Crack mixed with fentanyl causes spike in overdose deaths, officials warn

CINCINNATI — Crack cocaine tainted with fentanyl is behind a recent “significant increase” in suspected overdose deaths, according to an alert from the Hamilton County Heroin Coalition Task Force.

Officials said they have investigated at least six suspected crack cocaine overdose deaths in 10 days. In the last few weeks, officials said they have also seen a “steep increase” in the number of African-American overdose victims, including four of the six crack cocaine deaths.

Fentanyl is 50-100 times more potent than heroin, which means someone using an amount of fentanyl equal to the amount of a less potent drug they’d normally use is much more likely to overdose.

Also, investigators have found that a supplier has been mixing fentanyl with methamphetamine and adding red, yellow or blue food coloring and pressing the mixture into pills to be sold as MDMA or ecstasy. Authorities said they’ve been encountering fake pills being sold on the street as hydrocodone or Percocet that are actually formulations of fentanyl.

Officials warned recreational drug users that any type of street drug could be mixed with fentanyl. They offered the following advice:

• Do not use alone, and ensure someone is not using in the group,
• Have Narcan on hand. Call Hamilton County Public Health at 513-946-7676 or email them at narcan@hamilton-co.org,
• Call 911 if you suspect someone is overdosing, even if you have Narcan on hand,
• For help, call the Addiction Services Council Help Line at 513-281-7880 in Ohio or 859-415-9280 in Kentucky.

This was the second alert officials have released recently about a spike in overdoses. On May 20, health officials and authorities warned about methamphetamine and cocaine

laced with fentanyl,

saying 15 people overdosed in a 12-hour period.