Sarah G Mars

Studying the opioid, heroin and fentanyl epidemics, the experiences of those using these substances and policies that could help them. At UCSF.

[UCSF Dept. of Family & Community Medicine @UCSFFamilyMed]

#HIV+#COVID: @UCSF study finds people living w/HIV have "pandemic expertise." Skills+attitudes developed through experiences w/HIV helped them cope w/COVID-19 pandemic (strategies to deal w/anxiety+depression, appreciation for life, +changing behaviors to protect health). 1/2

[Sarah G Mars @SarahMars15]

@AlexStevensKent What a great job title! Does the job
come with a fluffy Persian cat?

[Sarah G Mars @SarahMars15]

@jjvincent ...My impression: smaller quantities are often referred to in grams while larger are in ounces, though a more systematic study is needed. Presumably this reflects convenience (oz are difficult in fractions) and lack of regulatory enforcement in this market.

[Sarah G Mars @SarahMars15]

@jjvincent Thanks for sharing your fascinating research findings. My research concerns illicit drug use in the US and I was curious as to whether Imperial weights would be used in retail sales.

[Sarah G Mars @SarahMars15]

Thanks for the RT!

[Sarah G Mars @SarahMars15]

Published today:
https://t.co/upImN0WUEV

@OpioidEpidemics @UCSF_GIVI_CFAR
#fentanyl @DanCiccarone @jondocsin @MonicaGandhi9

[Sarah G Mars @SarahMars15]

4...
•Although this fatalism undermined individuals’ aspirations to forming a mutually supportive group, it also contributed to mutual tolerance and acceptance

[Sarah G Mars @SarahMars15]

3...
•Although spending time together, people living homeless and injecting drugs were divided and constrained by extreme poverty and the demands of drug dependence, fostering a fatalistic approach to life events and decision-making

[Sarah G Mars @SarahMars15]

2...
•There was strong agreement among people using heroin and other drugs in this West Virginia locality that HIV-related stigma had greatly diminished since the local outbreak

[Sarah G Mars @SarahMars15]

1...
WV has among highest drug overdose rates in US amidst fentanyl and uptake of injected drug use; it is an important locus for interaction of opioid use + HIV risk. We talked to people injecting drugs in a WV town amidst an HIV outbreak found that:

[Sarah G Mars @SarahMars15]

Fentanyl still rising. https://t.co/xxs8p4icPq

[Sarah G Mars @SarahMars15]

Continuing the conversation about what problems and possible solutions lie ahead with fentanyl in the drug supply...let me know if you want to read it and don't have access. Commentary in Addiction journal. "Fentanyl: the many challenges ahead".

[Sarah G Mars @SarahMars15]

UCSF Study: Fentanyl Suppliers Behind Spike in Opioid Deaths https://t.co/YgufbldRAD

[Sarah G Mars @SarahMars15]

Two of the Heroin in Transition Team, Dan Ciccarone and Sarah Mars, talking about fentanyl and what is driving the current poisoning epidemic, on KQED's Forum with Michael Krasny.

https://t.co/YgufbldRAD

[Sarah G Mars @SarahMars15]

Toots, tastes and tester shots: user accounts of drug sampling methods for gauging heroin potency https://t.co/2jeq6qQyFC #hrjournal