessarily distinguish heavy or high risk consumption from more recreational use. Using in the company of friends may offer some level of protection against GHB overdose. Overdose prevention, stabilizing heavy and harmful drug consumption patterns and reducing the harms associated therewith should become an important priority in the Dutch response to GHB.
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Int. J. Drug Policy · Aug 2018
Comparative StudyAssessing the effectiveness of New York's 911 Good Samaritan Law-Evidence from a natural experiment.
Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the United States. Nationally, opioids are the primary drugs associated with accidental overdoses. In response to increasing overdose deaths, 40 states and the District of Columbia have enacted Good Samaritan Laws (GSLs). Generally, these policies attempt to encourage witnesses or those experiencing an overdose to call 911 by providing limited immunity from arrest, charge and/or prosecution of possession of narcotics. The aim of the current study is to evaluate the effectiveness of New York State's 911 GSL. ⋯ Accidental heroin overdose emergency department visits and inpatient hospital admissions increased in New York State after the enactment of the 911 GSL, consistent with the intended effect of the GSL. Preliminary evidence suggests that either persons who use heroin and/or those around them were impacted by the policy change.