Pima Health Dept. Issues Urgent Warning About Drug “Deadlier than Fentanyl”

Tucson Faces New Carfentanil Crisis: What You Need to Know

Getting dangerous drugs off of Arizona streets can be like playing "whack-a-mole." Officials have made progress removing fentanyl from Arizona streets. Now, a more potent, deadlier formula has been found.

A dangerous new opioid has been found on the streets of Tucson. Pima County Health officials are trying to get ahead of a crisis, sounding the alarm about Carfentanil.

Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid similar to fentanyl, but the effects are even more chilling. According to a dispatch issued by the Pima County Health Department:

Carfentanil is 100 times more potent than fentanyl and 10,000 times stronger than morphine.

And the deadly substance has been detected on the streets in the local drug supply for the first time.

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Pima County Health Department Confirms Carfentanil in Pills Seized by Tucson Police

The Pima County Health Department has confirmed that pills seized by the Tucson Police Department earlier this month contained carfentanil.

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What is Carfentanil or Carfentenyl?

Carfentanil, also written as carfentenyl, is a drug that comes in pill form, which, according to the health department's report, "looks identical to the common M30 fentanyl-laced pills," making it nearly impossible to tell the difference.

Carfentanil is a highly potent opioid. Veterinarians use it to anesthetize large animals like elephants and rhinoceroses. Cafentalin can be fatal in extremely small amounts. It's 100 times more potent than fentanyl, and a single dose can kill.

What's worse, it doesn't have to be taken orally to be deadly; it can be fatal if it makes contact with the skin or if the particles are inhaled. According to experts at the University of Arizona, carfentanil is so potent that "multiple doses of naloxone (Narcan) may be required to reverse an overdose."

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Health officials are urging extreme caution. Avoid illicit pills of any kind, especially if you don't know what you're dealing with. If you come in contact with unknown pills or medications, whatever you do, do not handle the pills and seek help immediately.

Sources:  Pima County Health Department | University of Arizona | Wikipedia: Carfentanil