The Substance We Don’t Question: Alcohol on Cape Cod in the Summer

Sunset beach scene on Cape Cod with a whiskey glass in the foreground, a lighthouse in the distance, highlighting alcohol addiction, social acceptance of drinking, and alcoholism awareness.

Every summer, Cape Cod comes alive. The beaches fill. Restaurants stay packed. Vacation homes reopen. Boats crowd the harbors. Friends gather on decks, at cookouts, and around fire pits. Alongside nearly every summer ritual sits another familiar companion: alcohol. On Cape Cod, drinking isn’t just common. It’s expected. A cold beer after a day at […]

Emerging Drug Trends in 2026: Medetomidine, BTMPS, and the Changing Fentanyl Supply

Emerging drug trends 2026 graphic showing medetomidine and BTMPS replacing xylazine in fentanyl supply with overdose risk warning

If you’ve been following recent conversations around substance use, you may have heard that the street drug supply is changing quickly. In my work at Donlan Counseling Services, clients have been describing shifts in how substances feel and behave—often before these trends reach wider awareness. Two emerging concerns—medetomidine in fentanyl and a newer adulterant called […]