Carfentanil is a drug mostly used by veterinarians as a tranquilizer for large mammals like elephants. It’s being cut into heroin which is increasing danger for those suffering from addiction as well as first responders. This synthetic opioid has caused seven overdose deaths in Pennsylvania in just the past year.
Carfentanil is too dangerous to be prescribed to humans. The strength of Carfentanil has the Drug Enforcement Administration sending out warnings to law enforcement agencies, asking them to exercise extreme caution. It’s not only dangerous if used, but even getting near it could be deadly.
Bedford County Coroner Russell Styer said at a news conference on Monday, “Everyone that touches this, it can be the officer that goes home picks up his kid if he has any of that powder on him it gets into his kids skin in can go to anyone. I mean you don’t have to use it, you don’t have to have a needle present, it can just be airborne you may not even know it.”
The DEA says Fentanil can be lethal at a 2 milligram dosage. Carfentail is 100 times stronger and officials are unsure at what dosage it becomes deadly. The DEA says that any person who suspects they’ve come in contact with the drug should seek immediate medical attention.
Judy Rosser, Executive Director of the Blair Drug and Alcohol Partnership explained,”It’s very dangerous. It’s about 10,000 times stronger than Morphine. So, just a small dose of it could be deadly to a human. They aren’t even sure how much.”
It’s difficult to tell the difference between Carfentanil, Fentanil and heroin. Addicts could be using drugs, not knowing that they have been cut with Carfentanil. The increased potency of the synthetic drug causes users to be more susceptible to overdose.
Rosser said, “We’re seeing increased deaths for the last two years across the nation and even in our region. The Carfentanil is something new in the last year or so, but prior to that, the Fentanil, the synthetic Fentanil out of China.”
With the increased chance of overdose because of Carfentanil, the Blair Drug and Alcohol Partnership recommends having the overdose reversal drug Narcan on hand. The organization gives out Narcan for free and can be reached at 814-381-0921.
