NJ officials have identified multiple brands of heroin responsible for at least six recent heroin overdose deaths.
According to authorities in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, wax folds stamped with “Power Hour,” “Strike Dead,” and “Taliban” are being sold as heroin throughout the Tri-State Area. The potentially lethal brands of illegal drugs allegedly contain a potent, and dangerous, mixture of drugs.
The Drug Monitoring Initiative (DMI) helped to identify the dangerous strains of heroin. The DMI is a multistate, multi-agency program with departments in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. The agencies which are a part of the DMI share information about dangerous drug mixtures on the streets.
The information provided by the DMI is a vital tool in the fight against heroin abuse. According to New Jersey authorities, more than 5,000 people in the state have died as a result of heroin and opioid abuse during the last decade. Worse yet, this number continues to rise: there were just 287 reported heroin deaths in 2010, but more than 700 heroin deaths in New Jersey in 2013.
One of the tools used by NJ law enforcement to combat heroin abuse is the administering of Narcan, or naloxone. Narcan is a very effective opioid antidote which has been used by New Jersey police to save hundreds of heroin overdose victims. Unfortunately, the drug is ineffective when it comes to preventing overdoses caused by the most dangerous brands of heroin.
New Jersey authorities are hopeful that the recent warning issued about the most dangerous strains of heroin will limit the number of heroin overdose deaths.
To learn more, access the NJ.com article entitled “Tainted Heroin Kills 6, N.J. Issues Warning About 3 Deadly Brands.”
