EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KOAA) — A deadly new drug has hit the streets of El Paso County. The coroner's office is warning the community about carfentanil.
According to the coroner's office, this is the first known instance of carfentanil being identified locally without the presence of fentanyl. It's a synthetic opioid that is 100 times stronger than fentanyl, and 10,000 times more powerful than morphine.
They say due to its structural difference, the drug does not show up on fentanyl test strips, posing a serious risk to the community, as well as to responding and testing personnel.
The coroner's office says some overdose symptoms include the following:
- slowed or stopped breathing
- cold or clammy skin
- unresponsiveness
They add that Narcan can reverse overdoses, but higher doses may be needed.
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