Speedball (drug)

History

The classic speedball is heroin and cocaine. It could also mean morphine and an amphetamine.

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration warned in 2019 that the rapid rise of fentanyl supply in the country has led to combinations of both fentanyl and heroin with cocaine ("super speedballs"). In addition, the cross-contamination of powdered fentanyl into cocaine supplies has led to reports of cocaine users unknowingly consuming a speedball-like combination.

Pink cocaine or "tusi" usually includes an unknown mix of uppers and downers and is sometimes called a speedball. Cocaine mixed with ketamine is called a CK or Calvin Klein.

Reportedly speedballs now account for most of the overdose fatalities in San Francisco. Many people are not speedballing intentionally. Rather, it has become difficult to avoid because so much of the cocaine, crack and methamphetamine supply is adulterated with fentanyl. As of 2023 it is being called the "fourth wave" of the opioid epidemic.

Physiological response

It is a widespread misconception that taking downers will reduce the risk of adverse cardiac effects from stimulants, or vice versa. Stimulants and opioids are more dangerous when mixed because they work in different ways. Some stimulants, such as cocaine, wear off before most opiates. When heart rate changes quickly, first increasing rapidly from the effect of the stimulant and then dropping quickly when the stimulant wears off and the full effects of the opiates are felt, this can cause a stroke or heart failure.

Speedballs are extremely dangerous. The variations in heart rate and contraction caused by taking the mix of uppers/downers can lead to stroke or death even in young, healthy persons.

Notable deaths attributed to speedball use

• Jean-Michel Basquiat (artist, d. 1988), though other sources list his death as heroin overdose only.
• John Belushi (comic actor, d. 1982)
• Ken Caminiti (baseball player, d. 2004)
• Chris Farley (comic actor, d. 1997)
• Pete Farndon (rock musician, d. 1983)
• Zac Foley (alternative rock musician of the band EMF, d. 2002)
• Trevor Goddard (actor, d. 2003)
• Mitch Hedberg (comedian, d. 2005)
• Philip Seymour Hoffman (actor, d. 2014)
• Sebastian Horsley (artist and writer, d. 2010)
• Chris Kelly (rapper of the duo Kris Kross, d. 2013)
• Brent Mydland (musician, d. 1990)
• River Phoenix (actor, d. 1993)
• DJ Rashad (musician, d. 2014)
• Judee Sill (singer-songwriter, d. 1979)
• Layne Staley (singer-songwriter, d. 2002)
• Joey Stefano (actor, d. 1994)
• Michael K. Williams (actor, d. 2021)

Notable non-fatal incidents

• In 1996, the rock musician Steven Adler had a stroke after taking a speedball, leaving him with a permanent speech impediment.
• Also in 1996, pop-music singer Dave Gahan suffered a heart attack following a speedball overdose, but survived.
• According to his autobiography, the rock guitarist Slash (who had been in the same band as Adler) experienced cardiac arrest for eight minutes after taking a speedball, but was revived.

References

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