The Center for Health Promotion and Health Equity is proud to spotlight the critical work of Dr. Jaclyn White Hughto, a leading researcher in overdose prevention, particularly focusing on stimulant use amidst the rising “fourth wave” of the opioid epidemic. With the opioid crisis continuing to evolve, Dr. Hughto’s research addresses a significant and often overlooked issue—polydrug overdoses involving stimulants and opioids, such as fentanyl.

The "fourth wave" of the opioid epidemic is driven by the lethal combination of stimulants like cocaine or methamphetamine with fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more powerful than heroin. This dangerous mix is leading to increasing overdose deaths, particularly among people who use stimulants who may not realize that they are at risk of a fentanyl-involved overdose.

Dr. Hughto’s current study, Preventing Overdoses INvolving sTimulantS (POINTS), funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, surveyed and interviewed people who use stimulants and people incarcerated for drug distribution in Rhode Island and Massachusetts as well as conducted drug checking to determine the presence of fentanyl in the drug supply. The preprint findings reveal that over 60% of the 230 people who use stimulants surveyed had unknowingly used stimulants that contained fentanyl.

Her work was highlighted this summer by The Public's Radio. She and her collaborators also led a series of workshops with people from across the overdose prevention and response continuum to identify locally-tailored intervention strategies to prevent fatal stimulant and fentanyl-involved overdoses.

The study underscores the urgent need for widespread access to and use of harm reduction strategies, such as fentanyl test strips and community drug checking, to prevent overdose deaths.

Dr. Hughto is also deeply engaged with community-based organizations, ensuring that research and interventions are grounded in the lived experiences of those most affected by the overdose crisis. Her work is making an impact not only academia but also on the front lines of public health, informing policies and practices that could save lives.

The center remains committed to supporting research that addresses pressing public health challenges, especially those impacting vulnerable populations. For more information about Dr. Hughto’s work and other research initiatives, please visit her lab and research pages.