Ohio Warns Fentanyl-Laced Marijuana Causing Overdose Deaths

A Hamilton County coroner, Dr. Lakshmi Sammarco, has confirmed that fentanyl has been found in marijuana in overdose deaths across the state. Fentanyl is between 50 and 100 times stronger than morphine. Fatal overdoses have surged in numbers across Hamilton County.

Fentanyl has shown up in several drugs in the area, according to NBC 4 News. Opioid overdoses have led to 297 deaths in Hamilton County in 2017. In 2016, there were 403 opioid overdose deaths for the entire year.

Dr. Sammarco said, “We have seen fentanyl mixed with cocaine, we have also seen fentanyl mixed with marijuana.”

The number of cases where marijuana was mixed with synthetic opiates was not mentioned.

Dr. Sammarco said, “Essentially, the message we’ve tried to get out there, is if you are using any form of street drugs, count on them having some form of synthetic opioid mixed in.”

The coroner also said you can’t tell which drugs are tainted with the synthetic opiates.

She said, “We can’t tell you for sure until we test the blood of someone who has died or any of the drugs seized by law enforcement.”