NO SIGN DEADLY HEROIN TAINTED, OFFICIALS SAY

An investigation into two mysterious heroin deaths last month failed to
turn up evidence that tainted drugs played a role.

Authorities believe the men, who were found within hours of each other,
died from routine drug overdose rather than drugs laced with a poison.

The two men were found dead Nov. 4 on opposite sides of the city. One had a
syringe protruding from his left hand; the other was found with a syringe
and other drug tools beneath him.

Birmingham Police Chief Mike Coppage called the two deaths which were
rapid, if not instantaneous highly unusual and issued a rare public warning
to drug users to use extreme caution.

Police launched an investigation to determine whether the deaths were
routine overdoses, drugs tainted with something like strychnine or rat
poison, or a "hot shot," where the drug is at potentially fatal strength.

Toxicology testing concluded there wasn't enough residue in the syringes to
say whether poison was involved, he said.

"We don't know for sure," Coppage said. "It was just the weird set of
circumstances that led us toward that at first."

Most likely, the deaths resulted from fatal strength of the heroin,
according to Coppage and Jefferson County Chief Deputy Coroner Jay Glass.

"It's not unusual when switching from cocaine to heroin to overdose,"
Coppage said.

Glass explained that drug users accustomed to buying and using a certain
volume of cocaine often make the mistake of consuming the same quantity of
heroin.

Also, heroin is usually injected, which puts it into the system more quickly.

"The heroin is much stronger and it's a different effect," he said.
"Cocaine is primarily a stimulant of the central nervous system. The heroin
is a depressant, which puts them into respiratory arrest."