Polysubstance Use Among People Who Use Opioids or Other Drugs Nonmedically: A Literature Review

Drug policy and addiction medicine experts have, for years, warned that there is no such thing as a single-drug epidemic. The medical literature supports this reality; the “opioid crisis” was the beginning of a polysubstance crisis.

In partnership with the Center for U.S. Policy, Community Impact NC has created Polysubstance Use Among People Who Use Opioids or Other Drugs Nonmedically: A Literature Review.

This document discusses several examples of polysubstance use that are drawn from medical journals and government-supported articles. It serves as a guide for stakeholders as they develop their prevention, intervention, treatment, and harm reduction strategies.