Why some people switch from injecting to smoking fentanyl and methamphetamine
Determinants of transitioning from injecting to smoking fentanyl and methamphetamine and implications for harm reduction implementation
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · NIH-11178644
This project looks at why people who inject drugs in the San Diego–Tijuana border area are switching from injecting to smoking fentanyl and methamphetamine so harm-reduction programs can better meet their needs.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (LA JOLLA, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11178644 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers will work with people who use drugs in the San Diego–Tijuana border region to document who is switching from injecting to smoking and when those changes happen. The team will combine interviews and survey data with information about local services, peer norms, and city policies. They will use a social-ecological framework to examine individual, interpersonal, community, and structural influences on switching behavior. Results will be used to recommend practical changes for syringe services and other harm-reduction programs.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who use opioids or methamphetamine in the San Diego–Tijuana border area, particularly those who have recently switched from injecting to smoking or who are at risk of switching, are the ideal participants.
Not a fit: People who do not use fentanyl or methamphetamine, live outside the San Diego–Tijuana border region, or are not engaged with local harm-reduction efforts are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help harm-reduction programs provide safer smoking supplies and tailor services to reduce overdoses and infectious disease spread.
How similar studies have performed: Some previous programs and studies show distributing safer smoking supplies can reduce equipment sharing, but research specifically on transitions from injecting to smoking—especially with fentanyl—is still limited.
Where this research is happening
LA JOLLA, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO — LA JOLLA, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: EGER, WILLIAM HENRY — UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- Study coordinator: EGER, WILLIAM HENRY
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Virus, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Virus, Bacterial Infections