AL: Dangerous opioid considered a hundred times more potent than fentanyl found in Walker County

“Carfentanil is a hundred times more potent than fentanyl.

Walker County Sheriff’s Office deputies say they’re seeing an opioid on the streets that is ten thousand times more potent than morphine.

It is known as carfentanil and investigators say it’s commonly used as an elephant tranquilizer. Primarily used in veterinary medicine to sedate large animals, doctors say a dose as small as two salt sized specs of carfentanil is considered lethal.

“Carfentanil is a hundred times more potent than fentanyl. If you think about that, that is just scary,” said President of the Medical Association for the State of Alabama Dr. George Koulianos.

Dr. Koulianos says the fact that dealers are mixing and lacing drugs together is beyond dangerous.

“They are not necessarily doing this with any degree of science or safety. It is just random and haphazard and people die and it is a tragedy.”

The FDA just approved Opvee this week in an effort to further combat opioid overdoses. Health leaders believe greater access to the life saving medication is key, but more must be done in the war on opioids.

“In Jefferson County it is worse than it has ever been,” said Jefferson County Department of Health Medical Director, Dr. Darlene Traffanstedt.

In Jefferson County alone, there were 448 overdose deaths in 2022. According to Dr. Traffanstedt, approximately 80% of those involved fentanyl.

“That is up by 90% since 2019 with fentanyl overdoses up by 275% in those years,” said Dr. Traffanstedt.

You can find free fentanyl test strips and Narcan through the Jefferson County Department of Health by clicking here.

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