FAKE XANAX: THE ESCALATING CRISIS EVE PERKINS In the past two years UK Addiction Treatment Centres (UKAT) have seen a 200% rise in people being admitted to rehab solely for Xanax addiction. More than half of those are under the age of 24, including reports of children as young as 11. With the increasing demand, drug dealers are turning to producing counterfeit versions of the tablets, to cash in on the sector in the market.
concentration of these drugs in the counterfeit pills.
A potential cause for the rising usage of Xanax in young people could be its increasing prevalence in popular culture. As a product used by big stars such as Tana Mongeau, Miley Cyrus and Lil Xan, the physical imagery of Xanax can be seen as a status label among young people on the internet, thereby increasing the normality of the drug Alprazolam, known more widely by in younger generations who look up its American brand name ‘Xanax’, is a to these performers. For example, its benzodiazepine medication used to image being increasingly used in the treat anxiety and panic disorders. It is mainstream media alongside images known to be over 10-20 times stronger of fame and wealth, causes viewers to than its more commonplace counterassociate Xanax with fame and higher part in the UK: diazepam. In prescribed social status. Its calming effect can also form, these kinds of anti-anxiety help with social anxiety, an increasing medications can be problem among difficult to get hold younger generations, Dubbed ‘the deadliest of, so many sufferers but is only a shortdrug in America’, its resort to dealers or term solution to a potency is over 100 times long-term problem; the internet to attain stronger than that of them. It is estimated one that needs more that approximately in-depth treatment. heroin. 90% of Xanax on It is important to remember that, as sale in the UK is counterfeit. These a controlled substance, Xanax should cheap fakes are typically created by the only be taken when prescribed by a dealers themselves or given to them by medical professional. Some tips to underground labs, where safety regulaminimise risks if you are taking it on tion is non-existent. prescription are: The dangers become apparent · Follow the instructions given by the during the mixing process of the medical professional and only take drug. Dealers will typically buy the the dose prescribed. Alprazolam in its pure powder form · Drink plenty of water. from exporters in China, where it is simple and cheap to obtain. It is then · Take on a full stomach to slow the mixed with any number of substances, absorption into the bloodstream ranging from baking powder to deadly and allow your body to adjust to the fentanyl, to increase the ‘relaxing’ effect drug. of the drug. Dubbed ‘the deadliest drug · Don’t mix with other depressants in America’, its potency is over 100 times such as alcohol, as these can cause stronger than that of heroin. Since a extreme drowsiness and even death lot of the creation of these pills is done in serious cases. by trial and error, and supply chains can stretch through several people, it can be impossible to know exactly the
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