Speedball 2.0: Some Calgary drug users mixing fentanyl with meth to stay alert and safe

Some people using street drugs in Calgary are mixing fentanyl and methamphetamine, saying it's about being awake and safe, experts tell CBCNews.

One is a depressant and the other a stimulant.

Det. Colin Harris, with the Calgary Police Service's strategic enforcement unit, said some people want the high of fentanyl, but add methamphetamine not only to stave off potential opioid withdrawal symptoms, but also to stay awake.

"It's a mixture that's been known as a speedball," he said, adding that, years ago, it used to be heroinmixed with cocaine.

"Now we're just seeing fentanyl because it's cheaper, because it's easier to get," he said.

People generally mix the two drugs themselves.

"Methamphetamine has certainly decreased in price in Calgary, so it's very, very prevalent."

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According toAlberta Health Services' statistics, meth was the most commonly used drug at Calgary'ssafe consumption site in June with more than 1,400 recorded instances.Fentanyl was second with more than 1,100 recorded consumption instances.

Harris said that when speaking with people who use drugs specifically, those from a homeless or street populationthey tell him the only time they feel safe is when they're awake.

And, since they're using opioids like fentanyl,which tendto make a person sleepy, they turn to a stimulant like meth to stay alert.

"Because the less they sleep, the less at risk they are," he said.

Dr. Nick Etches withthe province's harm reduction programsaid he knows clients mix the drugs.

He said Harris is correct in saying the population is doing so partially in an effort to stay alert and to shield themselves from the dangers of living on the streets.

"That is important because it recognizes the unique and profound vulnerability that someone who is caught in a cycle of drug use and homelessness and traumaexperiences," he said.

"Many of these individuals are really doing what they can to protect themselves and make it to the next day."

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