The Journal reported executives at SpaceX worried Elon Musk was on drugs after an "unhinged" all-hands meeting in which he slurred and rambled.

The Journal reported executives at SpaceX worried Elon Musk was on drugs after an “unhinged” all-hands meeting in which he slurred and rambled.

  • be_excellent_to_each_other@kbin.social
    72·
    11 months ago

    Esp when you consider that most street drugs are laced with fentanyl/carfentanil.

    I’ve been wondering how this could make sense as I’ve seen it claimed more and more often (feels very similar to the original war on drugs hysteria of the 80s and 90s), and I admit I haven’t looked too deeply, but it seems this is once again something being overblown due to the war on drugs.

    **But according to experts, nationwide drug studies, and the DEA’s own data, fentanyl contamination in non-opioid drug supplies is exceedingly rare, and largely centered on a specific, highly-vulnerable subset of users. **Critics say this is why the alarm raised by health officials and law enforcement is so concerning: Authorities stoking broad, misleading fears of fentanyl poisoning the non-opioid drug supply marks a damaging mission creep in the battle to stem the opioid crisis. As we’ve seen previously in the War on Drugs, narratives based on fear, not data, distract policy makers, public health advocates, and even first responders away from those who are at real risk.

    There is lots more info on the article linked, I just cherrypicked these two summary statements.

    So why the misleading claims about recreational coke and cannabis users being at such a high risk?

    On one hand, public health officials are doing what they’re meant to do: warn the public about health risks. On the other, the scale of the concern around fentanyl contaminating the entire US drug supply is a very familiar narrative in the War on Drugs: the belief that dealers are governed not by economics but by malice, that users are helpless addicts, and that drug eradication is the only solution to these problems.

    There’s far more detail in the article.

    https://www.vice.com/en/article/8xyzkp/the-truth-about-drug-dealers-lacing-cocaine-with-fentanyl

    • mob@sopuli.xyz
      41·
      11 months ago

      Obviously, you aren’t around drugs/drug users that often. Fent definitely is a real issue. A lot of my drug using friends(that are still alive) have conspiracies about why its in everything thats “not natural”(weed/shrooms/etc) for lack of better term… But it has started to show up in everything the last decade. Uppers/downers/psychs. Shits ridiculous

      But for anyone dabbling… Test strips are cheap. Use them. Mix the shit up good and test, even if you gotta break down the rock. Your friends and family dont want to find you dead covered in your own shit, piss and puke cause you were to lazy and cheap to test the shit.

        • Riven@lemmy.dbzer0.com
          1·
          11 months ago

          Isn’t that why they lace it? Cheaper and more addicting. Some are just stupid enough to put a bit too much and end up killing people.

    • girlfreddy
      21·
      11 months ago

      in non-opioid drug supplies

      That’s the qualifier. I have no idea why anyone would think marijuana would be contaminated with fentanyl.

      • be_excellent_to_each_other@kbin.social
        3·
        11 months ago

        Fair, but that qualifier seems to be missing on billboards I see and even in this statement:

        Esp when you consider that most street drugs are laced with fentanyl/carfentanil.

        This gives the impression that cannabis, LSD, shrooms, etc etc are also at risk here.

        • girlfreddy
          22·
          11 months ago

          When most people (including journalists) speak about street drugs they’re referencing heroin, cocaine, meth, etc … not LSD, pot or mushrooms.

      • frezik@midwest.social
        2·
        11 months ago

        Especially when there are (semi-) legalized dispensaries that have to go through certified laboratories. Hey, maybe that’s the solution.