Health officials issue warning for fentanyl laced in illegal drugs

MONTGOMERY COUNTY — Health officials are warning the public about using illegal drugs after deadly levels of fentanyl have been found laced in other drugs.

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Illegal street drugs like cocaine and heroin have recently been found containing amounts of the opioid fentanyl, which can be responsible for overdose deaths, officials said in a media release Tuesday.

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There have been 19 suspected overdose deaths in Montgomery County so far in the month of August, according to data from the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office. The total number of suspect overdose deaths in 2019 is 174.

It was not immediately clear if officials have seen a spike in overdose deaths this week as a result of the laced drugs. This news outlet has reached out to police, health officials, and the coroner’s office for more details.

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“Anyone using drugs should be aware that if they buy drugs on the street, there is a high likelihood that those drugs, including cocaine, may be laced with fentanyl or other potentially fatal chemicals,” Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl said in the media release.

Health officials stressed that medications like Narcan, used to reverse effects of an overdose, might require multiple doses to work because of the high levels of fentanyl being mixed with the other drugs.

"While there is no safe way to use illegal drugs, it is important that drug users, their friends and family, and the public are aware of steps they can take to help reduce the risk of death," officials said in the release.

This is a developing story and we’ll update this story as we learn more.