Cocaine and meth are back: public health must adapt to a new stimulant era

Opioid overdose deaths are declining, while deaths from cocaine and meth are rising, signaling an evolving drug crisis in which stimulant use often overlaps with opioids. There is no approved medication for cocaine or meth, so public health relies on approaches like contingency management and expanded treatment, though funding remains scarce. Experts emphasize the need for better public awareness of stimulant overdose symptoms and for scaling effective interventions to prevent a repeat of past crises.