Pubdate: Fri, 29 Sep 2006
Source: Times, The (Trenton, NJ)
Copyright: 2006 The Times
Contact:  http://www.nj.com/times/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/458
Author: Kevin Shea
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)

MORE POTENT HEROIN INFECTS REGION

City Sees A Jump In Overdoses

In his years treating people on the streets of Trenton, EMT Ray 
Krajocovics has seen it happen many times.

A heroin overdose victim is found unconscious and in need of a 
life-saving antidote. But as soon as the solution takes effect, the 
person is able to jump up and run away.

But since the beginning of August, Trenton EMS responders are finding 
many heroin overdose victims have not been able to sit up after 
getting the antidote. Instead, they are in a near-coma state, and 
increasingly investigators suspect that it's because the heroin they 
used has been laced with highly potent fentanyl that has come onto 
the market in the Trenton region.

Fentanyl-laced heroin has been a scourge in southern New Jersey since 
April, with more than 60 overdose deaths in Camden and Gloucester 
counties blamed on the super-potent narcotic.

Recently, Mercer County authorities acknowledged that the drug was 
being sold in the Trenton area. In early September, Mercer law 
enforcement officials said fentanyl was suspected in seven local 
deaths. Two more people were treated for overdoses in Hamilton but survived.

In Mercer County, the Medical Examiner's Office is still testing 
toxicological samples taken from overdose victims, and confirmations 
that fentanyl was present could take a few more weeks, the Mercer 
County Prosecutor's Office said.

In Bucks County, Pa., Coroner Dr. Joseph Campbell has confirmed the 
presence of fentanyl in five heroin overdose deaths this year, 
including one this month.

Fentanyl has legitimate medical use as an anesthesia and pain killer 
and is about 80 times more potent than morphine. Illicit drug 
distributors use it to make their heroin more potent or to strengthen 
poor-quality heroin, authorities say.

 From Aug. 1 to Sept. 13, Trenton EMS treated 27 patients for heroin 
overdoses -- 15 in August alone. Two died and the rest were taken to 
hospitals for treatment, officials say.

The latest was Tuesday at 8 p.m. at Kirkbride Avenue and New Willow 
Street in North Trenton, Trenton EMS said. That person was hospitalized.

Trenton EMS's numbers are not a definitive tally of the impact of 
fentanyl-mixed heroin. (Some of the suspected deaths occurred in the 
suburbs.) But the crews of Trenton EMS often are the first to get to 
the victims and they know when something is amiss with the Trenton 
region's heroin.

"It seems to be more steady over the past few months," Krajocovics, 
deputy director of Trenton EMS, said of the heroin calls. "We're 
definitely seeing an increase." In prior years, Trenton EMS would get 
a few calls a month, not one every other day, he said.

Also, Krajocovics said, his ambulance crews are reporting that they 
are using more of the antidote on victims. "When I see 15 overdoses 
in the month of August, it may be (heroin) that is more potent than 
(heroin users) are used to," he said.

Mercer County Prosecutor's Office Detective Lt. Bill Straniero, who 
publicly confirmed suspicions earlier this month that fentanyl had 
apparently surfaced in Mercer County, said his Special Investigations 
Unit has been working with other law-enforcement agencies in recent 
weeks on the issue.

Trenton police also have detectives probing the presence of 
fentanyl-laced heroin, the department said.

Even without positive confirmation, Straniero said common belief on 
the streets is that the current supply of heroin can be quickly 
fatal, even for longtime users.

"With my experience (with drugs in Mercer County) we haven't seen the 
overdoses in a month or so like we have just seen," Straniero said. 
"In my experience, there's got to be something this is not normal 
with these heroin overdoses."
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman