ANOTHER DRUG OVERDOSE WITH FENTANYL SUSPECTED

DETROIT -- Wayne County health officials Monday reported another
suspected drug overdose that they believe is related to a mixture of
narcotics and the powerful prescription painkiller fentanyl.

Since May 18, at least 48 people have died in the county from
overdoses that health officials believe are caused by a mixture of
cocaine or heroin and fentanyl, said Teresa Blossom, a spokeswoman
for the Detroit-Wayne County Community Mental Health Agency.

The exact cause of those people's deaths will not be confirmed until
toxicology tests are completed, Blossom said. In the meantime, she
said area health agencies have increased substance abuse prevention
services and passed out 15,000 fliers detailing the dangers of fentanyl.

"Our outreach continues," she said. "(It has) been very, very strong."

Test results to determine if the drug was present at the time of
death could take two to four weeks.

In Wayne County there have been 130 confirmed overdose cases in which
fentanyl was mixed with either heroin or cocaine from January 2005 to
April. On May 19, a dozen deaths suspected to have a fentanyl link
occurred in 24 hours.

Fentanyl is more than 50 times stronger than morphine and is commonly
given to cancer patients.