ABSTRACT
In the US, the differential response to drug users based on race did not begin with heroin policies in the 1960s. This type of racism is as American as drug use itself. In the early years of the 20th century, cocaine use by whites was promoted and celebrated. A range of over-the-counter and pharmaceutical products contained the drug and many prominent individuals openly used it, praised it, and recommended it. With this as background, US drug policy today takes on a sharper focus. Most opioid users are white. One simple solution to this problem is to make available free, anonymous drug-purity testing services. In this way, people who use illegal drugs can submit their drug samples and receive an analysis of the sample’s composition and purity. Fentanyl produces a heroin-like high but is considerably more potent, meaning that less of the drug is required to produce an effect, including overdose.
