Contrary to the common perception of marijuana as a benign substance, evidence-based data reveal significant acute side effects that EMS providers must be prepared to recognize and manage. This report (aka "field guide") provides a detailed overview of cannabis-related emergencies and their prehospital management helping EMS leaders shape protocols and prepare crews for these emerging challenges.

Xylazine – also known by street names like “tranq” or “tranq dope” – is a veterinary sedative that has rapidly infiltrated the illicit drug supply in recent years. Unlike opioids, xylazine is not intended for human use, yet it’s being combined with fentanyl and other drugs, causing unprecedented challenges for emergency medical services (EMS). This report provides a comprehensive overview of xylazine and similar emerging non-opioid drugs tailored for EMS.

It’s 1430 hours when your crew is dispatched to a construction site for a worker who “passed out.”

In August 2025, a major joint position statement was released by NAEMSP, ACEP, and the ACS Committee on Trauma regarding tranexamic acid (TXA) use in trauma care. This represents one of the most unified and significant updates to prehospital hemorrhage management in recent years. Here’s what every EMS clinician should know:

7‑OH (7‑hydroxymitragynine) is the potent opioid metabolite in kratom. It depresses respirations, responds to naloxone, and relapses after short wins. Treat it like an opioid tox with extra vigilance for co‑ingestants and rebound sedation.

In this article, we break down three critical realities every first responder, law enforcement officer, and pre-hospital provider must understand: The rise of fentanyl analogs and nitazenes The truth about aerosolized opioid exposure The clinical justification for stacking Narcan—and why mocking responders can be deadly

CPR-induced consciousness (CPRIC) refers to instances where patients exhibit signs of awareness during chest compressions in cardiac arrest. These signs may include spontaneous eye opening, limb movement, facial grimacing, or even verbal responses.

Paradoxical undressing is one of the most deceptive phenomena associated with hypothermia. Patients experiencing moderate to severe hypothermia may suddenly strip off layers of clothing, despite being in freezing conditions.