Ohio officials warn that six different strains of the deadly fentanyl are circulating in the state’s illegal drug supply.
The Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center issued the alert Friday, saying the synthetic opioid is circulating in the state in the form of gum, black tar, powder, tablets, chalk and stones.
Fentanyl fueled the US drug crisis. Originally developed for hospitals, it is now incorporated into other medications, so those who overdose on it often have no idea they are taking it.
The Ohio Department of Health estimates that illicit fentanyl was involved in 81 percent of overdoses in the state in 2020. That same year, deaths from the drug rose 32 percent.
The Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center has identified six forms of fentanyl in the state
The number of deaths from fentanyl in the US increased sharply in the 2010s. At the beginning of the decade, 2,666 Americans died of fentanyl overdose. This figure rose to 19,413 in 2016. Covid made the situation even worse, with a record 72,484 deaths recorded in 2021
The Ohio Department of Health notes a dramatic increase in deaths from fentanyl. In 2020 alone, the drug was implicated in 81 percent of overdose deaths
State officials have issued a warning against six types of fentanyl found locally.
The Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center (ONIC) has a bulletin on Friday stating that the variety of fentanyl in the state includes powder, tablet, chalk, stone, black tar and gum.
The agency stated that while they have not yet been found in the state, there are other forms of fentanyl, such as pellets, popcorn, lego-shaped blocks, puzzle pieces, and confetti tablets.
ONIC advised caution to individuals who come close to drug activity, as fentanyl, due to the variety of forms it occurs in, is difficult to identify.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine.
The pharmaceutical version was invented in the US in 1959 as a cheaper alternative to other painkillers. It was used for both severe pain and terminal illnesses such as cancer.
Three chemicals, benzylfentanyl, 4-anilinopiperidine and norfentanyl and considered by the DEA to be precursors to fentanyl – meaning they are key ingredients in the drug’s creation.
It binds to opioid receptors in a person’s nervous system, which are responsible for giving the body a pleasant sensation when activated.
Now it is used in street drugs.
It takes a negligibly small dose of fentanyl to cause a fatal overdose. Just two milligrams, the equivalent of five grains of salt, is enough to cause death.
Because it is incorporated into other popular medications, many people who die from overdoses do not know they are taking fentanyl.
The drug also takes different forms, including ones that look like chalk, stones, and even chewed gum.
The ONIC advisory also warns against fentanyl mixed with black tar heroin.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency has called fentanyl the “deadliest drug facing this country.”
During a Senate hearing in March, Alejandro Mayorkas of the US Department of Homeland Security said fentanyl was linked to more than 75,000 deaths by 2022, the equivalent of 1,500 lives lost per week.
In 2010, that number was just 2,666, according to the CDC.
The NIH estimated 182 percent fentanyl-related deaths among youth between 2019 and 2021.
Mr Mayorkas said fentanyl is the ‘biggest challenge facing the US as a country’.
The drug has become the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 49. It has also caused the average life expectancy in the US to drop from 78.8 in 2019 to 76.4 in 2021. Experts have described this drop as “dramatic” and “substantial”.
The drug is partly responsible for America’s sharp decline in life expectancy over the past three years. It’s now in everything from cocaine to molly and street benzodiazepines like Xanax.
Fentanyl was first produced in India and China. Precursor chemicals and powder were shipped to North America. Now laboratories in Mexico are mixing those chemicals into counterfeit pills and smuggling them into the US.
The fentanyl crisis has contributed to the sharp decline in American life expectancy in recent years. Americans now live an average of 76.4 years, up from 78.8 years in 2019. In the UK, which, like the US, suffered from the Covid pandemic but is not experiencing a fentanyl crisis, life expectancy has increased slightly from 81.3 years in 2019 to 81.52 years in 2021.
The drug was initially produced in India and China and shipped to recipients in North America. Since then, makeshift laboratories have sprung up in Mexico to receive the precursor chemicals from Asia, mix them or crush them into pills and smuggle them into the US
Customs and Border Protection seized a record nearly 15,000 pounds of fentanyl last year. More than 90 percent of the arrests took place at ports of entry along the Mexican border.
Naloxone, sold under the brand name Narcan, is the main treatment for fentanyl overdose. It has an extremely high success rate.
A Brigham and Women’s Hospital study found that 94 percent of people who received naloxone survived their overdose.
In a study from Harm Reduction Journal, more than 90 percent of participants feared that a single box of Narcan would not be enough for a successful reversal. However, 95 percent of overdose cases were prevented.
It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration last month (FDA) for over-the-counter use, meaning it will be available everywhere — from vending machines to big box stores — by the end of the summer.
The Narcan manufacturer has not specified an exact price for the drug, but estimates range from $22 to $141, depending on location and insurance. It can be sold in packs of one or two.
In the 12 months ending August 2022, emergency medical services responded to 396,312 activations nationwide involving Narcan.
Narcan still incurs costs in many locations. It may be covered by insurance, but coverage depends on the specific plan.
You may need prior approval before the insurance will cover this.
While it won’t be available over the counter until the end of summer, it can be purchased from a pharmacy in all 50 states.
Coupons and Narcan dispensing utilities may be used depending on insurance coverage.