Rising Use of Carfentanil in Ohio
Rising use of carfentanil in Ohio is wreaking devastating consequences. Drug overdose rates are skyrocketing thanks to surging use of this tranquilizer.
In the beginning of February 2019, Dr. Thomas Gilson, a medical examiner in Cuyahoga County, issued a public health warning over the rising use of Carfentanil in Ohio. This animal tranquilizer is extremely potent and powerful. Due to this reason, even a small dose can be incredibly dangerous to humans.
“In January 2019, 58 residents of Cuyahoga County died of drug overdoses.”
At this current moment, many counties still have tests pending to determine how many drug overdose deaths are linked to carfentanil. Unfortunately, it appears as if there has been a significant increase. This synthetic drug is also being seized in higher frequencies by law enforcement officers all around the country.
What Is Carfentanil?
Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid used by veterinarians on large animals, like elephants and elks. This drug is 100 times more potent than fentanyl and 10,000 times more potent than morphine. Considering the fact that fentanyl is already very toxic, carfentanil is quite deadly to human beings.
Unfortunately, this opioid is being mixed in with illicit drugs like heroin and cocaine. They’re also used to make counterfeit pills. Many people who overdose on carfentanil were not even aware that they were taking the drug. This drug is actually very difficult for many standard drug tests to detect. It can’t be detected by most test strips. It is also often mistaken for fentanyl or fentanyl analogues.
Use of Carfentanil in Ohio
Carfentanil and opioids are highly abused in Ohio. In fact, this is one of the most addicted states in all of America. Many residents in Ohio are addicted to prescription opioids, like oxycodone and hydrocodone. This can cause them to abuse illicit drugs, like heroin, once their prescription runs out.
Unfortunately, with the reappearance of carfentanil in Ohio, the dangers of using illicit opioids have increased significantly. The number of overdose deaths in Ohio related to opioids is expected to skyrocket.
While deaths in Montgomery County and other areas in Ohio have been steadily decreasing, the police department and drug enforcement agencies have busted many drug traffickers with this opioid. If these drugs were to make it on the streets, they would have done an unfathomable amount of damage. They would have caused a significant amount of overdose drug deaths.
Learn More About Carfentanil in Ohio
Carfentanil is one of the deadliest synthetic opioids. Unfortunately, not a lot of attention is drawn to this drug. It flies under the radar most of the time. With that said, there are many drug overdose deaths linked to carfentanil in Ohio. It’s time for the government to take action and to raise awareness for the dangers of using this drug.
If you want to learn more about carfentanil or if you have an opioid addiction, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Our addiction experts can answer any questions that you may have. If you are struggling with an addiction, our experts can help you find a drug rehab center that offers the type of opioid addiction treatment that you need.