Vermont Braces For Possible Arrival Of Deadly Drug Used To Sedate Elephants
MONTPELIER, Vt. (CBS/AP) — The state of Vermont is warning drug users about the possible arrival of a deadly narcotic.
Carfentanil is used to sedate elephants and other large animals and is 100 times as potent as fentanyl, a deadly heroin additive.
The drug is suspected in spates of overdoses in several states, where authorities say they've found it mixed with or passed off as heroin.
Law enforcement officials suspect the drug is about to move into Vermont.
The news comes as Gov. Peter Shumlin and the state's health commissioner announced that all Vermont pharmacies can now sell the opioid overdose antidote naloxone.
"This has been an even more dangerous and risky summer for people who are addicted and who unknowingly buy drugs laced with strong, potentially deadly, additives that cause them to overdose," Shumlin said
Through June 30, naloxone has been used at least 241 times in 2016 to save the lives of overdose victims.
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