Not Just Fentanyl Anymore
For those who have been following the heroin epidemic in our region, there is more to
the deadly drug. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid analgesic that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent. Fentanyl has been the typical additive to heroin on the street.
Another analog of Fentanyl, known as Carfentanil, has also been detected in street heroin. However, Carfentanil can be abused by itself, and is purchased through the internet and delivered to your door via US Mail. It is 10,000 times more potent than morphine and is used in veterinary practices to immobilize large animals such as elephants.
Recently, China has begun the process to ban Carfentanil from the country. United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) officials believe that China is the main source of Carfentanil coming into our country.
A bag of drugs that was seized in a raid is displayed at the Drug Enforcement Administration Special Testing and Research Laboratory in Sterling, Virginia. The DEA is setting up an office in China to work with Beijing to try to cut off the Chinese supply of deadly synthetic drugs, like fentanyl and carfentanil. China disputes US claims that it's the main source of opioids. Still, Beijing has already banned fentanyl, an opioid some 50 times stronger than heroin.
Great Lakes Labs has been instrumental in detecting these drugs that are out on the streets through our various partnerships with narcotic divisions. Fentanyl analysis is available for the substance, in blood or urine. While Carfentanil analysis is currently not available in biological samples (blood, urine, saliva), our laboratory team continues to research methods to bring this service to fruition. Contact our laboratory to see what testing matrices are best for your agency at 1- 888-464-8885 or sales@gl-labs.com.