May 2025 LWPC Meeting Recap
At the May 7, 2025, meeting of the LWPC coalition at the Walnut Hills Branch Library, Rachael Acra presented on Hamilton County Public Health's Harm Reduction efforts. She highlighted the comprehensive services offered through the SAFE Services program, which operates five days a week across the county to provide critical tools for overdose prevention and safer drug use. These services include distribution of naloxone, fentanyl test strips, sharps containers, safe sex supplies, and pre-packaged safer use kits containing syringes, cookers, alcohol pads, cottons, and tourniquets. Rachael emphasized the importance of community education and collaboration in reducing harm and preventing overdose deaths. She also discussed HCPH’s anonymous drug checking program, which helps individuals identify the contents of their substances to make informed decisions. Additionally, she shared multiple access points for harm reduction tools, including mail order, community events, partnerships, and vending machines.
After the meeting, Rachael talked with Hamilton County's epidemiology department about pink cocaine. One of the epidemiology supervisors reached out to the Chief Drug Analyst at the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office, and they reported that they have not had any pink cocaine samples submitted to the crime laboratory here in Hamilton County. They stated they have had some instances of cocaine base being colored, but it does not match the chemical profile of pink cocaine, which is supposed to contain 2C-B, ketamine, MDMA, or methamphetamine (or any combination thereof). We also have not had any instances of anything similar to pink cocaine showing up through our drug checking program. The messaging we want to put out to the community is to encourage everyone to carry Naloxone and have FTS on hand, regardless of the substances being used.
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