An “especially deadly” strain of heroin – stamped with a “Game of Thrones” label – is making its rounds in a handful of U.S. states now grappling with overdoses from the drug. It’s potentially laced with fentanyl, making it 50 times stronger than most heroin on the street.
Health officials in Vermont and New Hampshire say that at least a dozen overdoses occurred in the past week.
“If you continue to use street drugs, or know someone who does, we urge you to be aware of the current danger out there,” Vermont’s Health Commissioner, Dr. Harry Chen, said in a warning.
“We want to prevent deaths from overdose, and have alerted naloxone distribution sites and given some precautionary advice for those people who continue to use,” Chen said.
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Last weekend in Vermont, emergency officials tended to at least 10 people who had overdosed.
“Bags of heroin” potentially laced with fentanyl are connected to the string of overdoses.
In Vermont, another two emergency responders tended to a man who needed to be revived following a heroin overdose. In that case, the “Game of Thrones” heroin was linked to the incident, too.
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“The investigation is ongoing and the heroin that was recovered, stamped with ‘Game of Thrones,’ appears to have a high potency level. Although all heroin should be considered potentially lethal, this particular batch led to an overdose and near death and people should be cautioned accordingly,” the Lebanon Police Department said in a statement.
Right now, the police departments say they’re working with first responders to make sure overdose rescue kits have naloxone.
It’s a medication that aids in reversing the symptoms of an opioid overdose. It’s being rolled out across Canadian cities grappling with opioid abuse, too.
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If you’re a street drug user, the health officials are advising:
- Do not use alone – have someone with you who can give naloxone and call 911 to save your life
- Use only one drug at a time
- Don’t mix heroin with alcohol or benzodiazepines
- Test the strength of the drug before using the whole amount
- Cut the amount that you use at one time
- Inject less if it feels too strong
Read the police warnings here and here.
carmen.chai@globalnews.ca
Follow @Carmen_Chai
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