The Speedball Wake Up Call June – 2007

Speedballing is a drug term for the mixing of heroin and cocaine. This is a potentially lethal concoction: the cocaine acts as a stimulant , raising the heartbeat , but its effects wear off more quickly than those of heroin , which in turn slows the heart . As a result, it is possible to experience a delayed ” overdose ” (technically, severe respiratory depression) when the stimulant wears off and the full effects of the heroin are felt in isolation.

	A surge in the number of people speedballing – injecting heroin and crack together – has prompted fears of a rise in overdoses, viral infections and acquisitive crime. An unpublished survey of 100 injecting drug users attending a needle exchange run by drug charity Lifeline in Manchester found speedballing was the main drug-taking method of 80 per cent of those interviewed. Ten years ago this proportion was around 25 per cent. Download the PDF >>

Feature Publication

Speedballs: A guide for people who inject heroin & cocaine . View the publication in online format >>

Feature Presentations

A Speed Ball Wake-up Call View Online >> Download >>

Multi-Drug Injecting in Manchester View Online >> Download >>

Feature Links

BBC Article 1 Article 2

Wikipedia Article 1

Drugscope Article 1

Yorkshire Post Article 1

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