The term ‘Blues drug’ refers to prescription opioid medications, particularly those that are blue, that are often misused for recreational purposes. They are often abused for their sedative or euphoric effects.
The most common opioid that is abused is oxycodone- a 30mg blue pill prescribed by doctors to treat severe pain.
Blues drugs are dangerous because they have been approved by the FDA and are legitimately prescribed, causing people to assume that they are not quite as dangerous as they are. However, the reality is that blue pills can be extremely harmful when misused.
This article will answer the following questions: What are blue pills? What is the street drug blues? Are blues drugs addictive? What are the risks of taking blue drugs? And, finally, what options are there for recovery?
What Are Blues?
‘Blues’ can either refer to the prescription drug oxycodone that is commonly abused, or the synthetic street version that users frequently avail themselves of, too. Both versions of blues drug carry significant risks when used incorrectly.
What Are M30s?
M30’s refers to the 30 mg blue prescription oxycodone pills that are misused by addicts. They are called so because the pills are manufactured with the letter ‘M’ on one side, and the number ‘30’ on the other.
Unfortunately, counterfeit, illegitimate blues drugs often look very similar to the original product, featuring an ‘M’ and a ’30,’ just like the prescription drugs. This is very dangerous since street-made blue pills are usually laced with fentanyl, a potent and often lethal synthetic opioid drug.
Are Blues Drug Addictive?
Yes, blue drugs are very addictive and have a high abuse potential. Oxycodone is prescribed to help people manage severe pain, such as pain caused by chronic diseases or post-surgery. Since blues drug have a high potential for abuse, people who are prescribed oxycodone may find themselves using the pills differently than directed – or, in other words, abusing them.
Examples of abuse include taking the pills more frequently than prescribed, taking a higher dose than prescribed, or taking it in a different form, such as crushing and snorting the pills instead of taking them orally.
Since there is widespread awareness of oxycodone’s addictive properties, doctors usually monitor patients carefully while they are taking oxycodone. They may decide to stop prescribing the medication if they have reason to believe that the user may be developing dependence or an addiction.
As a result, many people who have become addicted to prescription oxycodone will look for alternative forms after they no longer can be obtained legally. They often find and use the illegal street drug to feed their addiction, leading to legal issues, increased risk of addiction, and significant physical harm.
What are Blues on The Street?
Blues have several names on the street, including:
- Mexican Blues
- Blues
- M-Boxes
- M30s
- Mexican oxy
- Percs
- Roxies/ Roxys
- Blues
- Blue footballs
- Blueberries
The blue pills produced on the street are unregulated. This means that it’s impossible to know exactly what each pill contains, which can be very dangerous. Often, blue pills are laced with fentanyl, a synthetic drug that can be fatal even in tiny amounts.
How are Blues Drugs Used?
Blue drugs are usually consumed orally, the way they are intended to be taken. However, some people crush the pill and snort it in order to bypass the slow processing of the digestive system. When snorted, the drug reaches the bloodstream faster, allowing the user to experience its effects much sooner.
Blue pills can also be smoked to achieve a similar goal to snorting: the drug enters the bloodstream faster through the lungs when inhaled instead of consumed orally. Finally, some people inject the drug once it has been dissolved in water. This allows the drug to enter the bloodstream directly, causing the onset of effects almost immediately.
What Are The Side Effects of Blue Drugs?
The immediate effect of blue drugs is euphoria, pain relief, sedation, and relaxation. When a person misuses blue pills, the instant experience is so pleasurable that they are usually compelled to take more of the drug so they can enjoy the experience once again.
With time, the body develops a level of tolerance to the drug, which means that a greater dose must be taken in order for the body to experience the same effects as previously. Tolerance causes the user to constantly increase the dose, until they develop dependence.
Dependence is defined by the body being unable to function optimally without the regular dose of the drug in the system. Quitting the drug leads to withdrawal symptoms that are extremely difficult to withstand, so the user continues to ingest the regular dose to feel ‘normal.’
Inevitably, dependence on blue pills leads to addiction. Addiction is characterized by an obsession with the drug, regardless of negative effects on mental health, physical health, relationships, and more. Addiction is a chronic, relapsing disorder that is tremendously difficult to overcome.
Risks of Blue Drugs Abuse
Chronic blue drugs misuse can lead to several adverse effects, including:
- Constipation
- Confusion
- Sweating
- Itchiness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Sedation
- Respiratory depression
- Increased risk of addiction
Long-Term Effects of Blues Drug
Persistent misuse of blues drugs can cause severe long-term effects, including:
- Respiratory issues- Users may find it difficult to breathe properly, as well as other issues.
- Organ failure- Internal organs like the liver, kidney, and heart can be adversely impacted.
- Neurological decline- Executive functioning, memory, and cognition can all be impaired.
- Decreased mental health- Pre-existing mental conditions may be exacerbated, and users can develop anxiety, depression, psychosis, and other disorders.
- Addiction- People who abuse opioids can develop dependence on the drug, eventually leading to addiction.
Signs Someone is Using Blue Drugs
If you are concerned about a loved one and suspect they may be using blue pills recreationally, it’s important to know the common signs. Of course, displaying some of the physical effects of blue drugs mentioned above may be a clue that the person is misusing opioids.
Especially if a loved one is starting to show signs of cognitive decline, respiratory failure, and other more severe symptoms of opioid abuse, it’s worthwhile investigating whether or not it may be the cause. Additionally, people who use drugs often exhibit the following behaviors:
- Using up prescribed opioid faster than expected
- Significant, unexplained and unexpected weight loss
- Neglect of personal hygiene and grooming
- Dramatic mood swings (euphoria and depression)
- Changes in social circles/ hanging out with new friends
- Repeated failure to complete responsibilities such as work
- Irregular sleep patterns- insomnia, sleeping at unusual hours
- Withdrawal symptoms when the effects of the drug wear off
- Unexplained and sudden nausea, vomiting, sweating, and slowed breathing.
Can You Overdose on Blue Drugs?
Yes, blue drugs overdose is, unfortunately, a great risk and a fairly common occurrence. Opioids misuse can lead to respiratory depression, where the breathing slows, sometimes to dangerous levels. This can lead to coma, brain damage, and death.
Here are some other causes for blue drugs overdose:
- Unregulated manufacturing- Illegally produced blue pills frequently contain fentanyl, which can be deadly in very small amounts. It’s impossible for the user to know exactly how much fentanyl or other possibly fatal substance is contained in each pill, leaving them unable to gauge the dose their bodies can handle.
- Mixing substances- Many users combine blue pills with other substances, particularly alcohol and benzodiazepines, which are depressants. Combining opioids with depressants greatly increases the risks of respiratory depression, until the breathing stops completely.
- Tolerance changes- People who try to quit using blue pills may lose some of their tolerance to the drug. When they proceed to consume the same quantity of the drug as they did before quitting, their bodies are unable to handle it, triggering an overdose.
Signs of Blue Pills Overdose
It’s important to recognize the signs of an overdose, so you can identify whether you or someone around you is experiencing it. Here are some signs of opioid overdose:
- Blue or purple lips
- Blue or purple fingernails
- Limp body
- Very slow or loss of breathing
- Very slow or loss of heartbeat
- Vomiting
- Pale skin
- Clammy hands
- Inability to awaken
What To Do If Someone Overdoses on Blue Drugs
If you suspect someone may have overdosed on blue pills, call 911 right away. If you have Naloxone (Narcan), administer it immediately. You can potentially save a person’s life with Naloxone, since it is designed to reverse the effects of Opioids.
Don’t leave the victim alone- remain with them until emergency services arrive. It’s important to relate to emergency services that you suspect the person may have overdosed on opioids, so they can administer the appropriate care as soon as possible.
Recovery Options for Blue Drugs Addiction
People who are addicted to opioids have a very difficult time quitting on their own. In fact, quitting cold turkey can be dangerous since the body cannot function without the substance in the system. Users may experience cravings, muscle aches, anxiety, and severe respiratory issues, which can range from extremely unpleasant to dangerous.
At Avenues Recovery we offer a supportive network of medical personnel, mental health professionals, and group support services to help you detox safely and start your journey to recovery. We offer one-on-one and group therapies to help you identify and deal with the cause of your addiction, as well as share the tools and skills you need to get sober.
We invite you to think about the quality of life you experience today, and consider whether you’d like to change. Addiction is a lifelong struggle that adversely affects your daily functioning, relationships, physical health, and more. Reach out to Avenues Recovery today so we can help you reclaim your life and achieve peace, calm, and serenity.