Opiate strength. Comprehensive Guide to Opioid Strength: From Carfentanil to Codeine
What is the strongest opioid known to medical science. How do different opioids compare in potency. Which opioids are commonly prescribed for pain management. What are the dangers of synthetic opioids like fentanyl. How can one recognize and respond to an opioid overdose.
The Opioid Potency Spectrum: From Strongest to Weakest
Understanding the relative strength of different opioids is crucial for healthcare professionals, patients, and anyone concerned about the opioid crisis. This comprehensive guide explores the spectrum of opioid potency, from the most powerful synthetic compounds to milder prescription medications.
Carfentanil: The Apex of Opioid Potency
At the pinnacle of opioid strength sits carfentanil, a synthetic opioid so potent that it’s primarily used as a tranquilizer for large animals like elephants. How strong is carfentanil compared to other opioids? It’s estimated to be 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times stronger than fentanyl. This extreme potency makes carfentanil incredibly dangerous for human use, with no known safe dosage.
Fentanyl and Its Analogs: A Deadly Synthetic Threat
Following carfentanil in strength is fentanyl and its various analogs. Fentanyl itself is approximately 50-100 times more potent than morphine. This synthetic opioid, originally developed for pain management in cancer patients, has become a major contributor to the opioid crisis due to its potency and prevalence in the illicit drug market.
- Sufentanil: 5-10 times stronger than fentanyl
- Alfentanil: About 1/4 to 1/10 the potency of fentanyl
- Remifentanil: Similar potency to fentanyl, but with a much shorter duration of action
The Dangers of Illicitly Manufactured Fentanyl (IMF)
Illicitly manufactured fentanyl (IMF) poses a significant threat to public health. Why is IMF so dangerous? Its extreme potency means that even tiny amounts can cause overdose, and it’s often mixed with other drugs without the user’s knowledge. IMF can be found in various forms, including:
- Powder
- Liquid
- Counterfeit pills
- Nasal sprays
- Eye drops
- Laced paper or small candies
The presence of IMF in the drug supply has led to a surge in overdose deaths. How many lives are lost to synthetic opioids like fentanyl? According to recent data, over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids.
Recognizing and Responding to Opioid Overdose
Given the potency of synthetic opioids, recognizing the signs of an overdose can be life-saving. What are the key indicators of an opioid overdose?
- Pinpoint pupils
- Loss of consciousness
- Slow, weak, or absent breathing
- Choking or gurgling sounds
- Limp body
- Cold and clammy skin
- Discoloration of lips and nails
If you suspect someone is experiencing an opioid overdose, immediate action is crucial. What steps should you take?
- Call 911 immediately
- Administer naloxone if available
- Keep the person awake and breathing if possible
- Position them on their side to prevent choking
- Stay with them until emergency services arrive
Prescription Opioids: Balancing Pain Management and Risk
While synthetic opioids like fentanyl dominate headlines, prescription opioids remain an important tool in pain management. How do common prescription opioids compare in strength?
Hydromorphone (Dilaudid)
Hydromorphone is approximately 7-8 times more potent than morphine. It’s often used for severe pain, particularly in hospital settings.
Oxymorphone (Opana)
Oxymorphone is about 3 times stronger than morphine. It’s used for moderate to severe pain but has a higher risk of dependence compared to some other opioids.
Methadone
Methadone’s potency can vary widely depending on the individual’s tolerance. It’s unique in its long-acting nature and is often used in opioid addiction treatment as well as pain management.
Oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet)
Oxycodone is approximately 1.5 times stronger than morphine. It’s widely prescribed for moderate to severe pain, often in combination with acetaminophen.
Morphine
Morphine is the standard against which other opioids are measured. It remains a crucial tool in pain management, particularly for severe and chronic pain.
Hydrocodone (Vicodin, Norco)
Hydrocodone is slightly less potent than morphine. It’s often combined with acetaminophen and is one of the most commonly prescribed opioids in the United States.
Codeine
At the lower end of the potency spectrum is codeine, which is about 1/10 as strong as morphine. It’s often used for mild to moderate pain and as a cough suppressant.
The Role of Naloxone in Combating Opioid Overdose
Naloxone is a critical tool in the fight against opioid overdose deaths. How does naloxone work, and why is it so important? Naloxone rapidly reverses the effects of opioids by blocking opioid receptors in the brain. It can quickly restore normal breathing in someone experiencing an overdose, potentially saving their life.
Naloxone is available in all 50 U.S. states and can often be obtained without a prescription. Its widespread availability has become a key strategy in harm reduction efforts. Who should consider carrying naloxone?
- People who use opioids
- Friends and family of opioid users
- First responders
- Anyone who may encounter opioid overdose situations
The Importance of Fentanyl Test Strips
Given the prevalence of fentanyl in the illicit drug supply, fentanyl test strips have become an important harm reduction tool. How do these test strips work? They can detect the presence of fentanyl in drug samples, potentially alerting users to dangerous adulterants in their drugs.
While test strips can be a valuable safeguard, it’s important to note their limitations. Can fentanyl test strips detect all dangerous opioids? Unfortunately, they may not detect more potent fentanyl analogs like carfentanil. Therefore, while test strips can provide valuable information, they should not be considered foolproof protection against overdose risk.
The Emerging Threat of Xylazine
A new danger has emerged in the opioid crisis: xylazine, an animal tranquilizer increasingly found in the U.S. illicit drug supply. Why is xylazine particularly concerning? It’s not an opioid, which means it doesn’t respond to naloxone. When combined with opioids like fentanyl, xylazine can significantly increase the risk of overdose and complicate treatment efforts.
The presence of xylazine in the drug supply underscores the importance of comprehensive harm reduction strategies and the need for ongoing research into overdose prevention and treatment.
Legal and Policy Responses to the Opioid Crisis
The devastating impact of potent opioids has prompted various legal and policy responses. What measures have been implemented to address the opioid crisis?
- Good Samaritan laws: These laws provide legal protection for individuals who call for help during an overdose situation, encouraging people to seek emergency assistance without fear of prosecution.
- Prescription drug monitoring programs: These databases help track opioid prescriptions, aiming to prevent doctor shopping and identify potentially problematic prescribing patterns.
- Increased access to addiction treatment: Many jurisdictions have expanded access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder.
- Stricter prescribing guidelines: The CDC and other organizations have issued guidelines to promote more cautious opioid prescribing practices.
- Naloxone access laws: Many states have implemented laws to increase access to naloxone, including allowing pharmacists to dispense it without a prescription.
While these measures have shown some promise, the opioid crisis remains a complex and evolving challenge. Ongoing research, policy innovation, and public health efforts are crucial in addressing this multifaceted issue.
Understanding the relative potency of different opioids is just one piece of the puzzle in addressing the opioid crisis. From the extreme danger posed by synthetic opioids like carfentanil and fentanyl to the careful balance required in using prescription opioids for pain management, this knowledge forms the foundation for informed decision-making, both in clinical settings and in public health policy. As we continue to grapple with the complexities of opioid use and misuse, education, harm reduction strategies, and evidence-based policies will be key to saving lives and promoting public health.
Fentanyl Facts
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Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. It is a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the U.S.1
There are two types of fentanyl: pharmaceutical fentanyl and illicitly manufactured fentanyl. Both are considered synthetic opioids. Pharmaceutical fentanyl is prescribed by doctors to treat severe pain, especially after surgery and for advanced-stage cancer.
However, most recent cases of fentanyl-related overdose are linked to illicitly manufactured fentanyl, which is distributed through illegal drug markets for its heroin-like effect. It is often added to other drugs because of its extreme potency, which makes drugs cheaper, more powerful, more addictive, and more dangerous.
Illicitly manufactured fentanyl
Illicitly manufactured fentanyl (IMF) is available on the drug market in different forms, including liquid and powder1.
Powdered fentanyl looks just like many other drugs. It is commonly mixed with drugs like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine and made into pills that are made to resemble other prescription opioids. Fentanyl-laced drugs are extremely dangerous, and many people may be unaware that their drugs are laced with fentanyl.
In its liquid form, IMF can be found in nasal sprays, eye drops, and dropped onto paper or small candies.
Street names for IMF include:
- Apache
- Dance Fever
- Friend
- Goodfellas
- Jackpot
- Murder 8
- Tango & Cash 1
Fentanyl and Overdose
Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are the most common drugs involved in overdose deaths.1 Even in small doses, it can be deadly. Over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl.2
Drugs may contain deadly levels of fentanyl, and you wouldn’t be able to see it, taste it, or smell it. It is nearly impossible to tell if drugs have been laced with fentanyl unless you test your drugs with fentanyl test strips.
Test strips are inexpensive and typically give results within 5 minutes, which can be the difference between life or death. Even if the test is negative, take caution as test strips might not detect more potent fentanyl-like drugs, like carfentanil.3
An animal tranquilizer called xylazine is increasingly being found in the US illicit drug supply and linked to overdose deaths. Xylazine can be life-threatening and is especially dangerous when combined with opioids like fentanyl.
Signs of overdose
Recognizing the signs of opioid overdose can save a life. Here are some things to look for:
- Small, constricted “pinpoint pupils”
- Falling asleep or losing consciousness
- Slow, weak, or no breathing
- Choking or gurgling sounds
- Limp body
- Cold and/or clammy skin
- Discolored skin (especially in lips and nails)
Protect yourself from the dangers of fentanyl (:60)
Protect yourself from the dangers of fentanyl (:30)
Protect friends and family with lifesaving naloxone (:60)
Protect friends and family with lifesaving naloxone (:30)
Understanding the risks of mixing drugs (:60)
What to do if you think someone is overdosing
It may be hard to tell whether a person is high or experiencing an overdose. If you aren’t sure, treat it like an overdose—you could save a life.
Call 911 Immediately.*
Administer naloxone, if available.**
Try to keep the person awake and breathing.
Lay the person on their side to prevent choking.
Stay with the person until emergency assistance arrives.
*Most states have laws that may protect a person who is overdosing or the person who called for help from legal trouble.
** Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can reverse the effects of opioid overdose and save lives. It is available in all 50 states and can be purchased from a local pharmacy without a prescription in most states.
- Wilson N, Kariisa M, Seth P, Smith H IV, Davis NL. Drug and Opioid-Involved Overdose Deaths — United States, 2017–2018. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020;69:290–297. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6911a4
- NCHS, National Vital Statistics System. Estimates for 2020 are based on provisional data. Estimates for 2015-2019 are based on final data (available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/drug-overdose-data.htm).
- Bergh, Marianne Skov-Skov et al. “Selectivity and sensitivity of urine fentanyl test strips to detect fentanyl analogues in illicit drugs.” The International Journal on Drug Policy. Vol. 90 (2021): https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2020.103065
List of Opioids Strongest To Weakest
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/ Opioid and Opiate Addiction, Drug Addiction / By
Harmony Recovery Center
Carfentanil
Carfentanil is a painkiller and analgesic used on large animals such as elephants and is 10,000 times stronger than morphine. As such, it is not intended for use in humans, as there is no known safe dosage. In recent years, carfentanil, which is likely illicitly produced, has been used as a buffering agent in heroin and other drugs. As a result, it has been responsible for hundreds of deaths in the U.S. Just two milligrams of carfentanil is enough to sedate an elephant. Moreover, law enforcement and first responders have been warned that if bare skin touches even a small amount of carfentanil, severe effects may occur, including death.
Dsuvia
In November 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Dsuvia, a relatively new prescription opioid. It comes in the form of a sublingual tablet that is placed under the tongue where it dissolves. It induces pain relief rapidly in people (such as combat soldiers) who have experienced profound trauma, such as a gunshot wound or severely broken bone. Dsuvia contains the synthetic opioid sufentanil is five times to 10 times stronger than fentanyl itself, and 1,000 times more potent than morphine. Detractors of the drug claim that an opioid of this strength is unnecessary and will only provide more fuel to the ongoing U.S. opioid overdose crisis.
Fentanyl
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid up to 50 times more potent than heroin. Legally, fentanyl is a prescription drug prescribed to patients to manage severe pain after injury or surgery. It may also be prescribed to patients who suffer from chronic pain who do not respond well to less potent opioids or have built up a physical tolerance to them. Due to its strength and high potential for addiction, Fentanyl is classified as a schedule II drug and is considered to be extremely dangerous. Like carfentanil, just a two-milligram dose of Fentanyl can be lethal in humans.
Heroin
Heroin is a semi-synthetic opiate derived from the opium alkaloid morphine. Heroin is not considered to have any legitimate medical purpose. Also, heroin’s potency is profoundly affected by other agents used as buffers, which may include fentanyl and other opioids. Heroin has a very high potential for abuse and addiction and can be administered by injecting, snorting, or smoking. It is typically found as a whitish powder or a black sticky substance (black tar heroin). When injected, heroin enters the brain and bloodstream more rapidly than many other opioids, converts back to morphine, and produces near immediate feelings of euphoria.
U-47700 or Pink
U-47700 is an illicit synthetic opioid about 7-8 times more powerful than morphine. It was developed in the 1970s by Upjohn and an intended painkiller but has remained inactive in the pharmaceutical industry. Recently, however, it has resurfaced on the streets, believed by the FDA to be imported from China and Eastern Europe. U-47700 (also known as Pink) is widely available on the black market, and due to its high potency and absence of government regulation, it has health officials very concerned as overdoses continue to increase.
Hydromorphone
Hydromorphone is another prescription opioid about four times more potent than morphine. It is commonly prescribed as a painkiller under the brand name Dilaudid. Because it has a high potential for abuse, and can quickly lead to both physical and psychological dependence, hydromorphone is classified as a schedule II drug. It has been frequently misused as a heroin substitute because it can be diluted in liquid and injected into the bloodstream, a method that helps the user to experience the effects more rapidly. Indeed, that is precisely how it is administered in hospitals (as an intravenous drip) to treat severe pain.
Oxymorphone
Oxymorphone is a prescription painkiller about three times as potent as morphine. It used to be found by the brand name Opana and was prescribed to treat moderate to severe pain. It was typically found in tablet form but was sometimes prescribed as an injectable solution. Oxymorphone is classified as a schedule II opioid with a high potential for both abuse and addiction. Its presence in the legal or illicit drug market currently appears to be scant. The makers of Opana, Endo International, has announced in the summer of 2017 that it would voluntarily remove Opana ER from the market, following the FDA’s request to withdraw the reformulated opioid pain medication.
Methadone
Like oxymorphone, methadone is about three times as potent as morphine. Methadone is primarily used under strict medical supervision to treat addiction or withdrawal symptoms, and non-medical use is illegal. Even though methadone is somewhat chemically dissimilar to heroin and morphine, it still can induce similar effects of euphoria and sedation and lead to abuse, dependence, and addiction.
Oxycodone
Oxycodone isn’t considered to be as powerful as the aforementioned opioids, it is still classified as schedule II substance with a high potential for abuse and dependence. It is only about 50% stronger than morphine. Found in brand names pharmaceuticals such as Oxycontin and Percocet, Oxycodone is commonly prescribed to relieve moderate to severe pain. Oxycodone is regularly prescribed in the U.S. and has been misused since the 1960s for its relaxing and euphoric effects.
Morphine
Derived directly from the opium poppy, morphine is the only true opiate (natural versus synthetic) on the list and is included because the potency of opioids is most often compared to that of morphine. Like its human-made cousins, morphine is a schedule II controlled substance and has been used and misused as an injectable liquid, oral solutions, and ingestible tablets.
Hydrocodone
Hydrocodone is nearly as potent as morphine and is indicated for the treatment of moderate pain. Common brand names for Hydrocodone include Vicodin and Norco. Hydrocodone is currently the most frequently prescribed painkiller in the U.S. Hydrocodone is a schedule II drug and is an excellent example of how a relatively weak opioid can still be abused and pose significant health risks. In 2011, more than 82,000 emergency room visits were related to the misuse of hydrocodone.
Codeine
Codeine has a relatively low potency, and is generally used to treat mild to moderate pain, and is frequently used in prescription cough and cold medications. It still has a potential for abuse and overdose, however – in recent years, it’s become popular in the hip hop community as Lean or Sizzurp, a drug cocktail that sometimes also includes Sprite and hard candy.
Meperidine
Meperidine (Demerol) was the first opioid ever synthesized. Meperidine is less potent than most other opioids but is still classified as a schedule II drug because of its potential for abuse. Meperidine is now widely considered to be relatively ineffective when compared to other opioids.
Tramadol
Tramadol’s potency is similar to that of meperidine. However, it is classified as a schedule IV drug and is therefore considered to have less potential for physical dependence, tolerance, and misuse. Nevertheless, tramadol (Ultram) can still be misused by those who suffer chronic pain.
If you are suffering from opioid addiction, please contact us as soon as possible to discuss treatment options. Harmony Recovery Center offers a full spectrum of evidence-based services, tools, and support that patients so desperately need to achieve abstinence and begin to experience long-lasting sobriety and wellness!
90,000 COVID-19 causes rise in deaths from opiate overdoses 90,001 90,002 Very poor prescription control of narcotic opioid analgesics caused the US crisis. It is reported by CNN with reference to the US Centers for Disease Prevention and Control. According to the agency, between May 2020 and April 2021, the number of deaths from drug overdoses increased by 30% compared to the period from March 2019to April 2020 and is twice as high as five years earlier. This number of deaths from misuse of drugs, writes CNN, is closely related to the coronavirus pandemic. From the start of the pandemic in March 2020 to April 2021, COVID-19 has claimed the lives of 509,000 Americans.
The most dangerous were drugs containing a synthetic opioid used as a pain reliever. It is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, and 64,000 people died from its use in the United States during this period. As the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reported on November 17, the drugs confiscated by the US authorities since the beginning of the year are enough to kill the entire population of the country. The agency described the drug situation as a “growing national crisis. ” The situation is complicated by the widespread sale of counterfeit pills through social networks. Thus, we are talking about death from overdoses of both legal drugs and similar illegal drugs.
Raw materials for the production of illegal drugs are smuggled into the US or Mexico from China and then smuggled across the border by drug cartels. After the Chinese authorities tightened control over the circulation of such drugs in 2018, India became another source for the United States. The Joe Biden administration has pledged to take action and allocate $4 billion to fight the “opioid epidemic” as part of the country’s recovery package from the coronavirus pandemic.
The cause of the crisis in the United States was a very low level of control over the prescription of narcotic opioid analgesics, explained to Vedomosti the deputy director for science of the National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Neurology. V. M. Bekhterev of the Ministry of Health Yevgeny Krupitsky. By the time the control was tightened, such analgesics were already widely used among Americans.
Pharmaceutical companies in the US can lobby for approval of drugs that cause addiction in patients, says Pavel Koshkin, a researcher at the Institute for the US and Canadian Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. There was a case where an opioid drug was taken after only two weeks of trials, which is a direct result of lobbying by pharmaceutical companies, the expert adds. According to him, the so-called opioid epidemic in the United States is a chronic complex problem that the pandemic has exacerbated. The Biden administration’s indecisiveness is explained by the ratings trap – drastic measures, such as extending drug trials, are needed to deal with the problem. This will lead to a loss of support both among the population and among companies whose interests are represented by some congressmen, Koshkin summarizes.
A significant problem for the United States, adds Koshkin, exacerbating the opioid epidemic, is drug trafficking from Honduras, Haiti and Venezuela, as well as the lack of sufficient educational activities after the legalization of soft drugs. As a result, people who were accustomed to consuming opioid analgesics switched to illicitly produced drugs, resulting in an increase in the number of overdoses, Krupitsky explained.
Unlike America, there is no crisis of opioid analgesics in Russia, moreover, opium addiction has been declining in recent years, says Krupitsky. On the other hand, the consumption of so-called smoking mixtures containing narcotic substances is growing. According to him, in connection with the pandemic, there has not yet been a dramatic increase in the consumption of drugs and alcohol. But the exact picture can be seen after the collection of relevant statistics, he noted.
The trend tracked by narcologists is an increase in the number of more severe conditions in patients, Krupitsky points out. In particular, comorbid conditions are common, when several diagnoses are combined in one person at once: opium addiction and neurological disorders, opium addiction and mental disorders. He associates such a worsening of conditions with covid: during infection, the organs and systems of the body are affected, in addition to this, psychoactive substances are also exposed.
On November 16, the Ministry of Internal Affairs published on the portal of regulatory legal acts a draft government decree, according to which it is proposed to add 22 new precursors to the list of banned substances, including two substances used to manufacture fentanyl narcotic drugs. The explanatory note says that domestically during the pandemic, the production of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances increased through the use of “designer precursors” – compounds that have a similar chemical structure to precursors already banned in Russia. According to Krupitsky, “designer drugs” appear all the time and will not disappear anywhere, this issue requires constant monitoring and prompt inclusion in the lists of prohibited substances.
In Russia, alcohol consumption increased during lockdowns, says Krupitsky. From the beginning of the pandemic to November 2021, the consumption of alcoholic beverages in Russia has not grown that much – by 5%, director of the Center for Research on Federal and Regional Alcohol Markets Vadim Drobiz retorts. He found it difficult to give absolute figures, pointing out the existence of both a legal and a gray market, which cannot be accurately assessed. Basically, the demand grew for strong alcohol and beer.
According to Drobiz, strong alcohol drinkers (about 50 million adults) have been drinking about 15% more since the beginning of the pandemic. Often people used such drinks as an antidepressant. In addition, the middle class drank a fairly large amount of alcoholic beverages outside of Russia, on vacation. Since the end of March 2020, all these people have settled inside the country, Drobiz said: “They did not drink less – even more, because of the pandemic, the crisis, the remote position.” According to Rosstat, in 2019In Russia, 32.3 deaths from alcohol per 100,000 people were recorded, and in 2020 – 34.4 per 100,000.
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Why is substitution therapy so controversial? |
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Substitution therapy is a treatment for opiate addiction. This method has received broad support from the World Health Organization, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS. Substitution therapy using methadone is successfully used in many countries of America, Western and Eastern Europe, and the CIS. At the same time, this method of treatment is completely banned in Russia and Turkmenistan.
Pavlo Skala of the International HIV/AIDS Alliance in Ukraine was asked by Nikola Krastev about why substitution therapy causes such controversy.
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PS : I have been working in the Alliance for almost 10 years, before that for 12 years I worked in the same area, but from a completely different side – in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. Most of the time I spent just in the department for combating drug trafficking in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine – that is, I know this situation from both sides.
I can confidently say that I agree with the recently published findings of the Global Commission on Drug Policy, which was represented by authoritative experts ranging from former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to several former presidents of European countries. These findings once again confirm that the war on drugs is ineffective and, moreover, destructive. Therefore, an action strategy aimed at changing the behavior of drug addicts, if we are talking about the driving force of the epidemic in our region, in Ukraine, in particular, this tactic does not work, because a person who is chronically addicted to drugs cannot simply stop using drugs, refuse them, and have a safe behavior.
Existing methods of treatment show that the most effective is immuno-replacement, supportive therapy. When a person dependent on opioids, unfortunately, has therapy only for opioids, is given the opportunity to use a legal narcotic drug (methadone or buprenorphine), not by injection, but by pills or syrup, then he, accordingly, moves away from injection consumption, that is, there is no connection with dirty syringes. In many cases, he also withdraws from criminal activity related to the search for money, or this activity is seriously reduced. Thus, such a person actually leaves the criminal environment.
The experience of substitution therapy in Ukraine has been going on for 10 years since 2004, we have 8,000 drug addicts on therapy. Many of these people pass before my eyes, I even watch the career development of some of the most active, who graduated from universities, have good, well-paid jobs. These people have forgotten what crime is, their families have been restored, they take care of their children, their parents. These are people who, as if in a nightmare, remember what happened to them 10-15 years ago and how they looked. These are also people who are well aware of what is happening now in Crimea, where 800 people had the opportunity to receive this type of treatment for eight years, and now they have been thrown out of this legal mechanism and were forced to return to illegal drug use.
Other methods, if we are talking about what methods can still influence drug addicts, there is a rehabilitation program based on the “12 steps” principle, various religious approaches, but, unfortunately, world practice and observations of advanced narcologists agree that only about 10 % of those who go through rehabilitation programs really stop using drugs.