Ciara McCormick
Counterfeit Xanax is being mixed with fentanyl – a powerful synthetic painkiller – and being bought online. Disconcertingly, these are being called a deadly mixture of drugs. They’re one of the most popular “party drugs”. Public Health England is now warning users that they’re “dicing with death”.
Genuine Xanax is a drug which helps with the mental illness anxiety. In the USA, the drug also known as Alprazolam can be prescribed to treat anxiety and in the UK you can receive it on private prescription.
However, it is becoming more common to be used illegally among teenagers and young adults in the UK.
Users who have withdrawn from the drug explain a lot of their problems occurred when they decided to stop taking it. The rapper Kristello told the BBC ” what you have to take into consideration is what happens after you take Xanax, which is where the problem really starts. Nine months ago, after deciding to come off the drug, I struggled with sleeping and experienced wrenching stomach pains, cold sweats and extreme paranoia. It was really bad on my mental health and I experienced blackouts with memory loss. Your long-term memory can be affected as well.”
According to National Crime Agency (NCA) , 113 people have died using fentanyl in the last 12 months in the UK.
“The danger we’ve got here is young people who are used to taking Xanax who think they know what they are doing,” says Tony Saggers, former head of drugs threat at the NCA.
Experts say that, despite the warnings, the use of counterfeit Xanax appears to be growing. There are no figures available to know exactly how widespread its use is.
Everyone should know they have someone to turn to, you shouldn’t have to turn to drugs to solve your problems so if anyone reading this needs help tell your guidance teacher or call the NHS mental health helpline, phone 08444 775 774 (Mon-Fri, 9.30am-5.30pm).
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