Lethal drug alert issued in Washington County
A lethal drug alert has been issued in Washington County after an elephant tranquilizer was found in the blood of two overdose victims last month.
Washington County District Attorney Gene Vittone and Coroner Tim Warco jointly issued the alert Thursday night after they received the results of toxicology tests on the victims, which identified the presence of carfentanil, a synthetic opioid, and cocaine in their systems.
Toxicology tests were pending on a third drug overdose victim in the county in January. Carfentinil is suspected in that death, the officials said.
Carfentanil has been known to cause a large amount of deaths in a small locality, the county officials stated in a news release.
“It’s extremely scary,” Vittone said Friday. “This is just gambling with your life.”
State police were investigating the three deaths.
“We’re putting all of our resources into finding out where this stuff is coming from,” state police Sgt. Dale Brown said.
“Carfentanil is a particularly powerful opioid and in extremely small amounts is lethal,” the news release states.
“A couple of grains is all it takes,” Vittone said.
Vittone and Warco said there is no way for drug addicts to know what is in the drugs they are purchasing on the streets.
Carfentanil showed up about a year ago in Charleroi, and in Beaver County, Vittone said. Most of it is produced in China and shipped to the United States by mail, he added.
Vittone and Warco urged those who are addicted to opioids to avoid buying drugs and to seek help by contacting Washington Drug and Alcohol Commission at 1-800-247-8379.
The commission can assist with detox, locating treatment and providing financial assistance for treatment.