Researcher Warns of Drug That Can Sidestep Regulation, Result in Death
UNC Charlotte researcher John Stogner is sounding the alarm about a drug that is 5 to 15 times stronger than heroin — and escapes detection on drug screens unless doctors specifically look for it.
Stogner, a criminologist and drug researcher, recently published a paper in the Annals of Emergency Medicine on acetyl fentanyl, a potentially deadly opioid.
“This is a particularly scary drug because of the threat of immediate overdose and death,” said Stogner, an assistant professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology. “What is worse is that we may not pick up on it.”
Stogner suggests that some narcotics dealers are mixing the opioid with heroin. The resulting overdoses may not respond to standard doses of the opiate-reversal drug naloxone. Stogner’s article warns emergency physicians to brace for “an upswing in what appear on the surface to be heroin overdoses” but are actually cases that involve acetyl fentanyl.
Compounding the issue is acetyl fentanyl’s legal status – it is not specifically scheduled under the Controlled Substance Act. It does not qualify as an analogue and therefore cannot be packaged for human consumption, but as long as it is labeled “not for human consumption,” it can sidestep regulations. Other substances that have fallen into this grey legal area were MDPV, mephedrone, and synthetic marijuana products as bath salts, potpourri and plant food until specifically as a controlled substance.
“My goal is to better understand this emerging drug phenomenon,” Stogner said. “I am looking at these drugs that we haven’t seen (before) and (seeking to) understand which one is the next to cause problems in society.”
Drug networks may profit from the murky legal status of this opiate by using it in place of mainstream drugs and selling it through shrewd distribution networks. Dealers could easily purchase this drug and mix it with heroin to deceive users, Stogner’s research indicates. Users can obtain it without fear of prosecution unless it’s mixed with heroin.
The rise in use of acetyl fentanyl follows the path of other novel psychoactive substances, such as salvia and synthetic stimulants referred to as “bath salts”. Stogner’s past research has demonstrated how easily and quickly these drugs can make their way into the community. Outbreaks of acetyl fentanyl use have occurred in North Carolina, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania.
“One common feature of novel psychoactive substance abuse is the speed at which the drugs emerge as problematic substances,” Stogner states in his paper.
Users become aware of the substances before information appears in criminological or medical journals. This puts law enforcement and medical personnel in a reactive mode, leaving them unprepared as legal and medical responses catch up.
Stogner’s research holds significant practical implications, helping law enforcement, health care professionals, social workers and others to be better prepared.
“The number of potentially problematic compounds is countless, but through the use of experiences and education in the field of criminology, it is possible to forecast which drugs are likely to become an issue,” he said.
Stogner Pulls from Deep Knowledge
Stogner draws upon his extensive and varied experiences to guide his research, with solid grounding in the topics. He earned his bachelors’ degrees in psychology and zoology from North Carolina State University, a master’s degree in criminal justice from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and a doctoral degree in criminology, law, and society from the University of Florida.
He first grew interested in emerging drug trends during the first two years of medical school at UNC Chapel Hill. At that time he found himself drawn to the field of criminology and drug research.
“My earlier works are not on the topic, but I find the area of emerging drugs much more interesting, since emerging drugs are always evolving,” he said. “There is always something new to deal with.”
His research into these new substances follows traditional academic methods, as well as some non-traditional approaches. In addition to analyzing data, he has monitored online forums where addicts communicate and read news articles about spikes of these drugs in small towns.
In 2014, Stogner co-authored with David N. Khey and Bryan Lee Miller a book on the subject, Emerging Trends in Drug Use and Distribution (Springer.) Another book by the same collaborators is under contract with Taylor & Francis, titled Synthetic and Novel Drugs: Emerging Issues, Legal Policy and Public Health. He has published dozens of journal articles and presented regionally and nationally on related topics.
National media also have picked up on Stogner’s research, reporting on this recent study in publications including the Los Angeles Times, The Baltimore Sun and Fox News. Stogner, who also writes about the issues on his blog, welcomes the spreading of the word beyond medical and criminology professionals.
“We want to spot the next trend, and then the trend after that so we can be better prepared,” he said. “Bath salts and salvia caught the field off guard, and the goal is for that not to happen again.”
Words: Seth Allen, Student Communications Assistant
Image: Courtesy of John Stogner