Published
You're right that it is very region-dependent. Here in the urban northeast, it's heroin, alcohol, and a fair amount of crack and other forms of cocaine. We saw lots of "bath salts" and other synthetic hallucinogens a few years ago ... less so now.
Drug of choice is highly variable to age/demographics, as well.
There's a run of spice going through Phoenix. We also have heroin and meth. Lots of alcohol abusers. They outnumber the rest, I'd say, 10:1.
We have a few prescription abusers that like to hang out in OBS until they can get their prescriptions refilled on Monday. They always run out on Friday after 5:00, somehow.
Momma1RN, MSN, RN, APRN
219 Posts
Where I live, the drug of choice is almost exclusively heroin. I am well versed in the treatment of heroin overdoses and the resources for those who use, as we have several per day on average. I've never dealt with a patient on bath salts, meth, crack, etc. , at least to my knowledge. I'm getting ready to relocate to a different region and i'm realizing I may have to educate myself on other presentations for other substances!