Monday, October 30, 2017

Analogues creating serious antidote concerns - 'Hot Spots'

With more than 4 people in B.C. already dying of overdose every day, the province’s chief medical officer is warning of dozens of new types of analogues that are proving resistant to naloxone. At least 40 different fentanyl analogues exist to intensify or prolong a user’s high. Acryl fentanyl is one. It is highly resistant to the Narcan antidote.

Improper mixing of fentanyl into street samples creates lethal doses. Proper mixing of tiny concentrations is challenging, especially for powders. Improper mixing results in some street 'hits' having more than 2 milligrams and others having less. Fentanyl and analogs are not water soluble, and traffickers need to use acidic substances to break it apart. (i.e. Vitamin 'C') Most don't bother.
Eric Boechler mixes up a binding agent and pink-dyed sugar in a small blender. He puts the powder in a pill press, turns it on, and little pills start pumping out.

The dyed sugar is used to replace fentanyl in the demonstration to show how poorly the drug is distributed.

Included in Sgt. Eric Boechler's demonstration is a confiscated "fake oxy" pill containing fentanyl and the dyes used.
'Hot spots' are common in street fentanyl. While one user may smoke, swallow, snort or inject the drug and be fine, the next may end up dead.

Fatal doses of Heroin, Fentanyl