On August 6, 2026, Dr. Kurunthachalam Kannan of the Wadsworth Center’s Division of Environmental Health Sciences presented “Chemical Exposures Among Overdose Patients” during the Association of Public Health Laboratories’ (APHL) Overdose Community of Practice webinar. Dr. Kannan’s presentation highlighted that individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) are a vulnerable population who may experience elevated exposure to toxic environmental chemicals. Factors contributing to these exposures include:
- Impurities and contaminants introduced through clandestine and unregulated drug-manufacturing practices, including cutting agents, plasticizers, and pesticides;
- Elevated alcohol and tobacco use among some individuals with SUD, which can increase exposure to plasticizers and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); and
- The potential for frequent, high-dose drug exposure to disrupt metabolic systems.
The presentation drew on a pilot study of 200 patients with SUD or overdose conducted in Dr. Kannan’s laboratory. The study found higher concentrations of phthalate plasticizers and PAHs in the urine of these patients than in the general U.S. population. The findings underscore that environmental chemical exposures may add to the existing burden of disease among individuals with SUD or overdose and support further examination of other risk factors in this population. Over 45 staff from state and local public health laboratories joined the webinar.