Rising Smoke: Fentanyl’s Alarming New Trend in San Francisco

Researchers in San Francisco studied the transition from injecting to smoking fentanyl, finding it driven by fear of overdose and injection difficulties, yet still associated with significant risks.

Individual experiences and local trends around fentanyl smoking are highlighted in a new interview-based study in San Francisco, CA. The insights provide deepening understanding of this dangerous and growing practice. Daniel Ciccarone of the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues presented their findings on May 22, 2024, in the open-access journal PLOS ONE.