# Preventing Overdoses Involving Stimulants (POINTS)Study

> **NIH ALLCDC R01** · BROWN UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $362,499

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
In recent years, overdoses involving illicit cocaine, methamphetamine, and other stimulants, have increased
nationally and in the overdose hotspot states of Massachusetts (MA) and Rhode Island (RI). Polysubstance use
has long been a known risk factor for overdose. However, drug seizure data suggest that cocaine,
methamphetamine, and counterfeit pills may be adulterated with fentanyl. The unintentional consumption of
stimulants containing illicit fentanyl represents a major risk factor for opioid-driven overdoses, whereas the
increasing availability and use of highly potent cocaine and methamphetamine in MA and RI pose a risk for
stimulant-only overdoses. Understanding the drug use patterns and strategies used by people who use
stimulants to prevent overdose is necessary to identify risk and protective factors for stimulant-involved
overdoses. Mixed-methods research with individuals involved in drug distribution can also provide critical
information into the mechanisms through which fentanyl and other adulterants may enter the stimulant supply.
The testing of drug samples can further triangulate consumer and distributor perspectives regarding the potency
and adulteration of the drug supply. Drug checking using Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy
enables the detection of all active adulterants in a sample, including fentanyl and its analogs. When paired with
confirmatory testing, drug checking can provide insights into the changing drug supply, the risk of exposure to
highly potent or fentanyl-adulterated stimulants and overdose risk for high-risk communities. Finally, collaborative
efforts with community stakeholders are needed to identify optimal, feasible, and acceptable strategies to prevent
fatal and non-fatal overdoses in high-risk communities. Our overall objective is to reduce stimulant-involved
overdoses in regions disproportionately affected by the overdose epidemic. Our approach to meeting this long-
term objective is to utilize a multi-pronged approach to identify risk and protective factors for stimulant-involved
overdose and use these findings to begin the process of developing a package of locally-tailored intervention
strategies that can be swiftly implemented in future research to prevent stimulant-involved overdoses. Consistent
with Objective 2 of RFA-CE-21-002, we aim to [1] Carry out mixed-methods research with people who use or
distribute illicit stimulants to identify risk and protective factors for stimulant-involved overdoses; [2] Conduct drug
checking to examine the potency of stimulants and the presence and relative quantity of fentanyl and other
adulterants in the stimulant supply; and [3] Convene a series of working groups with individuals involved in
primary and secondary overdose prevention in MA and RI to contextualize our mixed-methods findings and
identify multilevel intervention strategies to prevent stimulant-involved overdoses. Completion of this study will
yield a rich understanding of...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10392020
- **Project number:** 1R01CE003353-01
- **Recipient organization:** BROWN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** TRACI C GREEN
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $362,499
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-09-30 → 2024-09-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10392020

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10392020, Preventing Overdoses Involving Stimulants (POINTS)Study (1R01CE003353-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10392020. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*