Boston Drug Enforcement Officials are warning the public about an extremely powerful opioid drug that may soon find its way to New England.
Special Agent Timothy Desmond says the drug is carfentanil, a synthetic opioid. He says it’s 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl, another deadly synthetic opioid which is 50 times more potent than heroin. Carfentanil is a drug used as an elephant tranquilizer and coming into contact with it, inhaling it, or absorbing it in any way can be fatal.
“We’re on the front line and we’re paying attention to see what happens across the country, but demand for opioids in New England is very high,” Desmond said. “However, the threat of carfentanil hasn’t reached the Boston area yet.”
Carfentanil has surfaced in the midwest in Ohio and other states and the DEA is investigating and following the demand so they can help stop the supply.
The DEA is issuing a nationwide alert about the drug to the public, communities, state and local officials out of concern that carfentanil will quickly become a new killer in the nationwide drug epidemic.
source:
news.wgbh.org
