Party Smarter This Summer
There’s a lot to celebrate in Philly this year. Between hosting games for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the MLB All-Star Game, and America’s 250th Birthday celebration, we know that both people traveling here from across the world and people who call Philly home will be out and about, sometimes with drinks in hand. We know people will be out having a good time, but we also know:
During large public events, especially sporting events, alcohol-related emergency room visits increase.
People won’t just be drinking. Polysubstance, or the use of more than one kind of drug at a time, is common and can be dangerous. Combining alcohol and other drugs carries additional health and safety risks.
Philly’s drug supply is unpredictable, and people who recreationally use unregulated drugs in other places might not be used to the adulterants in the local drug supply and the risks of getting something that contains a dangerous contaminant like fentanyl.
We care about the safety and well-being of people who visit our city and those who live here. This page has resources for different kinds of substance use, some strategies for keeping yourself and people around you safe, and what to do if you or a friend has gone too far.
NO MATTER WHAT, if someone is having a medical emergency, call 911 for medical services. In Pennsylvania, you are protected under the Good Samaritan Law (Act 139 of 2014, "Drug Overdose Response Immunity Act") and you will not get in trouble with the police for reporting an overdose.
Call 911 if someone:
Becomes unconscious
Can't be woken up
Is breathing slowly or stops breathing
Has blue or gray lips or fingertips
Is seizing
Stay safer while drinking
It's easy to go overboard when you're having a good time. Here are some simple ways to stay safer while you’re drinking:
Drink water whenever you get the chance. Try to alternate alcoholic drinks with water and carry a water bottle with you if you’re out in the city.
Fans attending games at Lincoln Financial Field or Citizens Bank Park can bring clear, plastic water bottles into the stadiums.
Don’t drink on an empty stomach. Plan to stop for food or have snacks throughout the day.
Keep an eye on your drinks. If you leave a drink at a bar or table, make sure a trusted person watches it. If you must leave your drink alone, ask the bartender for another one.
Consider the heat. Many of this summer’s activities are taking place outdoors. The heat can accelerate the effects of binge drinking, since you are more easily dehydrated.
Know your serving sizes. Remember that most of the canned drinks you buy at events contain more than one standard drink. A 24oz can contains two servings of beer.
ABV = alcohol by volume
Serving size considerations:
Remember that most of the canned drinks you buy at events contain more than one standard drink. A 24oz can contains at least two servings of beer – potentially more, if the beer has an ABV larger than 5%.
Carbonated drinks hit faster because the pressure created by the bubbles in your digestive system forces alcohol into your bloodstream more quickly. Keep this in mind if you are drinking a canned seltzer or a cocktail mixed with soda.
Learn more about the factors that affect how your body absorbs alcohol here: Alcohol Facts | Alcoholic Beverage Control
Plan your trip home. You should never drink and drive. Before you go out, make a plan to get home safely.
Look up public transportation routes and schedules on the SEPTA website. SEPTA will extend its evening service after the World Cup games and provide free rides home on the Broad Street Line.
Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft will likely charge higher prices during the World Cup games. If you plan to use one of these services, expect to pay more than you usually would.
Mixing substances
Polysubstance use, or the use of more than one type of substance at a time, carries more health risks than using one substance on its own. Different substances can interact with one another in the body, which can cause unexpected and sometimes dangerous side effects.
SUPHR has guides for popular party drugs and the specific risks of mixing different substances.
No matter what substances you’re using, carrying the overdose reversal medication naloxone (Narcan) is always a good idea. You can get free naloxone at any Philadelphia fire station. Find a map of all Philly fire stations at SubstanceUsePhilly.com/get-supplies.
Nitrous
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Meth
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Ketamine
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MDMA
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Cocaine
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Poppers
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Nitrous 〰️ Meth 〰️ Ketamine 〰️ MDMA 〰️ Cocaine 〰️ Poppers 〰️
Street drug supply
| Adulterant | Description | Symptoms/effects | Where it's been found |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fentanyl | A strong, synthetic opioid that can cause an overdose in very small amounts | Slowed or stopped breathing | Dope/street opioids, Cocaine, Counterfeit pills* Methamphetamine |
| Medetomidine | Veterinary sedative/tranquilizer | Sedation, severe and fast-onset withdrawal | Dope/street opioids, Counterfeit pills |
| Xylazine | Veterinary sedative/tranquilizer | Causes skin and soft tissue damage that can lead to wounds. | Dope/street opioids |
| Local anesthetics (lidocaine, procaine, tetracaine) | Numbing agents used in healthcare settings, that get added to street drugs to resemble effects of other substances | Numbness, low blood pressure, lightheadedness, confusion, anxiety, and seizures. | Cocaine, Dope/street opioids |
| Dimethyl sulfone (MSM) | Used to add volume to substances, it naturally occurs in some foods and is sometimes marketed as a dietary supplement. | Stomach upset, skin rashes, and allergic reactions | Methamphetamine, MDMA |
| Caffeine | Common stimulant | High dosage can cause mood and sleep disturbances, increased anxiety, and amplify other effects of the drugs it's added to | Dope/street opioids, Cocaine, Methamphetamine, MDMA |
| Levamisole | Veterinary dewormer | Fever, can causes a rare blood disorder that leaves patients susceptible to infections, such as sepsis | Cocaine |
| Hydroxyzine | A sedative and allergy medication | In combination with other substances, can cause sedation and unconsciousness | Cocaine |
| Phenacetin | Has pain relieving properties, no longer used for humans | Causes kidney damage, linked with kidney and bladder cancer | Cocaine |
| Methamphetamine | A strong, illegal stimulant | Mood and sleep disturbance, heart problems | MDMA, Counterfeit pills |
When you use substances bought off the street, you’re likely getting something that contains contaminants that you don’t mean (and don’t want) to use. Philly’s drug supply changes often and contains adulterants that can be dangerous and sometimes deadly. The most well-known contaminant is fentanyl, a strong opioid that can cause someone to overdose quickly. Fentanyl is the most common substance in street opioids, also called dope, but it has also been found in other street drugs.
The following adulterants have been identified in the local drug supply, either through surveillance testing of substances or urine drug screening.
*Commonly counterfeited pills include benzodiazepines (such as Xanax), Adderall, and opioids (such as hydrocodone)
Test your drugs.
Checking substances using fentanyl test strips can help prevent overdose. You can find instructions on using fentanyl test strips at SUPHR’s Get Supplies page.
NOTE: Test strips only provide information about the presence or absence of the single substance they’re designed to test for. Just because a drug tests negative for fentanyl does not mean that it does not contain other contaminants.
Learn more about Philly’s evolving drug supply at our drug checking and adulterants page.