Heroin Task Force: Cocaine Now Being Laced With Fentanyl

Hamilton County's Heroin Task Force says there are local cases of fake ecstasy and MDMA pills which are actually a mixture of methamphetamine and fentanyl.

File photo.

(Hamilton County, Oh.) - The Hamilton County Heroin Task Force is sounding the alarm as it observes a dangerous and changing trend in local drug overdoses.

The task force announced Thursday it has investigated at least six suspected crack cocaine overdose deaths in the past ten days. Another 11 people have survived overdoses.

Although crack isn’t exactly safe, it is not usually so deadly. The task force believes the crack cocaine has been tainted with fentanyl, a powerful opiate more commonly used to cut heroin.

There is another street drug in the area which may contain the dangerous mix.

“Another current investigation has revealed a supplier was mixing Fentanyl with Methamphetamine and then adding red, yellow or blue food coloring and pressing the mixture in pill form to be sold as MDMA or Ecstasy. For many months we have encountered various fake pressed pills sold on the street as Hydrocodone or Percocet and are formulations of Fentanyl,” according to the task force’s announcement.

A warning has been issued to “recreational drugs users” that any type of street drug could be mixed with or have a type of fentanyl added.

The task force recommends the following:

• Do not use alone and ensure someone is not using in the group.
• All recreational drugs users should have Narcan on hand-call Hamilton County Public Health at (513) 946-7676 or narcan@hamilton-co.org.
• Always call 911 if you suspect someone is overdosing, even if you have Narcan on-hand.
• For help, call addictions services council help line at (513) 281-7880 or in Kentucky at (859) 415-9280.