Speedball (drug) explained

Speedball, powerball, or over and under[1] is the polydrug mixture of a stimulant with a depressant, usually an opioid. The most well-known mixture used for recreational drug use is that of cocaine and heroin; however, amphetamines can also be mixed with morphine and/or fentanyl. A speedball may be taken intravenously or by nasal insufflation.[2]

Speedballs often give stronger effects than either drug when taken alone due to drug synergy, and are a particularly hazardous mixture that can easily cause heart attack, respiratory arrest and death.[3] When compared to single drugs, speedballs are more likely to lead to addiction,[4] and users are more likely to relapse[5] [6] and also to overdose.[7] [8] [9]

History

The classic speedball is heroin and cocaine.[10] It could also mean morphine and an amphetamine.[11]

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration warned in 2019 that the rapid rise of fentanyl supply in the country has led to combinations of both fentanyl and heroin with cocaine ("super speedballs"). In addition, the cross-contamination of powdered fentanyl into cocaine supplies has led to reports of cocaine users unknowingly consuming a speedball-like combination.[12]

Pink cocaine usually includes an unknown mix of uppers and downers and is sometimes called a speedball.[13] Cocaine mixed with ketamine is called a CK or Calvin Klein.

Reportedly speedballs now account for most of the overdose fatalities in San Francisco. Many people are not speedballing intentionally. Rather, it has become difficult to avoid because so much of the cocaine, crack and methamphetamine supply is adulterated with fentanyl.[14] As of 2023 it is being called the "fourth wave" of the opioid epidemic.[15] [16] [17]

Physiological response

It is a widespread misconception that taking downers will reduce the risk of adverse cardiac effects from stimulants, or vice versa. Stimulants and opioids are more dangerous when mixed because they work in different ways. Stimulants wear off before opiates. When heart rate changes quickly, first increasing rapidly from the effect of the stiumlant and then dropping quickly when the stimulant wears off and the full effects of the opiates are felt, this can cause a stroke or heart failure.[18]

Speedballs are extremely dangerous. The variations in heart rate and contraction caused by taking the mix of uppers/downers can lead to stroke or death even in young, healthy persons.[19]

Notable deaths attributed to speedball use

Notable incidents of use

In 1996, Steven Adler had a stroke after taking a speedball, leaving him with a permanent speech impediment.[41] That same year, Dave Gahan suffered a heart attack following a speedball overdose, but survived.[42] According to his autobiography, Slash experienced cardiac arrest for eight minutes after taking a speedball, but was revived.[43]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Drugs slang: what police must learn - I to Q . www.telegraph.co.uk. 8 November 2009 .
  2. Book: Healing Addiction: An Integrated Pharmacopsychosocial Approach to Treatment . registration . Peter R. . Martin . Bennett Alan . Weinberg . Bonnie K. . Bealer . . . 2007 . 122 . 978-0-471-65630-2.
  3. Book: Martin . Peter . Weinberg . Bennett Alan . Bealer . Bonnie K. . 2007 . Healing Addiction: An Integrated Pharmacopsychosocial Approach to Treatment . . 122 . 978-0-470-08273-7.
  4. none . Hunt . Dana E. . Lipton . Douglas S . Goldsmith . Douglas . Strug . David . 1984 . Street pharmacology: Uses of cocaine and heroin in the treatment of addiction . Drug and Alcohol Dependence . 13 . 4 . 377. 10.1016/0376-8716(84)90005-X . 6479016 .
  5. Duvauchelle . Christine L. . Sapoznik . Tova . Kornetsky . Conan . 1998 . The synergistic effects of combining cocaine and heroin ("speedball") using a progressive-ratio schedule of drug reinforcement. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior . . 61 . 3 . 297–302. 10.1016/S0091-3057(98)00098-7 . 9768564 . 21108950 . free .
  6. Wapler . M . Mendelson . J. H. . Teoj . S. K. . Mello . N. K. . Kuehnle . J. C. . Weiss . R. D. . Sholar . S. W. . Hanjra . B . Rhoades . E . 1992 . Buprenorphine attenuates drug craving in men with concurrent heroin and cocaine dependence . Problems of Drug Dependence . 339 .
  7. Ochoa . Kristen C. . Hahn . Judith A. . Seal . Karen H. . Moss . Andrew R. . 2001 . Overdosing among young injection drug users in San Francisco . . 26 . 3 . 453–460. 10.1016/S0306-4603(00)00115-5 . 11436937 .
  8. O'Driscoll . Peter T. . McGough . Jim . Holly . Hagan . Thiede . Hanne . Critchlow . Cathy . Alexander . E. Russell . 2001 . Predictors of Accidental Fatal Drug Overdose Among a Cohort of Injection Drug Users . . 91 . 6. 984–987 . 10.2105/ajph.91.6.984 . 11392946 . 1446480 .
  9. Latkin . Carl A. . Edwards . Catie . Melissa A. . Davey-Rothwell . Yang . Cui . Tobin . Karin E. . 2018 . The relationship between drug use settings, roles in the drug economy, and witnessing a drug overdose in Baltimore, Maryland . Substance Abuse . 39 . 3 . 384–389 . 10.1080/08897077.2018.1439801 . 29432084 . 6107432 .
  10. Web site: Combined Cocaine and Opioid Abuse: From Neurobiology to the Clinic . Rowlett . K. . Negus . S. S. . Shippenberg . T. S. . Mello . N. K. . Walsh . S. L. . Spealman . R. D. . amp . Opioids.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20200924163935/https://www.opioids.com/speedballs/ . September 24, 2020 . live.
  11. Web site: Definition of SPEEDBALL. 2024-08-17.
  12. Web site: 2019 National Drug Threat Assessment . 2022-05-27 . . 2019.
  13. Web site: Wiginton. Keri. Pink Cocaine: Risks, Effects, and Treatment. WebMD. 2024-08-17.
  14. Web site: So-Called ‘Speedball’ Mixtures of Fentanyl and Stimulants Now Account for Most SF Overdose Deaths. SFist - San Francisco News, Restaurants, Events, & Sports. 2024-08-17. 2023-12-11.
  15. News: Arditi . Lynn . Stimulant users caught up in fatal 'fourth wave' of opioid epidemic . 17 August 2024 . NPR . July 9, 2024.
  16. News: How the fentanyl crisis' fourth wave has hit every corner of the US. 2024-08-17. 2023-09-16.
  17. Web site: Speedballing: The Current Fourth Wave of the Overdose Crisis . Psychology Today. March 8, 2024 . 2024-08-17.
  18. Web site: What Everyone Should Know About the Risks of Speedballs - RAYSAC. 2024-08-18. 2022-06-07.
  19. Web site: Here’s What Happens When You Mix Cocaine and Ketamine. VICE. 2024-08-17. 2022-06-01.
  20. Web site: Death by Drugs: Fatal Celebrity Drug and Alcohol Addictions . Gatehouse Academy . 27 March 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110314151239/http://www.gatehouseacademy.com/research/articles/celebrity-drug-and-alcohol-addictions . 14 March 2011.
  21. Book: Largo, Michael . Michael Largo . 2010 . Genius and Heroin: Creativity and Reckless Abandon Through . . 22 . 978-0-06-204369-6.
  22. Book: Boyce Davies, Carole . Carole Boyce Davies . Basquiat, Jean-Michel (1960-1988) . Encyclopedia of the African Diaspora: Origins, Experiences, and Culture . https://books.google.com/books?id=P9ORpnGJh_IC&q=%22Jean-Michel+Basquiat%22+dead+OR+death+OR+died&pg=PA150 . 2008 . ABC-CLIO . 978-1-85109-700-5 . 150.
  23. Web site: Jean-Michel Basquiat: The neglected genius . Dowd . Vincent . 25 September 2017 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20210114135013/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-41359913 . 14 January 2021 . live.
  24. Web site: Report Says Overdose Killed Caminiti . Litsky . Frank . 2 November 2004 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20210309111752/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/02/sports/baseball/report-says-overdose-killed-caminiti.html . 9 March 2021 . live.
  25. Web site: Chris Farley's Death Laid to Drug Overdose . January 3, 1998 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20201201100908/https://www.nytimes.com/1998/01/03/us/chris-farley-s-death-laid-to-drug-overdose.html . 1 December 2020 . live.
  26. Web site: Chrissie Hynde Without Tears . . James . Henke . 26 April 1984 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201210151813/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/chrissie-hynde-without-tears-101729/ . 10 December 2020 . live.
  27. Web site: Obituary: Zac Foley . Peacock . Tim . 1 October 2002 . Whisperin' and Hollerin' . https://web.archive.org/web/20181119091911/http://www.whisperinandhollerin.com/incoming/item.asp?id=4 . 19 November 2018 . live.
  28. Web site: JAG star died from drug overdose, coroner rules . 6 August 2003 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20190803150824/https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/jag-star-died-from-drug-overdose-coroner-rules-20030806-gdh7zb.html . 3 August 2019 . live.
  29. Web site: Report: Mitch Hedberg died of drug overdose . . 27 December 2005 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20210320025000/https://www.today.com/popculture/report-mitch-hedberg-died-drug-overdose-1C9482109 . 20 March 2021 . live.
  30. Web site: Philip Seymour Hoffman Killed By Massive OD Heroin, Coke, Rx Meds . 28 February 2014 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20210126034750/https://www.tmz.com/2014/02/28/philip-seymour-hoffman-cause-of-death-heroin-benzodiazepine-amphetamine/ . 26 January 2021 . live.
  31. Web site: UK artist Sebastian Horsley dies of overdose . 18 June 2010 . . dead . https://archive.today/20120714212603/http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=1072541 . 14 July 2012.
  32. Web site: House artist DJ Rashad died of a drug overdose, post-mortem confirms . Sean . Michaels . 8 Aug 2015 . The Guardian.
  33. Web site: Report: Kris Kross' Chris Kelly Autopsy Complete . Rob . Markman . 2 May 2013 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20210125090021/http://www.mtv.com/news/1706734/kris-kross-chris-kelly-autopsy/ . 25 January 2021 . dead.
  34. Web site: Grateful Dead Member Died of Drug Overdose . United Press International . 11 August 1990 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20210505122528/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-08-11-mn-236-story.html . 5 May 2021 . live.
  35. News: Death of River Phoenix Is Linked To Use of Cocaine and Morphine . Seth . Mydans . 13 November 1993 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20210301065743/https://www.nytimes.com/1993/11/13/us/death-of-river-phoenix-is-linked-to-use-of-cocaine-and-morphine.html . 1 March 2021 . live.
  36. Edwards . Gavin . River Phoenix's Tragic Overdose: Dan Aykroyd Warned Him About Heroin Dependency . Vanity Fair . April 19, 2022 . October 17, 2013.
  37. Book: Alfonso, Barry . The Billboard Guide to Contemporary Christian Music . 2002 . Billboard Books . 978-0-8230-7718-2 . 243.
  38. Web site: Report: Staley Died of Heroin/Cocaine Overdose . 8 May 2002 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20210118023652/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/75852/report-staley-died-of-heroincocaine-overdose . 18 January 2021 . live.
  39. Book: Aldrich . Robert . Wotherspoon . Garry . Who's Who in Contemporary Gay and Lesbian History Vol.2: From World War II to the Present Day . 23 November 2000 . Routledge . 978-0-203-99408-5 . 387. Based on information from Charles Isherwood's Wonder Bread and Ecstasy.
  40. Web site: Medical Examiner Reveals Cause of Death for Michael K. Williams . 24 September 2021 . The Daily Beast.
  41. News: Himmelsbach . Eric . Little Drummer Boy Lost . . Southland Publishing . 8 July 2004.
  42. Web site: This Much I Know: Dave Gahan, singer, 45, London . Davis . Johnny . 28 October 2007 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20210326125148/https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2007/oct/28/magazine.features7 . 26 March 2021 . live.
  43. Book: Hudson, Saul . Slash . 2007 . HarperEntertainment . United States . 978-0-06-135142-6 . 480.

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