Pubdate: Tue, 18 Jul 2006 Source: Poughkeepsie Journal (NY) Copyright: 2006 Poughkeepsie Journal Contact: http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1224 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?143 (Hepatitis) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin) POTENT SYNTHETIC DRUG FOUND LOCALLY Fentanyl, a potent synthetic drug similar to morphine, has reached Dutchess County. It is thought to be as much as 200 times as potent as morphine. The county Department of Health warned local hospital emergency rooms recently to be on alert, because fatal overdoses are common among heroin users lured by the promise of an intense high. Government agencies and nonprofit groups that work are also trying to get the word out on the street. The Dutchess County medical examiner recently received toxicology results indicating that a man with a history of drug abuse and hepatitis C had the drug in his blood stream when he was found dead in his home. It was the first known death attributed to the drug in Dutchess County, but Fentanyl has killed people across the country. "Whatever is being sold out on the street, we're just concerned we're going to see more cases sooner rather than later," Health Commissioner Dr. Michael Caldwell said. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman