DRUG experts are fearful of a new crisis with a brutal super-strength elephant tranquilizer sparking a surge of deaths.
Nick Mathews, a former heroin addict who now manages the Stillwater Behavioral Health rehab facility in Los Angeles, recently warned The U.S. Sun about the risks associated with the rise of potent fentanyl pills flooding the streets.
However, a new concern has emerged regarding the escalating usage of carfentanil, with a recent CDC study revealing its involvement in 513 fatal overdoses between 2021 and early 2024.
Originally created for sedating large animals, carfentanil is believed to be 10,000 times more powerful than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl.
Mathews says it’s “significantly” more dangerous than the zombie tranq xylazine, which has sparked similar alarm over the last few years.
Crucially, drug prevention experts are warning even a “minuscule” amount of carfentanil is lethal.
“That makes it far more hazardous than other substances previously causing concern,” Mathews told The U.S. Sun.
While experts aren’t worried about addiction, mainly because of the strength of carfentanil, the chances of overdose for casual or accidental users are scarily high.
The problems are emerging because of the dosage – just two milligrams is potent enough to kill 50 people, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
To put those dosages into context, an elephant only needs a pinch to be tranquilized.
According to Mathews, once digested, it can cause “instant and fatal respiratory failure before even forming any physical dependence.”
Carfentanil-related deaths were relatively rare between January 2021 and June 2023, with fewer than 30 fatalities every six months.
SICKENING INCREASE OF OVERDOSES
However, in the second half of 2023, deaths surged dramatically from 29 to 175, a whopping 503% increase.
This upward trend continued into 2024, with carfentanil-related deaths reaching 238 by June, marking a 720% rise from the first half of 2023.
Although overall drug overdose deaths have been decreasing since 2023, they remain alarmingly high, with most linked to illegally manufactured fentanyl.
The CDC report also notes that overdose deaths from carfentanil are becoming increasingly frequent, signaling an “ever-changing illegal drug supply” that poses a challenge to the progress made in reducing overdose fatalities.
It is untraceable to some advanced drug testers and very powerful… even testing out drugs can be deadly.
Nick Mathews
Carfentanil infiltrates the market covertly and can be found in heroin, cocaine, or fake pills.
Mathews told The U.S. Sun in May that in today’s ever-changing drug market, the ease of just popping a pill is an updated, quicker, and cheaper replacement for shooting up heroin.
Although social media sites, such as Snapchat, can be used to promote drug dealing, the main concern with carfentanil is that it can be hidden in any street drug, so any illegal purchase may be fatal, especially considering less than a pinch could kill.
CHILLING WARNING
While there are no reported side effects like skin ulcerations caused by the tranq drug, the alacrity of serious health issues is hugely worrying.
“All in all, it has severe and swift actions resulting in respiratory depression, unconsciousness, and death if not reversed within a short time,” warned the expert.
Carfentanil is often made in sophisticated chemical labs, some underground, sometimes located in other countries.
Despite the international agreements, production goes on, and the drug appears in the U.S. market through various routes.
Carfentanil has been found in different parts of the United States, but its effects are most felt in Ohio and Florida.
However, it is not evenly distributed, and the new hotspots can appear quickly due to the factional nature of drug markets.
RISK OF AIRBORNE EXPOSURE
A further issue is that the substance can become airborne in specific situations when it’s mishandled or during law enforcement operations.
Its high potency means that even airborne particles can be hazardous.
Inhalation of tiny amounts can lead to accidental exposure and overdose, posing risks not only to users but also to first responders and others who might inadvertently come into contact with the substance.
Mathews stresses, however, that the risk of accidental exposure in everyday scenarios is “much lower than people might fear.”
Yet he is at pains to warn drug users and parents of teenagers beginning to dabble in drugs to be extra vigilant.
“Both parents should be well aware of the fact that carfentanil can be contained in any illicit drug and may be popular among the youth, as well,” Mathews concludes.
“It is untraceable to some advanced drug testers and very powerful; therefore, even testing out drugs can be deadly. It is thus essential to discuss with young people the risks of drug use and the potential dangers of taking carfentanil and other new drugs.”
