Foundations data show growing problem of concurrent stimulant use

An analysis of information gathered at intake for patients within Foundations Recovery Network centers indicates a growing prevalence of stimulant use among individuals with opioid use issues.

Siobhan Morse, Foundations' director of clinical services, shared the numbers with Addiction Professional and made reference to them in remarks in June at a National Conference on Alcohol and Addiction Disorders (NCAD) Panel Series event in Nashville. The data show that since the start of the decade, days of use of stimulants have increased markedly among incoming opioid patients.

Measuring days of use in the past 30 days prior to admission at its treatment facilities, Foundations found that days of use of cocaine had held steady at under 3 between the 2009-2011 period and 2015, but then jumped to an average of 4.1 days out of 30 in 2017.

Days of use of amphetamines, including methamphetamine, increased in each period studied, Foundations leaders found. The average was only 1.6 days in 2009-2011, but climbed to 6.2 days by 2017.

Morse added in her comments at the June program that while prescription opioid use has been declining in this population, heroin use has continued to increase.