The fentanyl made me feel like I needed more methadone": changes in the role and use of medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) due to fentanyl.

BACKGROUND: Fentanyl and fentanyl analogues have disrupted the illicit drug supply through contamination of other substances (i.e., methamphetamine and cocaine) and replacement of heroin in illicit markets. Increasingly, they are contributing to opioid-overdose related deaths. The rapid and growing presence of fentanyl has led to gaps in research on the impact of this illicit market change on people who use drugs (PWUD). We sought to examine how the changing opioid market and growing fentanyl availability influences the role and use of medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD). METHODS: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with a community recruited sample of PWUD (N = 22) in Los Angeles, California between September 2021 and April 2022. Interviews examined opioid use history, current opioid use behaviors and consumption patterns, and MOUD experiences and perceptions. Thematic analysis was used to systematically code and analyze textual interview data. RESULTS: The following themes related to fentanyl use and MOUD emerged: (1) Use of deviated MOUD to address fentanyl contamination, (2) Changing perception of the effectiveness of MOUD on fentanyl, and (3) Regulatory limitations of MOUD for fentanyl use disorder. CONCLUSIONS: PWUD described several repertoires for adjusting to changes in the illicit market of opioids. Clinicians treating PWUD should ask about recent fentanyl use prior to starting MOUD to account for increased tolerance to opioids. Harm reduction strategies such as naloxone kits, safe supply, and supervised consumption facilities can all prevent overdose deaths due to fentanyl.

Characterizing Opioid Withdrawal Experiences and Consequences Among a Community Sample of People Who Use Opioids.

BACKGROUND: Opioid withdrawal symptoms are a highly salient and consequential health condition experienced by people who use opioids (PWUO). This study utilized qualitative interviews to explore opioid withdrawal experiences and consequences among PWUO in Los Angeles County, USA. METHODS: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 22 PWUO (aged 27-63 years) between May 2021 and May 2022. Participants self-reported opioid and injection drug use in the last 30 days. We employed an inductive thematic approach to systematically code and synthesize textual interview data. RESULTS: Participants experienced withdrawal symptoms frequently, with many going to great lengths to avoid them. Withdrawal pain was described as incapacitating and interfered with PWUO's ability to sustain regular employment and ensure stable housing. Avoiding withdrawal was described as influential in driving decisions to continue using opioids. Mechanisms for managing withdrawal included using other substances to the point of sedation. PWUO who transitioned from heroin to fentanyl use revealed more frequent, painful, and faster onset of withdrawal symptoms. Adverse withdrawal experiences and fear of precipitated withdrawal from buprenorphine were barriers to treatment initiation and continuation. CONCLUSION: Withdrawal symptoms among PWUO increase health risk. Improved strategies to treat opioid withdrawal are urgently needed. Solutions such as safe supply and intentional opioid withdrawal interventions (educational trainings, withdrawal comfort kits) are needed to improve withdrawal management and reduce opioid-related harm.

Critical Challenges and Creative Solutions for Quantifying Nicotine Vaping: Qualitative Reports From Young Adults.

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies suggest that young adults who vape nicotine experience difficulty when answering survey items assessing the quantity of vaping. The current study asked young adults who vape to provide suggestions for improving the scientific measurement of vaping. AIMS AND METHODS: We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 62 young adults who vape in Los Angeles, California between June 2018 and June 2019. We analyzed participants' responses to the following question: "What do you think is the best way for us to understand how much people vape?" using thematic content analysis. RESULTS: We identified two major themes: (1) challenges stemming from differences between the way researchers query about vaping and how individuals self-monitor vaping frequency, and (2) insights for future measurement of vaping. Participants reported that challenges of accurately quantifying vaping were due to inherently hard-to-answer questions (eg, puffs per day), lack of awareness of or not actively monitoring consumption of vaping products, or because vaping behaviors vary considerably between and within individuals over time, making "on-average" questions challenging. Participants discussed ideas for improving survey measures that could accurately assess vaping quantity, including querying about the type of device used, and frequency of replenishment of nicotine solutions. CONCLUSIONS: Existing vaping behavior survey measures may not accurately capture the quantity of vaping as they differ from how (or if) participants track their own vaping consumption patterns. While continued research is needed to optimally refine survey measures on vaping consumption, future measures may better align with vapers' self-monitoring by including questions on device-type and replenishment frequency. IMPLICATIONS: The present study provides insights regarding the variability that exists between vaping quantity measurements utilized by researchers and individuals who consume e-cigarettes. The qualitative data analyzed for this study support previous reports of difficulties faced by vapers when asked questions by researchers related to their vaping behavior. Furthermore, the present findings suggest the direction for the future development of accurate measurements of vaping frequency.

Trajectories of Nicotine Use Leading to Dual and Cyclical Tobacco Product Use in Young Adults.

INTRODUCTION: Young adult never-smokers who vape are at elevated risk of initiating cigarettes, while young adults who smoke often begin vaping to substitute or reduce cigarette use. Reasons underlying different use patterns of tobacco products are not well-understood. AIMS AND METHODS: We conducted 1-on-1 qualitative interviews with young adults (N = 62) who vape in Los Angeles, California from June 2018 to June 2019. Participants were 18-25 years old (79% male; racially/ethnically diverse) and self-reported vaping ≥1x/week. We used a semi-structured interview guide and applied thematic analysis method to analyze data. RESULTS: Young adults initiated vaping due to peer socialization and e-liquid flavor novelty. They often reported vaping (after first smoking) due to a belief that e-cigarettes are healthier, social pressure to quit smoking, and convenience of use. Participants reported smoking (after first vaping) when traveling outside of the United States where vaping products were less accessible, and cigarettes were normative. Many of the personal narratives described patterns of dual and cyclical use, which was often attributed to nicotine dependence and cost, or described as dependent upon the current environment (eg, at a party). CONCLUSIONS: The current study characterizes nicotine use trajectories and reasons why young adults vape, and smoke cigarettes. Dual and cyclical use of both e-cigarettes and cigarettes was common; this pattern of use should be considered in policy and prevention work to address nicotine dependence among young people. IMPLICATIONS: We display findings from the current study in a model depicting common trajectories of nicotine use, along with reasons for initiation, transitions between products, and dual/cyclical e-cigarette and combustible cigarette use.

A chocolate cake or a chocolate vape? Young adults describe their relationship with food and weight in the context of nicotine vaping.

INTRODUCTION: Emerging research has found that some young adults report vaping nicotine to control appetite and lose weight. Yet, there is little research on how young adults use vaping to manage weight, where they learn about weight-motivated vaping, and the role that food and weight motivations play in decisions to vape. METHODS: We conducted one-on-one qualitative interviews with young adults aged 18-25 years old in Los Angeles, California (N = 62) from June 2018 to June 2019, who self-reported using e-cigarettes on a weekly basis or more for at least 5 months prior to study enrollment. Interviews examined participants' thoughts, feelings, and experiences related to e-cigarette use, including their understanding of the relation of vaping with eating behaviors and weight management. We analyzed the interviews using the rigorous and accelerated data reduction (RADaR) technique. RESULTS: Participants reported pairing nicotine vaping with caffeinated beverages like coffee, pop/soda, tea, and after every meal (like patterns of combustible cigarette use). Participants also reported vaping nicotine as a tool to avoid binge eating and increase concentration while studying. Reports of vaping effecting appetite and eating behaviors also emerged. Vaping nicotine to suppress appetite and/or achieve weight loss was often reported in conjunction with an eating disorder. Participants reported learning about weight-motivated vaping from peers or deducing from cigarette effects and their own experiences with nicotine. Others mentioned controlling food cravings by vaping a similar e-liquid flavor. CONCLUSION: Nicotine vaping was used as a tool to control weight and suppress appetite, paralleling food- and weight-related behaviors associated with cigarette use. Findings suggest a need for targeted interventions that address the role of nicotine vaping in eating/weight-related behaviors.

Accessing Vaping Products When Underage: A Qualitative Study of Young Adults in Southern California.

INTRODUCTION: California implemented multiple strategies, such as a Tobacco 21 law and compliance checks, to reduce high rates of youth e-cigarette use. However, the prevalence of use among underage youth and young adults continues rising. Little is known about how underage individuals obtain e-cigarettes. AIMS AND METHODS: We conducted structured qualitative interviews with 61 young adult (18-25 years old) vapers in the Los Angeles, CA area between June 2018 and June 2019. Interviews were comprehensive and designed to elicit information on participants' thoughts, feelings, and experiences related to vaping. We queried participants on where and how they obtained vaping products, and participants discussed their experiences accessing products while under the legal age for sale. Directed content analysis was used to analyze interviews. RESULTS: Four concepts emerged: (1) early experimentation of e-cigarettes with peers often occurred in a school setting, (2) continued use of e-cigarettes commonly obtained through peer sales, (3) inconsistent implementation of age restrictions at in-person retailers, and (4) at online retailers. Participants had peers purchase products on their behalf and frequented in-person and online retailers with few to no age verification processes. Few participants faced challenges when purchasing products from retailers. CONCLUSIONS: The current study's findings offer insight into where and how underage individuals obtain vaping products despite restrictions to prevent them from doing so. Participant accounts of mixed ease of underage purchasing in-person and online suggest retailer education is needed, along with additional research to inform more effective policies to reduce underage access to vaping products. IMPLICATIONS: Despite legal age restrictions, e-cigarettes remain accessible to underage individuals, but specific strategies that underage youth utilize to evade legal age restrictions are largely unknown. We found that participants often accessed vaping products for the first time at school. Sales between peers were common, and participants also reported frequenting in-person retailers that inconsistently enforced age restrictions. Many participants reported little to no age verification online, though some believed online age verification measures were increasingly difficult to surpass. Knowledge of strategies underage youth utilize to access e-cigarettes can inform enforcement efforts.

Characterizing symptoms of e-cigarette dependence: a qualitative study of young adults.

BACKGROUND: While rates of e-cigarette use ('vaping') continue to potentiate concern, there is limited data on common symptoms of e-cigarette dependence among young adults who vape. This study sought to critically explore how young adults experience, manifest, and conceptualize vaping dependence symptoms in their everyday lives. METHODS: Between June 2018 and 2019, in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 62 young adults who use e-cigarettes (aged 18-25) and live in Southern California. We explored participants' product preferences, daily e-cigarette use patterns, vaping history, withdrawal experiences, and quit attempts or periods of cessation. We used a thematic analysis approach to interpret the transcripts. RESULTS: Young adults discussed nine dimensions of vaping dependence that were organized into two categories: 1) general nicotine dependence symptoms, and 2) unique dependence symptoms related to vaping. Nicotine dependence symptoms included cravings and urgency to use, increased use to achieve desired effects, and unsuccessful quit attempts and withdrawal. Symptoms unique to vaping dependence included greater nicotine consumption due to accessibility and lack of restrictions, habitual vaping, inability to track vaping frequency, immediate gratification and comfort, social acceptability and norms, and awareness of vaping dependency. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to nicotine dependence symptoms that have been characterized for other tobacco products, young adult e-cigarette users described unique symptoms of vaping dependence that necessitate the need for more refined measures. All dimensions of vaping dependence should be considered in discussions of policies as well as treatment and education efforts intended to protect young people from e-cigarette dependence.

Novel Routes of Potential Hepatitis C Virus Transmission among People Who Inject Drugs: Secondary Blood Exposures Related to Injection Drug Use.

BACKGROUND: The US is in the midst of a national Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) epidemic that appears to be driven by new cases among people who inject drugs (PWID). While HCV transmission among PWID is believed to occur mostly through direct sharing of syringes, some infections may be spread via secondary processes and materials involved in injecting. OBJECTIVES: Here, we present the prevalence of secondary blood exposures on clothing and nearby surfaces after injection episodes and examine the correlations of these exposures to lifetime HCV infection among a targeted sample of 553 PWID in Los Angeles and San Francisco, California in 2016-18. RESULTS: In multivariate logistic regression models, higher odds of blood on clothing in the last 30 days was significantly (p < 0.05) associated with lifetime positive HCV status, opioids as primary drug, injecting with others, sharing cookers, and receptive syringe sharing. Higher adjusted odds of blood on nearby surfaces in the last 30 days was significantly associated with lifetime positive HCV status, sharing cookers, and receptive syringe sharing. Native American race was associated with significantly lower adjusted odds of both outcome variables. Conclusions/Importance: Results indicate the relevance of physical and social micro-environments to the potential for blood exposures secondary to injection episodes. Individuals with chronic HCV seropositivity are potentially more likely to expose others to blood due to decreases in the blood's ability to clot. This highlights the need for increased HCV testing at harm reduction sites and increased supply of first aid and wound-care materials to help stop potential blood exposures after injection episodes.

Young adult perspectives on their respiratory health symptoms since vaping.

Background: Vaping among young adults (YA) has been associated with adverse respiratory health outcomes. However, key gaps remain in the literature including perspectives from YA vapers on perceived respiratory health symptoms since vaping, how they describe those symptoms and related experiences, and factors to which they attribute their respiratory health symptoms. Methods: Participants (N = 35) were 18-25 years old and self-reported as currently vaping at least once per week. In-depth, semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted using an open-ended interview guide designed to elicit respondents' subjective vaping-related experiences. We used a thematic analysis to interpret the transcripts. Results: Participants reported adverse respiratory health symptoms (e.g., phlegm, cough, pain in lungs) that some attributed to vaping. Participants compared what is known about vaping to what is known about combustible cigarettes and described continued use of vaping products despite perceived adverse respiratory health consequences. Some participants attributed their symptoms to preexisting medical conditions (e.g., asthma) and to heavy vaping. Some described a decline in exercise-related endurance since vaping. Some participants also reported that they experienced worse respiratory symptoms when using specific brands and products (e.g., JUUL and nicotine salt formulation). Conclusions: This study provides powerful accounts from YA vapers about their experience of respiratory health symptoms that they ascribe to vaping. Future research is needed to evaluate the prevalence and severity, as well as the risk and protective factors, of adverse respiratory health symptoms associated with vaping. Addiction prevention and treatment efforts for YA vapers may help curtail adverse respiratory health impact from vaping.

HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Prevention Awareness, Willingness, and Perceived Barriers among People Who Inject Drugs in Los Angeles and San Francisco, CA, 2016-2018.

BACKGROUND: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention is indicated for people who inject drugs (PWID), yet most studies do not focus on PWID. This study examines factors associated with PrEP awareness and willingness, and identifies perceived barriers to PrEP among PWID. Methods: PWID were interviewed in Los Angeles and San Francisco, CA from 2016 to 2018. We analyzed data from self-reported HIV-negative participants who had injected drugs within the past 6 months (n = 469). Questions on PrEP included awareness, willingness, barriers, and uptake. Multiple logistic regression models of factors associated with awareness of, and willingness to, take PrEP were developed. Descriptive statistics on perceived PrEP barriers are reported. Results: Among HIV-negative PWID, 40% were aware of PrEP, 59% reported willingness to take PrEP, and 2% were currently taking PrEP. In multivariable analysis, PrEP awareness was associated with study site and sexual minority status, higher educational attainment, and HIV testing in the last 6 months. Willingness to take PrEP was associated with self-reported risk (paying sex partner in the last 6 months, sharing drug paraphernalia, and being injected by another PWID) and perceived HIV risk. The most common perceived barriers to PrEP were copays, concerns about increased HIV or sexually transmitted risk with PrEP, and concerns about reduction of medication efficacy without daily use. Conclusion: PrEP awareness among PWID remains inadequate. Willingness to take PrEP was moderate and was most desired by PWID who engaged in high-risk behaviors. Interventions to increase PrEP awareness and willingness, and to facilitate PrEP uptake among PWID are needed.

Effects of intranasal oxytocin on cigarette withdrawal and smoking in the laboratory: Differences by sex and social functioning traits.

Intranasal oxytocin (INOT) has received attention as a treatment for substance use disorders including tobacco dependence. However, it is unclear whether INOT-related effects differ by sex and social functioning traits. This study examined the influence of sex and two trait social functioning measures (hostility and rejection sensitivity) on INOT effects on abstinence-related subjective measures and smoking lapse. Adults who smoked cigarettes daily (N = 64; 21-40 years; 39% female) completed trait hostility and rejection sensitivity surveys at baseline followed by three experimental sessions following 12-hr smoking abstinence. Each session, participants received a single INOT dose (placebo, 20, 40 international units [IU]) in counterbalanced order, completed withdrawal, smoking urges and affect questionnaires, and a smoking lapse analog task. Interactive effects between INOT and sex, hostility, or rejection sensitivity on all outcomes were analyzed. INOT produced differential effects as a function of sex, trait hostility, and rejection sensitivity. The 20 IU dose worsened abstinence-related subjective effects for individuals with high trait hostility. Both INOT doses decreased smoking urges for high rejection sensitivity, and the 20 IU dose increased smoking urges for low rejection sensitivity. INOT increased withdrawal symptoms, smoking urges, and feelings of anger in females but not males. INOT did not improve withdrawal symptoms during abstinence and did not affect smoking lapse. While INOT produced some beneficial effects for a subset of participants with high rejection sensitivity, it worsened abstinence-related symptoms for others. Our results suggest that sex and social functioning should be considered when examining the therapeutic potential of INOT for smoking cessation in future research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Perceiving E-Cigarettes as Safe and Safer Alternative to Cigarettes Among Young Adults.

BACKGROUND: Young adults are using e-cigarettes at high rates. While the literature on the health risks associated with e-cigarettes is extensive and growing, little is known about young adults' thoughts and perceptions of the safety and harms of e-cigarettes. METHODS: We conducted one-on-one interviews with young adults aged 18 to 25 years in Los Angeles, California between June 2018 and June 2019. We interviewed and audio-recorded young adults (N = 62) who consented to the study and self-reported to have used e-cigarettes on a weekly basis or more for at least 5 months prior to study enrollment. Interviews examined participants' thoughts, feelings, and experiences related to e-cigarette use. We audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded the interviews using grounded theory analysis methods. RESULTS: Young adults often believed that e-cigarettes were safer than cigarettes and were safe to use, especially following positive vaping experiences. Young adults were skeptical of the available science on e-cigarette use and felt there was not conclusive data on the harms of e-cigarettes. In their selection of e-cigarettes over cigarettes, young adults felt they were making a conscious and healthier choice. Because young adults viewed e-cigarettes to be better for them based on their personal experiences with vaping, they felt e-cigarettes were a superior alternative to combustible tobacco. CONCLUSIONS: Young adults in our study believed that the long-term health effects of e-cigarette use are not clearly understood and were generally skeptical of the research on e-cigarette harms. Policy, education, and anti-smoking campaigns need to clarify the negative health-related consequences of e-cigarette use for young people.

Housing and Displacement as Risk Factors for Negative Health Outcomes Among People Who Inject Drugs in Los Angeles, CA, and Denver, CO, USA.

Background The United States is currently experiencing a housing and homelessness crisis. In response, many cities have adopted policies of displacement that move unhoused people from place to place. Recent research indicates that these policies may have negative health impacts on unhoused people who use drugs. We sought to examine health risks associated with government-enforced displacement among unhoused people who inject drugs (PWID). Methods We interviewed a community-recruited sample of opioid-using PWID in Los Angeles, CA and Denver, CO between April 2021 and November 2022 (N = 472) about their demographic/socioeconomic characteristics, drug use patterns, housing status, government-enforced displacement including items discarded during displacements, and health risks. We constructed binomial generalized linear regression to examine the risk ratio of non-fatal overdose, and syringe and cooker/cotton sharing between four groups of participants: housed, unhoused and not displaced, unhoused and relocated voluntarily, and unhoused and displaced in the last three months. Results In the last 3 months, 52% of participants were unhoused and displaced by the government. Among those who were displaced, median number of government-enforced displacements was 3 with 69% reporting loss of syringes, 56% loss of naloxone, and 22% loss of buprenorphine medicine. In multivariate models, risk ratios for unhoused and displaced participants were higher for nonfatal overdose and cooker/cotton sharing as compared to housed participants. Risk ratios for syringe sharing amongst unhoused participants did not differ significantly. Conclusions Unhoused and displaced PWID experience elevated health risks. Ending the use of government-enforced displacement of unhoused PWID is essential to reducing health risk in this population.

The association of type of cannabis product used and frequency of use with problematic cannabis use in a sample of young adult cannabis users.

Research exploring patterns and predictors of problematic cannabis use behaviors among young adults is limited. This knowledge is essential for intervening to prevent abuse and dependence outcomes. METHODS: Young adult cannabis users (Mage = 19.2[SD = 0.8]) in Southern California (N = 1007) were classified by patterns of problematic cannabis use from the Cannabis Abuse Screening Test, using Latent Class Analysis. Multinomial regression evaluated the association of frequency of use (no past 30 day use, infrequent [use on 1-2 of past 30 days], semi-frequent [use on 3-9 of the past 30 days], and frequent [use on 10 or more of the past 30 days]) for each cannabis product type (combustible, edible, vaporized, concentrate, blunt) with class membership. RESULTS: Four distinct classes of cannabis-related problems were identified: "non-symptomatic" (no problems; 33.8 %), "non-recreational use" (before noon and when alone; 34.5 %), "moderate use problems" (before noon, alone, and memory problems; 8.0 %), and "severe cannabis problems" (all 6 problems; 23.7 %). Semi-frequent (AOR range: 1.85-4.63;ps<0.05) and frequent (AOR range: 9.18-24.2;ps<0.05) use of combustible and vaporized cannabis, frequent blunt use (AORs range: 4.03-10.3;ps<0.05), and semi-frequent, but not frequent edible use (AOR range: 2.57-2.73;ps<0.05) was associated with higher odds of classification in any problematic use class (vs. non-symptomatic). CONCLUSIONS: Differences in cannabis use problems across these classes and their predictors reveal the heterogeneity in cannabis-related problems experienced by young people. Combustible cannabis, vaporized cannabis, and blunt cannabis use may confer the most risk for cannabis abuse and dependency outcomes, with more frequent days of use contributing to increased patterns of risk.

Prevalence and predictors of recent temporary psychiatric hold among a cohort of people who inject drugs in Los Angeles and San Francisco, California.

California's Welfare and Institutions code 5150 allows for a temporary psychiatric hold (TPH) of individuals who present a danger to themselves or others and/or may be gravely disabled due to mental illness. Little is known about the frequency and predictors of involuntary holds among people who inject drugs (PWID). METHODS: We sought to identify the prevalence and predictors of recent TPHs (within the past 12 months) among a community-recruited sample of PWID in Los Angeles and San Francisco, California during 2017-2018 (N = 531). Multivariable logistic regression modeling was used to evaluate demographic (e.g., age), economic (e.g., homelessness), drug use (e.g., types of drugs used), incarceration (e.g., recent arrest history) and mental health (e.g., lifetime mental health diagnosis) variables associated with recent TPH. RESULTS: Age (40-49 years old vs age 50 or older: AOR = 5.85; 95 % CI = 2.18, 15.67), current homelessness (AOR = 3.75; 95 % CI = 1.28, 11.0), lifetime mental health history (AOR = 6.23; 95 % CI = 2.08, 18.66), and frequency of methamphetamine use (AOR = 1.01; 95 % CI = 1.00, 1.01) were statistically associated with increased odds of having experienced a TPH, while frequency of past month heroin/opioid use was associated with decreased odds of reporting a TPH (AOR = 0.99; 95 % CI = 0.99, 1.00) in multivariable analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Diverse factors were associated with TPH among PWID. Our analysis underscores the need for research on PWID with co-occurring substance-use and mental illness disorders and homelessness. There is urgent need for expanding access to lower barrier publicly funded mental health treatment from a harm-reduction approach.

Factors associated with methamphetamine withdrawal symptoms among people who inject drugs.

BACKGROUND: Regular methamphetamine (MA) use can result in withdrawal syndrome characterized by fatigue, agitation, depression, and anxiety. No studies that we are aware of have examined the prevalence and predictors of MA withdrawal symptoms among people who inject drugs (PWID). METHODS: PWID were recruited using targeted sampling methods in Los Angeles and San Francisco, California from 2016 to 2017. Survey questions included demographics, drug use, and MA withdrawal symptoms, frequency, and symptom severity. Participants who reported regular MA use (> 12 times in the last 30 days) were included in this analysis (N = 595). Multivariable regression models were developed to examine factors associated with any MA withdrawal, withdrawal frequency, symptom severity, and receptive syringe sharing. RESULTS: MA withdrawal symptoms in the past 6 months were reported by 53 % of PWID, with 25 % reporting weekly withdrawal symptoms, and 20 % reporting very or extremely painful symptoms. In multivariable logistic regression, presence of any MA withdrawal symptoms was positively associated with more frequent MA use and non-injection tranquilizer use and inversely associated with crack cocaine use. Among those reporting any withdrawal, female sex was associated with more frequent withdrawal symptoms. Very or extremely painful withdrawal symptoms were associated with being in residential treatment. Receptive syringe sharing was associated with any MA withdrawal symptoms and weekly frequency of symptoms. CONCLUSION: MA withdrawal symptoms are common among PWID and are associated with receptive syringe sharing. Strategies for implementing MA use treatment, safe supply programs, and syringe services programs targeting people who inject MA are indicated.

Reasons for assisting with injection initiation: Results from a large survey of people who inject drugs in Los Angeles and San Francisco, California.

Injection drug initiation usually requires assistance by someone who already injects drugs. To develop interventions that prevent people from starting to inject drugs, it is imperative to understand why people who inject drugs (PWID) assist with injection initiation. METHODS: Injection initiation history and motives for initiating others were collected from 978 PWID in Los Angeles and San Francisco, CA, from 2016-17. This article documents motivations for providing injection initiation assistance and examines demographic, economic, and health-related factors associated with these motivations using multivariable logistic regression modeling. RESULTS: Among the 405 PWID who ever facilitated injection initiation, motivations for initiating were: injury prevention (66%), skilled at injecting others (65%), to avoid being pestered (41%), in exchange for drugs/money (45%), and for food/shelter/transportation (15%). High frequency initiation (>5 lifetime injection initiations) was associated with all motivations except for being pestered. Initiation to prevent injury was associated with being female. Initiation due to pestering was associated with recycling income and sex work. Being skilled was associated with age and HIV status, while initiation for money or drugs was associated with age, race, education, social security income, and substance use treatment. Lastly, initiation for food, shelter, or transportation was associated with age, sexual orientation and education level. CONCLUSION: Diverse factors were associated with reported motivations for assisting someone to initiate injection for the first time. Our analysis underscores the need for prevention strategies focused on improving economic and housing conditions along with implementing drug consumption rooms to disrupt the social processes of injection initiation.

A Review of the Use and Appeal of Flavored Electronic Cigarettes.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: E-cigarettes are available in a variety of flavors not found in traditional tobacco products (i.e., "nontraditional flavors"), which is a commonly-cited reason for e-cigarette use. This review examines the prevalence of nontraditional-flavored e-cigarette use, mechanisms through which flavorings enhance product appeal, use of nontraditional-flavored e-cigarettes for smoking cessation, and differences in these findings between youth and adults. RECENT FINDINGS: Nontraditional-flavored e-cigarettes are used at e-cigarette initiation by the majority of youth. These flavors enhance the appeal of e-cigarettes by creating sensory perceptions of sweetness and coolness and masking the aversive taste of nicotine. Use of nontraditional-flavored e-cigarettes is higher among youth and young adults (vs. older adults) and among nonsmokers (vs. combustible cigarette smokers). SUMMARY: Nontraditional-flavored e-cigarettes are popular among youth, but may be less common among older adults and combustible cigarette smokers. Further research is needed to determine whether use of e-cigarettes in nontraditional flavors affects smoking cessation.