Local Rehab Defines Speedballs for Public

Morristown, TN – ReVIDA® Recovery is a local rehab that released a blog post reporting on what speedballs are. Their program specifically offers treatment options for opioid use disorders, including medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and outpatient therapy.

“Speedballs get their name from the result of mixing heroin and cocaine at the same time. Commonly, you will hear people say they are ‘speedballing.’ Dealers don’t sell a physical speedball product; instead, they typically sell both substances separately for the person to mix themselves. Both cocaine and heroin have been around for years, and taking both at the same time is not a new concept. The goal of speedballing is to maximize the effects of each substance.

A study conducted by the National Institute of Justice and the Office of National Drug Control Policy interviewed just over 2,000 arrestees about the use of crack, cocaine, and heroin use and purchase patterns. Across 6 major cities, 242 participants reported using heroin and cocaine together while 172 reported using heroin and crack together. It means 20% of participants were engaging in speedballing at the time of arrest. This shows the prevalence of speedballing and why we need to educate about the subject,” the blog reads.

Both cocaine and heroin have their own side effects, and mixing them together can result in even more. This is because cocaine is a stimulant while heroin is a depressant. Cocaine speeds up the central nervous system while heroin slows it down. Side effects of cocaine include increased body temperature, heightened senses of touch and seeing light, anxiety and agitation, paranoia, and changes in heart rhythm. Side effects of heroin include drowsiness, dizziness, slow or shallow breathing, brain fog, slowed heart rate, and nodding in and out of consciousness.

Factors can affect how speedballing affects the person. If the person primarily takes heroin, the effects of the cocaine will be more noticeable. The same is true if the person takes cocaine primarily – heroin would cause more effects. The metabolism of the person can also change how long the effects of a speedball last. Cocaine has a half-life of one hour while heroin has a half-life of 20 minutes. The person’s metabolism can affect this time, especially if the speedball was taken with other substances such as alcohol.

“The long-term effects of speedball use can cause many problems. In particular, the method of use can result in long-term damage. Cocaine can be snorted, injected, or swallowed while heroin can be injected, snorted, smoked, or ingested. Snorting either substance can result in damage to the nasal cavity and eventually lead to nasal collapse. This would require medical help and possibly surgery to fix. While cocaine can’t be smoked as a powder, its counterpart crack can be used in speedballing as well. Smoking crack or heroin will lead to long-term lung problems including infections, pneumonia, and COPD.

Injecting any substance comes with risks, and speedballing is no different. If the needle or syringe is not sterile, it can cause infections and transfer bloodborne illnesses such as HIV. Scarring and vein collapse are common with long-term intravenous substance use. While one study found it uncommon, there is always the possibility that a needle can break underneath the skin, leading to a foreign-body embolization. The same study found that this occurred in a 49-year-old man who had been speedballing. The needle fragment lodged in his heart, which would have been the cause of death had he not first experienced an overdose,” the blog continues.

Heroin and cocaine alone can cause overdoses, but speedballing increases this risk. This is because the effects of each substance are being counteracted by the other, letting the person take more than normal. Cocaine cannot stop a heroin overdose and vice versa, and medical attention will be needed immediately. Medications like Narcan® (naloxone) can stop a heroin overdose, but there are no medications that counteract a cocaine overdose. Signs of a speedball overdose include losing consciousness, slowed or stopped breathing, blue tint to the skin, fast heart rate, and body temperature increase or decrease.

ReVIDA® Recovery has teams of experts at each of their locations, specializing in understanding the complexities behind opioid use disorders. Patients receive care, medications, and resources to reclaim their lives and move forward in recovery. Offering same-day appointments, their compassionate team is always ready to welcome those in need to care.

To learn more about ReVIDA® Recovery, call 423-631-0432 or visit their website.