TAINTED DRUG TOLL RISES BY 4

Victims said to have died from lethal fentanyl drug mix; 27 overdoses
logged since Thursday.

DETROIT -- Eight more people in Wayne County died from drug overdoses
Tuesday and officials believe four of them were caused by a mixture
of heroin or cocaine with fentanyl, a prescription painkiller 50
times more powerful than morphine.

Wayne County Medical Examiner Dr. Carl Schmidt said the deaths are
believed to be fentanyl-related because syringes were found near the
bodies, indicating a rapid death. Tests to prove that could take
weeks, he said.

"We won't actually know what drug was involved until four to six
weeks from now ... but it's likely they were fentanyl-related," he said.

In addition to the eight who died Tuesday, there have been at least
19 overdose deaths in Wayne County since Thursday.

Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano and county health officials
Friday issued a public health alert about the drug after a dozen
people were suspected of overdosing on the lethal mixture in two
days. Toxicology reports showed at least 106 people died of drug
overdoses involving fentanyl between September and March.

Wayne County averages 2-3 drug overdose deaths daily. In a typical
year there would have been about 20 overdoses involving fentanyl,
which is normally prescribed for cancer patients.

Vanessa Denha-Garmo, spokeswoman for Ficano, said officials believe
users don't know they are taking drugs mixed with fentanyl. They
believe the drug is already mixed in when the users get it.

"Our public health department is putting out (warning) flyers
everywhere in drug prevention programs," she said. "We're being very
proactive trying to get the word out."